Press Release To All Media 1st May 2009
International J Day 2009
Celebrated In (Martyrs) Latimer Square
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The Christchurch Coalition For Cannabis Law Reform is joining with over 200 cities worldwide to protest prohibition of
cannabis this Saturday 2 May - High Noon – 4.20pm.
This year’s theme is in remembrance of Martyr Bishop Hugh Latimer, after whom Latimer Square is named. Three central
squares of Christchurch are all named after the three famous Oxford Martyrs who were all burned at the stake for heresy
or alternative beliefs. The other two are Bishops Nicholas Ridley and Thomas Cranmer after whom Cathedral Square and
Cranmer Square are named.
What was the crime of these well- educated Bishops? It was a belief crime.
They believed the Bible should be taught in English so the common man could understand it and read it for himself. Not
in Latin, which was only understood and ‘translated’ down to the people by the Roman Catholic Clergy.
The new thinking was Protestant and regarded as heresy by Queen Mary, (Henry VIII daughter) She insisted that the best
way to deal with heresy was to burn as many heretics as possible. Both Latimer and Ridley were burned together on 16
October 1555 and Cranmer was burned 21 March 1556. Many others were also tortured and imprisoned for believing in the
right to be a free- thinking Protestant.
Cannabis users are not being burnt at the stake, but prohibition makes the people who believe in another way of doing
things, pay a huge price for their belief. Prohibition has its’ murder victims. People are imprisoned and ostracized by
family and community. Teens get kicked out of school. Jobs and future prospects are at risk People have their lives
turned upside down and sometimes totally destroyed once they are made into a criminal by being convicted of the
victimless crime of using cannabis.
An elderly lady is currently at risk of having her property confiscated. All because she grew a God given herb in her
garden for her medicinal purposes.
This type of punishment far outweighs the alleged crime and is totally unfair.
The Ch Ch Coalition for Cannabis Law Reform say – “ Tear down this
Prohibition wall that is creating so much misery and achieving nothing.” Why
doesn't anybody remember how much havoc prohibition of alcohol caused?
Prohibition of cannabis is no different. We must start looking at this as a
health issue, not a criminal issue. The Drug Harm Index conservatively reports almost 400,000 people have smoked
cannabis. There is need for a different approach as the 15,000 convictions per annum proves that prohibition is a failed
expensive exercise that does not protect society or limit use.
The CCLR supports an 18+ regulated model similar to alcohol and tobacco.
This will bring in billions of revenue along with hemp industry development.
ENDS