Pubdate: Fri, 01 Jun 2001 Source: Evening News (UK) Copyright: Eastern Counties Newspapers Group Ltd,2001 Contact: http://www.norfolk-now.co.uk/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/141 Author: Hilary Fletcher, Political reporter POLICE BLOW OUT CANNABIS CAMPAIGNING Parents Complain Over Party Leaflets AN ELECTION candidate who advocates legalising cannabis ran into trouble as his aides handed out leaflets and stickers to passers-by in Gentleman's Walk. A supporter of Alun Buffry, who is standing for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance in the forthcoming General Election, was spoken to by police for handing out a leaflet to a child. It came after parents complained to nearby police officers that their son, who was under 17 years of age, had been given a leaflet by a party worker who only gave his name as Trevor. Speaking to the Evening News after the incident, the party worker said he had been smoking cannabis regularly since he was 16, and he was not forcing the election propaganda on anyone. "The police came up and said I had been giving the leaflets to young kids, and that I was not allowed to give them out to anyone under the age of 17. "I told the officer there was no law against handing out leaflets to children, and what I was doing was perfectly legal." The incident followed an anonymous call to the Evening News office complaining that Mr Buffry was handing out free cannabis. But Mr Buffry said he was just handing out leaflets and stickers. He added that he was "completely serious" about the election campaign. "I have got policies other than the legalisation of cannabis, and if I was elected MP for Norwich South I would have a proper agenda. "I am completely serious about this campaign -- I lost four-and-a-half years of my life after being convicted for conspiracy to supply cannabis. The law needs changing." - --- MAP posted-by: Andrew