Pubdate: Thu, 02 Sep 2004
Source: Scotsman (UK)
Copyright: The Scotsman Publications Ltd 2004
Contact:  http://www.scotsman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/406
Author: Alan Roden
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom)

VOW TO OPEN NEW CITY CENTRE CANNABIS CAFE

A LEADING supporter of Scotland's first cannabis cafe today vowed a similar 
outlet would be opened in the city centre.

Cult publisher and author Kevin Williamson announced the move after 
Edinburgh Sheriff Court fined the owner of Leith's Purple Haze Cafe UKP 500 
for allowing the drug to be smoked on the premises.

Paul Stewart, who operated the cafe, yesterday admitted permitting cannabis 
use on the premises. The 37-year-old was arrested on January 29 - the night 
he opened his Portland Place "private members' club" and the same day 
cannabis was downgraded to a Class C drug.

But Mr Williamson, the Scottish Socialist Party's drugs spokesman and 
founder of the Scottish Cannabis Coffeeshops Movement, today said the UKP 
500 fine was a "token slap on the wrist".

"I'm pleased Paul didn't receive a custodial sentence. A small fine of UKP 
500 shows what a waste of police time and court time this was. This entire 
case has been a joke from start to finish but it is not going to put anyone 
off opening a new cannabis cafe. Our ultimate aim is to get cannabis out of 
the black market and what we are doing is morally right. I can say for 
certain that supporters will get together and discuss ways to open another 
cafe and this time it will be right in the middle of Edinburgh city centre."

The Purple Haze opened in a blaze of publicity earlier this year, and 
members who paid UKP 5 to join the club were promised they would be able to 
use the drug on the premises - despite police warnings that it would be 
illegal. MSP Tommy Sheridan signed up to become a member of the cafe, which 
drew more than 100 people to its opening. But the cafe was raided just 
three hours after it opened and Stewart was arrested.

The Purple Haze was subsequently put on the market after just one month. 
Stewart blamed "harassment" by the authorities for his decision to sell. In 
April, Stewart pleaded not guilty to the charges but changed his plea 
before yesterday's court appearance.

He said: "I'm quite upset about the severity of the fine, but I'm glad it 
wasn't a custodial sentence. I decided to plead guilty to the charges 
because I didn't want to waste any more taxpayers' money."

Procurator fiscal John Barclay told the court there was "a co-ordinated 
police response" on the cafe's opening day: "The accused was seen at the 
counter of the premises and could not have failed to see the bong and pipe 
or also smell the distinctive aroma of cannabis."

When fining Stewart, Sheriff Noel McPartlin told him: "You are entitled to 
your point of view whether it is a good law or a bad law, but you are not 
entitled to campaign against it by breaking the law itself."

Defence agent Matthew Berlow said, his client was now "a broken man" 
because of the adverse publicity.

Stewart claims to have invested UKP 45,000 in the business and is 
considering offers over UKP 15,000 for the lease - which has about eight 
years to run. Because he is living on a minimum income, he was allowed to 
pay the fine at the rate of UKP 10 a week.
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