cannabisnews.com: Dutch-Style Cannabis Cafe Opens in Britain Dutch-Style Cannabis Cafe Opens in Britain Posted by FoM on September 14, 2001 at 21:55:21 PT By Angelique Chrisafis Source: Guardian Unlimited The UK's only Dutch-style cannabis cafe opens today, selling bags of weed and rolled joints from a shopfront in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The Dutch Experience will be run by Colin Davies, a sufferer of debilitating back pain. Cafe staff will defy laws banning the supply of cannabis, claiming that there is a moral obligation to provide the drug to people who use it therapeutically. Mr Davies is founder of the Medical Marijuana Co-operative, a non-profit organisation which provides cannabis for multiple sclerosis and arthritis sufferers who need the drug to ease pain, but do not want to buy it from street dealers. The Stockport cafe will sell three types of grass and three types of resin in 2g and 5g bags, with ready-rolled joints for novices. It will operate from a former restaurant, and will also sell coffee and cakes, but no alcohol. Marijuana will be sold to both medical and recreational users, with social smokers subsidising the low-cost medical users. The cafe will also act as a meeting place for sufferers of chronic pain. Mr Davies, 44, who once handed the Queen a bouquet containing marijuana, has been acquitted twice of cultivating and selling the drug for medical use. He feels his acquittals could be seen as test cases and is confident that the cannabis cafe will stay open despite the fact that supply of the drug is illegal. Mr Davies said: "We want to be transparent and act in a civilised way. We have got to get the medicine to the patients, so we aim to stay open with the support of many local people. I feel it is immoral to withhold cures from people experiencing acute pain." Mr Davies previously told a court he smoked up to four joints a day to relieve back pain after a fall at work in 1994. He will be assisted by Dutch traders with experience of running similar licensed cafes in Amsterdam. A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester police said officers would not turn a blind eye to the cafe. "It is illegal and we will have to deal with the sale of any drugs," she said. Source: Guardian Unlimited, The (UK)Author: Angelique ChrisafisPublished: Saturday, September 15, 2001Copyright: 2001 Guardian Newspapers LimitedContact: letters guardian.co.ukWebsite: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Related Articles:Special Report: Drugs in Britainhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/drugs/ 'Cannabis Cafe' To Open http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10906.shtmlPolice Vow To Close Amsterdam Soft Drug Café http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10875.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by Fionn on September 16, 2001 at 04:31:16 PT: chainstores Let the people decide what is right for us not the goverments .They are ment to be there to serve us.....So i'll have 2 bags of White Widow please..........Open up the world to blow and open lots of cafes in eire [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by BAV on September 15, 2001 at 15:30:12 PT BIG BALLS and Iron Lungs.Fair Play to the old boy !!!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by smileysmiles on September 15, 2001 at 05:57:29 PT arrested I heard he got arrested this morning. In fact I'm listening to the news now and... he was arrested when attempting to give some cannabis to a woman in a wheelchair. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Imprint on September 14, 2001 at 23:43:21 PT This guy has some big balls.Good luck and I hope he is successful. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment