20/09/2007 00:00:00
Press Release: 40 Year-old UK Drugs Charity RELEASE To Shut It's
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In a letter published on the Legalise Cannabis Alliance Forum, Caroline
Coon, artist and co-founder of the UK drug charity Release some 40 years
ago, explains why she will not be helping to raise funds to save Release (1)
From the letter:
"My concern is the iniquity and misery caused to people and society by
drugs prohibition. It is not Release as an organisation that matters.
What matters are the terrible consequences of prohibition. The problem
is that Release no longer campaigns to end prohibition. In fact, Release
is colluding with prohibition. It pains me to say this but Release has
degenerated into nothing more than a constituent of the drug prohibition
industry.
"If Release ceased functioning - or rather ceased malfunctioning - it
would make no difference, it would not matter. Because Release has
nothing interesting to say and nothing practical to offer to the
thousands of people warned, cautioned, arrested and imprisoned for using
or selling drugs, Release has no influence - no influence on Government
and no influence in the media. The general public does not know that
Release exists. Unfortunately no one, other than those who rely on
Release for wages, would miss it."
"Closing Release will remove a hollow shell of an organisation out of
the path of any new group that might spring up run by young people for
young people energetically campaigning to end the crime generating
misery of prohibition."
Don Barnard of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, said: "Clearly Release
has wasted a lot of money doing nothing towards its original aims 40
years ago.. to campaign for the ending prohibition."
"What sickens me is The Legalise Cannabis Alliance and its supporters
have been campaigning on a shoe-string to end prohibition for the last
decade, individuals frequently using their own money for the campaign,
not to mention risking health, arrest and imprisonment."....."Any rock
stars or celebrities up for raising funds for the LCA."
Editors notes
THE PLIGHT OF RELEASE. By Caroline Coon. (1,000 words)
http://www.lca-uk.org/lcaforum/viewtopic.php?t=7474
Release http://www.release.org.uk/
Press Office
Legalise Cannabis Alliance
PO BOX 2883
STOKE ON TRENT
S74 9EE
http://www.lca-uk.org
publicrelation@lca-uk.org
07984 255015
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12851
Author:
Legalise Cannabis Alliance via UKCIA
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