I realised this morning, I have a real problem with drugs…

No, not that kind of problem, you won’t see me going into rehab, no, no, no!

My problem with drugs is this: my drug of choice, weed, is not legal and I’m unduly made a criminal as a result. That’s a big problem.

Its silly, its unfair, and its unjustified. It’s also the law.

Laws can be changed and when a law is unjust, it should be changed. Criminalising people because they want to indulge in the consumption of a plant is stupid, no matter how you look at it.

Cannabis is comparatively safe, if you’re comparing it to the two legally obtainable drugs, tobacco and alcohol. You can’t overdose on weed and according to the post just below this one, there are only 2 recorded deaths attributed to cannabis in the history of recording!

How is society served by criminalising me? I am a respectable, otherwise law-abiding, tax paying citizen of this fine planet. Send me to prison for a few years and not only do you lose my positive contributions to society and the queen’s purse, but I end up costing you money! You think those orange boiler suits and mystery meat surprise for lunch every day is free? You pay for it! Isn’t it better that I stay on the outside and continue to purchase my own meals and clothing?

The truth is, the likelihood of me ever serving time for simple possession is minimal. I’m careful, I don’t take risks and I pretty much only ever smoke in the privacy and security of my own home. The only place I flaunt my cannabis use is here on the internet, but I do that for a reason. My agenda….

My agenda here has always been simple and hopefully obvious; I wish to remove any remaining stigma attached to smoking cannabis. I am a professional, I work full time (and then some), I take care of myself and the people I love, I’m kind to strangers and animals. Especially animals.

I’ve personally known loads of people who smoke dope, from the casual “I’ll have a couple of puffs on that spliff” types, to people “who can smoke me under the table”, I’ve smoked with them all. I’ve probably directly encountered over one-thousand people in the last nearly three decades of my daily dope smoking who have all enjoyed a bit of weed. None of them were homeless, clinically insane or went on to harder drugs. If anything, most of them mellowed as they got older, which is not something I can say for myself. Ninety-nine percent of them were gainfully employed and if I am honest worked in my profession. The media is full of hypocrites and the same people putting out anti-drug propaganda bullshit in the newspapers, enjoy a toot or a pill or a puff at the weekend.

Whenever I’ve had to deal with drug issues professionally, I’ve tried to be balanced and I’ve aimed to find voices on my side of the argument. Trust me, its more than most would do, for to be seen as sympathetic to drug use could land you in hot water. I’ve never kept my drug use a secret and if asked point blank by a boss, I wouldn’t deny where my interests lie. As I’ve aged, I’ve become more vocal in making sure the propaganda is not unchallenged. It’s about all I can do and I know its not much.

I want to do more.

I want us all to do more.

For the drug laws to change, every single one of us who smokes weed has to come out of the green closet and declare with pride our love of weed. If I do it on my own, if I outted myself here and now, there’s a very good chance I would lose my job or worse.

Attitudes are changing, more so than one might think. Especially if one is in the current, out of step with the electorate, government of this country. Remember, our Prime Minister, old whatshisface, the really unpopular one that EVERYONE hates, said that cannabis is lethal. What fucking planet is he from and can we send him back, please?

Check out this survey which was published today. Really, click here and read it, it won’t take you long.

Did you read it? Don’t lie, this hippy sees all. A bit like Santa Claus, or god, only I’m not fictional.

The “rave generation” has begat another generation of “junior ravers” and both generations think the other generation is on drugs. Cool.

The times, they are a’changin’ and our politicians have to wake up to this, especially on my pet subject. Climate change, financial meltdown, possible flu pandemics, a McCain presidency, the future is looking decidedly bleak. The least those idiots in power could do is let us all soften the blow with a little sweet smoke!

I really need help with my drug problem. I’m willing to help myself, if you’ll help me too, but its a big ask…

I want you all to consider outting yourselves along side me as a life long dope smoker. More than consider, I want you to make a pledge to do it and I want you to email it to me. If I get, oh I don’t know, a million emailed pledges, I will reveal myself to the world.

Ok, a million is probably pushing it.

Probably? I’ve got more chance of sprouting wings, spitting fire and renaming myself the northlondondragon.

What’s a realistic number? If I’m serious about this, and dammit I am, then I need to come up with a number that strikes a balance between being attainable and yet still giving me the confidence of knowing I’ll be backed up by my legions of hippyfans.

How many in a legion?

According to Wikipedia, around 5,200. Of course, Wikipedia says Neil Armstrong was the first man to eat cheese. At least it does now.

Five thousand ain’t nearly enough.

I’ve narrowed it down then, I need somewhere between 5,000 and one-million emails from you guys before I’ll tell the world who I am.

Clearly this plan requires more thought.

It’s not easy having a drug problem, especially when the solution seems so elusive, but with your help, maybe our collective drug problem can be cured.

(Keep reading, the next post is about weed too. I know, two in a row, go me!)