The UK's Cannabis Party Scores a Couple of Election Successes

The consumption of alcohol causes violence and leads to delinquency, unlike marijuana, which ought to be legalised, according to Paul Birch, the leader of the party CISTA (“Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol”), who ran in the UK'’s last general elections, on 7 May. 

Although the Conservative Party won an absolute majority in the elections and David Cameron will continue as the UK's prime minister, the CISTA scored a couple of triumphs in these elections. The first of them was receiving 8,419 votes–although this did not earn it Parliamentary representation. The party fielded 32 candidates in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, with a manifesto stating that the “war against drugs” has failed and alternative measures should be adopted.

The other success was that it earned more votes than parties like the British National Party (BNP), a far-right group founded in the 80s that has been losing steam over the years, and the Christian Peoples Alliance. 

In addition, the CISTA received more votes than the Conservatives in the county of West Tyrone, in Northern Ireland, with 528 votes, as opposed to the Conservative Party's 169. It also bested the Tories in the Parliamentary district of East Londonderry.

Although the results demonstrate that the CISTA still has a long way to go, it is also true that it won its 8,000 votes in a very short time period, as it was registered as a political party just last March and, according to its webpage, rose to 1,500 members in just two months. Thus, it will be necessary to closely follow the progress of this party made up of cannabis lovers who want to change the laws governing marijuana consumption.