#ProCannabisTeam to Travel to the UN to Stand Up for CSCs and the Demands of Cannabis Users

From 19-21 April a special session will be held at the UN General Assembly to discuss everything related to the situation surrounding certain substances, including cannabis. One month earlier, from 14 to 22 March, the 59th regular session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs will be held in Vienna, as announced a few days ago by former UNC Secretary General Kofi Annan, a meeting that could change the future of the sector and that of the countries still maintaining prohibitionist policies.

This is a key moment for change because although many European countries seem to have regressed in their policies, activists continue to struggle as hard as before or even harder than ever, to defend their rights as consumers. Against this backdrop the French group #ProCannabisTeam, made up of several groups involved in the world of marijuana, like the think tank FAAAT, and the associations Chanvre&Libertés-NORML France, and Cannabis Sans Frontières, have decided to be attend the event in order to broadcast their demands, demand change and, above all, reflect on the cannabis club model.

Thus, they will actively participate in a talk entitled “An Introduction to Cannabis Social Clubs,” raising awareness of the work that many groups do in relation to cannabis and reducing harm. In addition, they are particularly interested in attending the official French delegation’s meeting, which will be attended by the ambassador in Vienna, a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and various medical groups.

Their intention is to have a voice at this important international forum and to forge links and relationships with other organisations and cannabis groups from all the European countries sharing the same objectives with regards to cannabis social clubs (CSCs). They believe that their participation at the event will be vital to changing the usual decisions made by French authorities, to winning recognition for the right to medical cannabis, and to remind those present that a change in cannabis policy requires a commitment by everyone involved.

To attend they launched a crowdfunding effort on the platform Ulule, through which sought to raise 1,250 euros. Three days from the end of the project, they have already brought in 2,991. The proceeds will be used to send two representatives of this group to Vienna, and to print information materials, posters and brochures in Spanish, English and French with information on cannabis's status and the demands of activists and patients. With this objective achieved, all there is left to do now is waiting for the date and represent other users at this important forum.