Cannabis Activism in Jersey

Evelyn's Campaign for Medicinal Cannabis

The story of modern cannabis activism in Jersey begins in 2012 with Evelyn's campaign for access to medicinal cannabis and the establishment of the Jersey Legalise Cannabis Alliance.

Following coverage of her story and the launch of paper and e-petitions, Evelyn approached the Health Minister in 2014 to grant her a licence for medicinal cannabis, which was deemed possible in principle by the Solicitor General. However, despite similar licences for medicinal cannabis being issued in Guernsey, her request was denied.

An attempt was then made to raise a proposition in the States Assembly to request the possession of cannabis for treatment purposes, alongside two other similar propositions brought by patients in need of access to medicinal cannabis.

Jersey Legalise Cannabis Alliance (2012-)

• Facebook Page – 950 followers

Petitions

1. 21^st May 2013 – Legalise Cannabis Medicinally in Jersey, Channel Islands – 104 supporters

News Coverage

1. 11^th August 2012 – Cannabis smugglers: We had to do it for our health’s sake
2. 18^th August 2012 – Cannabis 'is my only relief from major pain'
3. 18^th August 2012 – When cannabis is the best medicine – paywall
4. 28^th August 2012 – Cannabis 'must remain on list of banned drugs' – paywall
5. 17^th November 2013 – Evelyn fighting for her life and against the Jersey bureaucracy...
6. 19^th March 2014 – Jersey minister starts law review into cannabis licence
7. 22^nd March 2014 – Evelyn's continuing pain - and Jersey's shame continues...
8. 21^st May 2014 – Evelyn's continuing fight, her latest trip, another locked toilet, a mystery gas bill and much much more - but WHY?
9. 28^th July 2014 – Evelyn's home raided by Jersey Police searching for her medicine - on the "Lord's Day"...
10. 11^th August 2014 – Medicinal cannabis smoker undeterred after raid
11. 15^th May 2015 – Evelyn's progress report - May 2015
12. 2^nd May 2017 – Evelyn, the medical use of cannabis in Jersey, Blue Islands airline and the locked toilet policy...
13. 12^th May 2017 – Profile: Chronically ill Islander feels ignored by the States

Propositions for Medicinal Cannabis Access

Three Islanders presented paper petitions to the States Assembly in 2014 to allow them to access cannabis for treatment purposes, which were introduced by Deputy Monty Tadier:

• P.126/2014 Bedrocan BV: possession for treatment purposes
• P.127/2014 Sativex: possession for treatment purposes
• P.128/2014 Cannabis: possession of cannabis for treatment purposes

Disappointingly, all three propositions where ultimately rejected by States Members.

Campaigners sought to undertake a judicial review of the Assembly's decision in the months that followed, but it appears that this course of action was not pursued.

Sativex would be classified as a Schedule 4 drug in 2016, and became available on free prescription from the hospital formulary in January 2018. First proposed in 2017, Law Drafting Instructions to classify Bedrocan and Tilray products for medicinal use were abandoned in 2018 following the adoption of the proposition to legalise medicinal cannabis by the States Assembly.

News Coverage

1. 21^st July 2014 – 'Cut patient suffering by legalising cannabis now'
2. 22^nd July 2014 – Jersey Deputy in call for medicinal cannabis licence
3. 9^th September 2014 – Health Minister urges rejection of cannabis ruling
4. 13^th September 2014 – The Monstrous, Cruel and Ignorant Health Minister Of Jersey
5. 1^st December 2014 – Health to explain position on medicinal cannabis
6. 4^th December 2014 – Health Minister needs to look at evidence for medicinal cannabis
7. 6^th December 2014 – The medical use of cannabis in Jersey - Two of the three petitioners interviewed - who could possibly vote "Contre" in the States?
8. 7^th December 2014 – Health Minister argues against medicinal cannabis
9. 8^th December 2014 – Roll up for cannabis debate
10. 9^th December 2014 – If drug addicts get methadone, why can patients not use cannabis?
11. 9^th December 2014 – Campaigners lose cannabis-based drugs fight
12. 6^th March 2015 – States ban on medicinal cannabis to be challenged in court?
13. 9^th March 2015 – More support needed for families of drug users and alcoholics
14. 4^th May 2017 – Cannabis medicine: Give us the choice, say campaigners – paywall
15. 23^rd January 2018 – ITV Channel News, Jersey - 23/01/18

Decriminalise It - Jersey

Decriminalise It - Jersey was founded in 2013 by lobbyists for the decriminalisation of cannabis, along with Cannabis Science - Jersey, which disseminated information about cannabis.

An e-petition was launched by the group in 2014, followed by the holding of a public meeting on cannabis at the Town Hall to discuss cannabis legalisation and access to medicinal cannabis.

Decriminalise It - Jersey would later change it's name to the Jersey Medicinal Cannabis Club in 2017.

Decriminalise It - Jersey / Jersey Medicinal Cannabis Club (2013-17 / 2017-)

• Facebook Page – 2,600 followers
• Instagram Page – 200 followers
• YouTube Channel – 4,000 subscribers
• Website – via the Internet Archive
• Tumblr Blog

Cannabis Science - Jersey (2013-2018)

• Facebook Page – 10,000 followers

Petitions

1. 2^nd February 2014 – Decriminalise possession of small amounts of Cannabis for medicinal and recreational use – 848 supporters
2. 24^th May 2023 – Watchdog service for Medicinal cannabis on the island is needed – 184 supporters

News Coverage

1. 1^st March 2014 – Hundreds back Facebook call for cannabis to be legalised
2. 23^rd May 2014 – Meeting shows support for legalisation of cannabis
3. 23^rd May 2014 – "The Great Town Hall Cannabis Debate"
4. 12^th February 2015 – Legalising cannabis would be 'crazy' says charity head - do you agree?
5. 4^th March 2015 – ITV Channel News Report 04/03/15
6. 4^th March 2015 – ITV Channel News Interview 04/03/15

Cannabis Campaigner for Senator

In the 2014 general elections, the founder of Decriminalise It - Jersey (see above) stood for Senator advocating for the legalisation of cannabis in Jersey with the campaign slogan: "This is a plant, not a crime". He received 3,153 votes (12.6%), placing 16^th out of 18 candidates.

News Coverage

1. 4^th May 2014 – Pro-cannabis candidate up for election
2. 9^th October 2014 – Negative 20-year cannabis study is flawed by author's conflict of interests, says pro-marijuana election candidate

Daniel's Campaign for Medicinal Cannabis

A patient approached the Health Minister in 2014 with the suggestion that he partake in a trial to demonstrate the effectiveness of medicinal cannabis for treating pain. Unfortunately, his request was denied by the Minister several months later.

He continues to campaign for access to medicinal cannabis, working with States Members such as Deputy Rowland Huelin during the last term of the Assembly, and launching an e-petition in 2019.

Petitions

1. 26^th June 2019 – Legalise cannabis, decriminalise it or make medicinal available – 307 supporters

News Coverage

1. 2^nd October 2014 – Cannabis cures my pain - Islander challenges health officials over beneficial use of drug
2. 29^th August 2015 – 'I may have to leave Jersey if I can’t take cannabis for medicinal reasons'
3. 2^nd September 2015 – Cannabis medical test 'would never be accepted', says Health Minister
4. 10^th December 2018 – Islanders beg doctors to prescribe medicinal cannabis

Legalise It - Jersey

Legalise It - Jersey was established in 2012 by a dogged lobbyist for cannabis reform who played a key role in the development and ultimately the success of the proposition to legalise medicinal cannabis in 2018 working with Deputy Monty Tadier.

Legalise It - Jersey (2012-2020)

• Facebook Page – 500 followers
• YouTube Channel – 20 subscribers

Petitions

1. 29^th September 2016 – Legalise medicinal cannabis in Jersey, Channel Islands – 3,981 supporters
2. 7^th August 2018 – Remove cannabis from Schedule One & not just the States/MDAC approved products – 1,056 supporters
3. 11^th October 2018 – Allow medical professionals who can prescribe, the right to prescribe cannabis – 558 supporters

Other Voices for Reform

During this period, a number of others contributed to the wider campaign for cannabis reform by creating and signing petitions, writing letters to the Jersey Evening Post, emailing States Members and submitting Freedom of Information Requests.

Politically, Deputy Monty Tadier in particular has been proactive in raising cannabis related issues in the States Assembly over the years, while more recently Reform Jersey included the decriminalisation of cannabis in their 2022 manifesto.

Other notable mentions for their involvement in cannabis campaigning in Jersey include the Guernsey Drug Strategy Campaign, Medical Cannabis Jersey CI, Legalise Cannabis in the Channel Islands, The 420 Lounge, Channel Islands Cannabis Collective, and also the drugs advisory service Weekend Welfare.

In 2018, the political group Alternative for Jersey produced A Model Multi-Agency, Medicinal Cannabis Policy and circulated it amongst States Members.

Billy and Charlotte Caldwell visited Jersey in 2021 as part of their 1,000 mile walk across the UK to fundraise for the I Am Billy Foundation to improve access to medicinal cannabis, supported by End Cannabis Prohibition Jersey.

Polls

1. 11^th December 2014 – JEP readers support legalisation of medicinal cannabis
   • Do you think medicinal cannabis should be legalised? – 817 votes
     • Yes : 719 (88%)
     • Yes : 98 (12%)
2. 12^th February 2015 – Legalising cannabis would be 'crazy' says charity head - do you agree?
   • Do you think cannabis should be legalised? – 1,835 votes
     • Yes : 1,709 (93.13%)
     • Yes, but only for medicinal purposes : 72 (3.92%)
     • No : 54 (2.94%)
3. 29^th August 2015 – 'I may have to leave Jersey if I can’t take cannabis for medicinal reasons'
   • Do you think cannabis should be legalised for medicinal purposes? – 830 votes
     • Yes : 732 (88.19%)
     • No : 98 (11.81%)
4. 10^th May 2017 – POLL: Should cannabis be legalised for medicinal purposes? – results summarised; paywall
   • Do you support proposals to legalise cannabis for medicinal purposes? – votes unknown
     • Yes : 93%
     • No : 7%
5. 27^th July 2023 – POLL: Should Jersey decriminalise cannabis? – results summarised
   • Do you think cannabis should be decriminalised? – 780 votes
     • Yes : ~585 (~75%)
     • No : ~195 (~25%)

Petitions

1. 17^th July 2014 – To grant permission for the medicinal use of cannabis for those suffering with chronic pain – 362 supporters
2. 19^th January 2015 – Legalize Marijuana and Hemp in the Channel Islands – 2,104 supporters
3. 3^rd July 2019 – The States should initiate an Island-wide debate on drugs, exploring all options – 203 supporters
4. 17^th March 2020 – Legalize, Decriminalize and regulate Cannabis for Islanders – 3,021 supporters
5. 16^th October 2020 – Not tax medicinal cannabis – 231 supporters
6. 11^th February 2022 – Allow prescribed medicinal cannabis users to grow their own – 225 supporters
7. 25^th July 2022 – Provide funding for patients that need access to medicinal cannabis medication – 115 supporters
8. 28^th June 2024 – Reconsider decision on decriminalizing cannabis and hold another vote

News Coverage

1. 14^th February 2015 – JEP online readers back legalisation of cannabis – paywall
2. 9^th September 2016 – Should the States prosecute 'medicinal' cannabis users?
3. 16^th April 2018 – The Insider: "It's time to legalise cannabis... I feel better for saying it"
4. 21^st June 2018 – Comment: "Legalising cannabis for medical use is really a no brainer"
5. 16^th July 2018 – The 'War Against Drugs'
6. 18^th March 2019 – Let's get moving with cannabis prescription, says St Peter Deputy
7. 12^th June 2019 – Did you take drugs? – Jersey's ministers respond to drug survey
8. 12^th September 2019 – Could party-drug testing help keep Islanders safe?
9. 27^th October 2019 – Former addict calls for compassion towards Islanders hooked on drugs
10. 22^nd May 2020 – No legalisation of cannabis, says minister, despite 2,300 petitioners
11. 1^st June 2021 – The Amazing Canna-Quad Introduction
12. 3^rd June 2021 – Boy who helped change UK cannabis laws to visit Jersey in 1,000 mile campaign
13. 8^th June 2021 – Medicinal cannabis campaigners meet minister during Jersey visit
14. 20^th May 2022 – FOCUS: What does Reform Jersey pledge in its manifesto?
15. 5^th February 2024 – "My life is transformed" - Benefits of Prescription Cannabis for Pain

End Cannabis Prohibition Jersey

Launched in May 2020 as a private Facebook group in response to police raids under Operation Shark, the team at End Cannabis Prohibition Jersey has built upon the work of previous campaigners for cannabis reform.

Shortly after the group was founded, medicinal cannabis became available to patients in the Island via private clinics in the UK. End Cannabis Prohibition Jersey played a key role in disseminating information about the process involved, including publishing A guide to accessing Medicinal Cannabis for eligible patients in Jersey. The Jersey Medicinal Cannabis Patient Alliance was subsequently setup to provide a forum specifically for local medicinal cannabis patients.

In the run up to the 2022 general elections, ECPJ put together the Recommendations for Reform presentation as part of their Elections Campaign to engage with candidates, which arguably succeeded in shifting the Overton window on the subject.

Deputy Tom Coles of Reform Jersey brought a proposition on Cannabis: Decriminalisation of Personal Possession and Recreational Use to the States Assembly in 2024, and ECPJ worked with Deputy Inna Gardiner to bring an amendment to reclassify cannabinol and cannabinol derivatives as Class B drugs. While part (a) of the amended proposition on the principle of decriminalisation was rejected by the Assembly, parts (b) and (c) which called for action were successfully adopted by a majority of States Members.

End Cannabis Prohibition Jersey continues to lobby States Members and Government on cannabis related issues.

End Cannabis Prohibition Jersey (2020-)

• Facebook Group – 4,750 members
• Twitter Profile – 600 followers
• Website

Jersey Medicinal Cannabis Patient Alliance (2020-)

• Facebook Group – 1,650 members

News Coverage

1. 6^th July 2020 – Substance Misuse Strategy Report Briefing
2. 15^th July 2021 – The P.O.D {6} Cannabis
3. 30^th May 2022 – More than half of election candidates 'would support a progressive approach to cannabis' in Jersey
4. 14^th June 2022 – Cannabis laws: New States ‘could be more progressive'
5. 14^th June 2022 – Safe use, not misuse, say cannabis campaigners
6. 21^st June 2022 – Cannabis Campaigners Decry Islanders' Jail Terms
7. 26^th June 2022 – CI campaigners brand amendment "wrecking motion to prevent debate"
8. 16^th August 2022 – Grassroots campaign "End Cannabis Prohibition Jersey" turning the tide on the island
9. 22^nd August 2022 – Could the Crown Dependencies be the Key to UK Cannabis Reform?
10. 30^th August 2022 – Call for Scrutiny review of use of medicinal cannabis
11. 31^st August 2022 – Cannabis: Change is in the air
12. 11^th October 2022 – Jersey politician: 'Prosecuting people for smoking a few joints of cannabis to relax… is a waste of public resources'
13. 14^th October 2022 – Growing calls for cannabis to be decriminalised in Jersey
14. 15^th October 2022 – Power to the Parish — will Jersey keep low-level class B and C drug offending out of the courts?
15. 17^th October 2022 – Substance abuse 'is only a side note'
16. 25^th October 2022 – Large drop in prosecutions for possession of cannabis
17. 18^th November 2022 – Medicinal cannabis patient is ejected from venues for vaping
18. 21^st January 2023 – 'Cannabis is not just a drug that people take to get stoned. It actually has proper medical benefits'
19. 29^th April 2023 – Long-awaited Substance Use Strategy expected within weeks
20. 14^th June 2023 – Jersey to tackle diversion of medical cannabis with stricter regulations for sector
21. 28^th July 2023 – Members to debate decriminalising cannabis in Jersey
22. 2^nd August 2023 – Decriminalisation on the horizon in Jersey?
23. 13^th February 2024 – Jersey passes 'de jure' decriminalisation of cannabis for personal use
24. 9^th March 2024 – The time has come to discuss Jersey’s approach to cannabis
25. 26^th June 2024 – Jersey States votes not to decriminalise cannabis
26. 27^th June 2024 – States praised for approach to possible cannabis reform
27. 24^th August 2024 – Channabis Chronicles Podcast - Episode 3 - Jersey