Out of Joint - 20 Years of Campaigning For Cannabis

By Alun Buffry

Out of Joint: 20 Years of Campaigning for Cannabis is a memoir and political history by Alun Buffry, first published in 2012. It chronicles two decades of cannabis-law reform campaigning in the UK, spanning roughly 1991 to 2011.

What the book covers

The book combines Buffry's personal experiences with an account of the British cannabis legalisation movement. Major themes include:

His arrest and imprisonment on cannabis-related conspiracy charges in the early 1990s.

Meeting activist Jack Girling while on remand, leading to involvement in the Campaign to Legalise Cannabis International Association (CLCIA).

His work after release in 1995 campaigning for legalisation of the possession, cultivation and regulated trade of cannabis.

The formation and activities of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA), a UK political party focused on cannabis law repeal.

Election campaigns, public debates, media appearances, protests, demonstrations and conferences, and evidence presented to government bodies.

Buffry's speaking in a debate at the Oxford Union and his presenation of evidence to a House of Commons special committee of MPs'.

The publication of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance manifesto and the public consultation document "Cannabis: Challenging the Criminal Justice System", co-authored with Don Barnard.

Buffry's perspective on the successes, setbacks and internal dynamics of the movement over twenty years.

Many of the activists and other groups involved with campaigning: Chris Baldwin, Winston Matthews, Mark and Lezley Gibson, Steve Pank, 'Grannie' Pat Tabram, Carl Wagner, Eddie Ellison, Caroline Coon, Roger Warren-Evans, Joep Oomen, Derek Williams ...

Historical context

The book documents a period when cannabis policy was a recurring political issue in Britain. It discusses events such as:

The establishment of the CLCIA in the early 1990s.

The creation of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance in 1999.

Election campaigns in which activists, including Howard Marks, stood on cannabis-law reform platforms.

Parliamentary engagement and public campaigning before the wider debate on medicinal cannabis gained prominence.

The book is written as a first-person memoir rather than an academic history. It reflects Buffry's own experiences and opinions, documenting meetings, campaigns, political events and personalities involved in cannabis reform from his perspective. Readers interested in UK drug policy history, grassroots activism or political memoirs are likely to find it most relevant.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1508420211
• ISBN13: 9781508420217
• Release Date: March 2015
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.81 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"