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Positive Action Group - April meeting on Safer Drugs

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May meeting

CELEBRATING CYCLING

May is the month when the IOM celebrates cycling with Cyclefest 2017. PAG also focuses attention on cycling as an important component of Island life.

We are all being encouraged to take more exercise. Benefits for those willing to cycle to work were included in part of the 2017 Budget.

But is the infrastructure satisfactory for general cycling? Are you safe as a cyclist?

One person who has been considering such questions in the UK is ROGER GEFFEN MBE, Campaigns and Policy Director at Cycling UK. Formerly known as the Cyclists Touring Club (CTC) the charity's vision is of a healthier, happier and cleaner world, because more people cycle.

Roger Geffen has many years experience in persuading politicians, the media and the wider public of the need for action to improve cycling conditions.

On Monday 22nd May 2017 ROGER GEFFEN will address a PAG Public Meeting, starting at 7: 30 p.m. at the Manx Legion Club.

http://www.cyclinguk.org

April 2017 Newsletter

	Public meeting in association with Isle of Man Freethinkers Safer Drug Control a presentation by Jane Slater Head of Operations at TRANSFORM 7.30 p.m. Monday 24th April 2017 Manx Legion Club, Market Hill, Douglas The meeting is free and open to all Three years ago PAG, in association with IOM Freethinkers, raised the argument for the possible legalisation of drugs. Esteemed academic, Professor David Nutt was invited to the Island and made a presentation to a packed public meeting, 'The Truth About Drugs: A basis for a fair and rational policy?'. The YouTube video of the event has had over 12,000 views! There seemed to be considerable public support for his ideas, based as they are on evidence. Even the then Chief Minister, Allan Bell, went public in favour of liberalisation of Island drug laws. Since then there has been a growing local movement to push ahead with legal regulation. The new Government is dedicated to developing evidence based policies, so PAG & IOM Freethinkers have got together again to sponsor further public debate on this controversial topic. The speaker this time is Jane Slater - Head of Operations and Fundraising at the charitable think tank Transform. Transform has been at the cutting edge of drug policy analysis for almost 20 years. Legal regulation means taking the drug trade out of the hands of criminals and placing it under government control via doctors, pharmacists and licensed vendors. Different drugs need different regulation. The more harmful the drug the stricter should be its control. Local man, Ray Lakeman of Port St Mary is a firm supporter of decriminalisation. In December 2014 his two sons died after taking ecstasy bought on the 'dark web' and who were unaware of its strength. "We need to move beyond fear, discrimination and punishment, and towards drug laws that are based on honesty, compassion and health. We insist on the safety and control of alcohol, tobacco, even sugar - so why not drugs?" Ray and his wife Linda support 'Anyone's Child', a group of similarly bereaved parents campaigning to avoid tragedies like theirs by legalising and regulating drugs. The family network was formed by Transform. More information