Only a couple of years ago the sight of a cannabis e-petition made everyone cringe. “Doomed to fail” was the rhetoric pushed out by even those who promoted it … it was a struggle achieving 10,000 signatures in 12 months, let alone the 100,000 required.

Now in 2015, though, the cannabis movement has gained significant ground, with the online debate serving as a constant that feeds into and powers the many stories publicised in the press and across every news channel.

Building on this, another cannabis e-petition has been submitted to the UK Government and Parliament’s website, this one calling for the legalisation and regulation of a cannabis market in the UK. In a short space of time it has already hit close to 200,000 signatures, well surpassing the mark needed for the Petitions Committee to assess it.

You can read the petition and sign on here.

Claiming a £900m tax benefit per annum, police savings of £400m and the creation of more than 10,000 new jobs, the petition makes a compelling case. Indeed, with Colorado and Washington filing returns on the early successes of their respective regulation models, the potential benefits are too difficult to ignore.

It’s not like the impetus for reform is only coming from the general population, either. Durham’s Police Crime Commissioner, Ron Hogg, revealed recently his policy to not prosecute cannabis consumers and those who grow for personal use if they aren’t making a nuisance or drawing attention to themselves. This decision has arrived due to budget cuts, and the force’s recognition that cannabis is an issue of least concern behind assault, murder, car theft, burglary, rape and a number of other crimes. It echoes the Seattle Police Department’s decision to make cannabis the lowest law enforcement priority back in 2000. It’s now fully legal in Washington state.

Teesside Cannabis Club of the UK Cannabis Social Clubs (UKCSC) have maintained constant contact with both their police force and Ron Hogg over the last 18 months, delivering information about the UKCSC model and fact files about the benefits of decriminalisation in the UK and other countries such as Spain which now has 1,000 Cannabis Social Clubs (CSCs). This has by no means been the only influence on the reprioritisation but shows that sensible conversations with the authorities can happen and encourage change.

Power really is in the hands of the people if we work together and approach the issue in the respectful and sensitive way that it deserves.

Following the media storm that misleadingly declared to the nation that cannabis had been decriminalised in the northeast through a technicality, two more Police Crime Commissioners raised their heads and showed solidarity with Mr Hogg. Derbyshire’s Alan Charles and Dorset’s Martin Underhill shared the experienced view that current drugs policy is ineffective, is a waste of resources and that a frank discussion needs to now be had. Surrey PCC Kevin Hurley has also expressed a similar stance -- 4 police forces down, 37 to go!

The e-petition -- created by James R Owen -- grew out of this frenzy and immediately capitalised through reaching 50,000 signatures in just the first day. Unfortunately we are now in a state of limbo until Parliament reconvenes after the summer recess.

Should we let this stop here, though, now the 100,000 target has been reached? Not a chance. There has been a continuous push to attain as high a number of signatures and support from the British public as possible. It not only furthers the mainstream population’s understanding of this very important public policy -- that does affect them regardless of whether they are pro or against -- but also sends a bellowing message to all MPs and rocks the boat of the Home Office who are determined not to budge on being against both decriminalisation and regulation of cannabis.

It is fantastic that this push has come from police forces in the UK and police officers should not be afraid to report to their Police Chiefs and Police Crime Commissioners that they do not want to be criminalising innocent, harmless people that really should be left alone, or if they require some help, receive it.

We rely heavily on social media support for these campaigns so please, if you sign the petition today, take a moment to share it with your friends, family and work colleagues. It’s time to bring about the change this country really needs!

Help us reach 250,000 signatures today!

To find out more about the UK Cannabis Social Clubs and their model of private membership clubs please visit our website at www.ukcsc.co.uk and read our full UKCSC model. We aren’t just campaigning for the right to personal cultivation and responsible Collective Gardens for Fair Trade Cannabis to private members -- we’re already doing it!

This petition is supported by the National Cannabis Coalition, United Kingdom Cannabis Social Clubs, Teesside Cannabis Club, London Cannabis Club, Brighton Cannabis Club, National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) UK, NORML UK Women’s Alliance, United Patients Alliance, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition UK, Bristol Cannabis Club, Feed The Birds, The Psychedelic Society, Release and Transform.