Political parties Elections
The Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA) was a political party registered in the United Kingdom in 1999 with the cannabis leaf image as its emblem. In common with Cannabis political parties in other countries, the party's aims are not exclusively about the consumption of cannabis. The party highlights also the way prohibition of cannabis cultivation tends to prevent or severely restrict cultivation for a variety of purely non-drug purposes, as well as questioning the value of distinctions between recreational and therapeutic use of cannabis-based drugs.
The Party voted to de-register at a Conference held in Norwich on November 11, 2006, and to continue to campaign as pressure group.
In Cannabis: legalise and utilise (2000) the LCA declared its beliefs as follows:

The use of cannabis ought to be a matter of choice and not of law
The prohibition of cannabis is against the public interest
The prohibition of cannabis contravenes Human Rights
The prohibition of cannabis inhibits the use of a beneficial resource
The legalisation of cannabis is a very important step that should be taken to benefit the people and the environment Cannabis: legalise and utilise
In 1992 the Campaign to Legalise Cannabis International was formed in Norwich to fight politically for the legalisation of cannabis worldwide and, under the name Legalise Cannabis Alliance, this organisation was registered as a political party in the United Kingdom in March 1999. Registration occurred after Howard Marks had stood as a legalise cannabis candidate in four different constituencies of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom in the 1997 general election: Norwich North, Norwich South, Southampton Test and Neath. In the same general election Buster Nolan described himself as the New Millennium, New Way, Legalise Cannabis candidate in Braintree.
The first official LCA candidate in a House of Commons election was Colin Paisley in the November 1999 byelection in Kensington and Chelsea. He took 141 (0.7%) of the votes. The second was Derrick Large in the May 2000 Romsey byelection. He took 417 (1.1%) of the votes.
In the June 2001 general election the LCA had candidates in 13 constituencies. Their best result was in Workington, where John Peacock took 1040 (2.5%) of the votes cast.
In January 2004 cannabis prohibition in the UK was relaxed. Cannabis had been a class B substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971: it became a class C substance. Many people saw this change as virtual 'decriminalisation'
In the May 2005 general election the LCA contested 21 constituencies. This was 8 more than in the 2001 general election, but included only 6 that had been contested in that previous election. In all these 6 constituencies the LCA suffered a fall in its share of the vote, and the average share across 21 constituencies was well down from that across the previous 13. Their best results were in Orkney and Shetland, Worthing East and Shoreham and Leigh. In Orkney and Shetland, Paul Cruickshank took 1.8% of the votes. Thomas Hampson in Leigh and Chris Baldwin in Worthing East and Shoreham both took 1.5% of the votes.
The party has also contested various local government elections.
Alun Buffry is the key figure in the party's organisation to date. According to the Electoral Commission's register of political parties, he is the leader and nominating officer, whilst Hugh Stuart Robertson is treasury.
CHANGES in 2006
At a party conference held in Norwich on November 11, 2006, the motion to de-register and to continue campaigning as a pressure group, was passed.
This followed the announcement that Nominating Officer Alun Buffry was to resign the post.
A new Nominating Officer. Esteban Otton, was elected - the post to be renamed Campaign Coordinator.

History
Please see LCA in UK Parliament elections for details of performance in other elections.