This brief polemic is an expression of Houedard's negative views on including non-addicting hashish with narcotocs as an illicit substance. In this respect, Houedard differed with Russell Pasha's (1879-1954) opinion as cited by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes. Houedard became a member of SOMA, an organization that campaigned to improve the cannabis law. Their first action was a full page advertisement in the Times on July 24th 1967, headed 'The law against marijuana is immoral in principle and unworkable in practice'. Below that, a quote from the philosopher Spinoza: 'All laws which can be violated without doing anyone any injury are laughed at... He who tries to determine everything by law will foment crime rather than lessen it.' The rest of the advert was an explanation of how damaging the law was, compared with the harmlessness of cannabis. There were quotes from modern medical opinions such as 'does not lead to degeneration, does not affect the brain cells, is not habit forming, and does not lead to heroin addiction'. It was signed by 72 prominent people including some of Britain's best-known artists and writers, two Nobel Prize winners, two MP's, journalists, doctors and the Beatles [who paid for it]. SOMA were not arguing for cannabis laws to be abolished or for full legalisation. Their proposals were; to permit and encourage research and medical uses; abolish the 'allowing premises to be used' offence; remove cannabis from the dangerous drugs list; either permit possession or set a low maximum fine; abolish imprisonment for possession and release the prisoners. They'd talked with some of the Wootton committee about cautious wording which might be acceptable, and one member of the commit signed the advert. The campaign was ultimately aimed at liberal opinion-formers, especially Home Secretary Roy Jenkins, who was then liberalising the laws against male homosexuality. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.