CANNABIS campaigners held a big Smoke Up in Southampton on Saturday.

Participants had been told they faced arrest, but in the end the event to raise awareness of the medical benefits of the drug passed without incident.

Southampton Cannabis Club founder Paul Crossett organised the event, which took place at The Common, and was joined by about 20 fellow campaigners. They handed out leaflets outlining Paul’s use of the drug, which he says has helped him to deal with the epilepsy he has suffered since he was a child.

The 38-year-old dad of two from Portswood started using the illegal class B drug four years ago and says it has helped him cope with his condition.

He said: “The event went quite well – we had a good turnout and handed out a lot of leaflets. Quite a lot of people took the time to read them, which was good to see as there is an urgent need for the medical use of cannabis to be looked at.”