After 2 decades of raids and prison stints, Liverpool's 'cannabis martyr' is still 'fighting for freedom'

Gary Youds, 56, runs “Chillin’ Rooms” on Holt Road in Liverpool, a cannabis social club and harm reduction center that avoids screening live sports from its small, church-pew interior. Just blocks from Anfield, the venue has a portrait of John Lennon, members smoking spliffs with ventilation keeping the air clear, and a strict “no screens” policy Youds says preserves face-to-face conversation. Known locally as “The Cannabis Martyr,” he has been arrested more than 30 times, convicted 10 times, served four prison sentences, and repeatedly had police raids lead to loss of his home. He says the model could be replicated nationally, using cannabis cafes to redirect demand away from illegal markets.