HOME SECRETARY Jacqui Smith has announced that the Bellis Perennis weed, commonly known as the daisy, will become a Class B substance in early May, meaning that those caught in possession of the plant may face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Smith introduced the bill saying, “There’s no such thing as a safe daisy, the psychological effects of the plant are still a mystery area, but research shows the weed, particularly in the stronger chain variant, may produce feelings of love and joy in individuals, which is largely opposed to the UK government’s policy of platonic exchange of goods and services in a stable economic framework.” She added that she ter Magazine Society would rather “err on the side of caution” when it comes to plant legislation.
The move has been lobbied against by gardening enthusiasts and civil liberties groups. Rose Grow, a retired lawyer who produces up to 100 daisies a year and heads the UK Daisy Awareness Group was “disappointed” by the decision, and said this was another case of “Middle England triumphing over science”.
In the statement Smith also announced that buttercups would retain their status as a class A plant, reminding the house that, “buttercups cause a visible and unhealthy yellowing of the face, an effect that can build up over time, eventually becoming irreversible. Ultimately, buttercups only break hearts”.