A CANDIDATE standing for election in Southend has promised to open widespread cannabis cafes, legalise psychedelic therapy and give every 18-year-old around the world a plane ticket, if he is elected.

Jason Pilley, of the Psychedelic Movement party, is standing for Southend West and Leigh in the July 4 General Election. His manifesto promises Southend will have 24-hour cannabis cafes offering THC brownies and cookies.

Though sale of marijuana products is strictly prohibited in the UK, the Psychedelic Movement’s manifesto vows to “ignore the law” on the matter.

Other election promises include protecting local libraries, offering psychedelic therapy and “bring back the legal punishment of exile” for those that “threaten the fabric and the future of this country”.

When asked by the Echo of the seriousness of his promised cannabis café promise, Mr Pilley said: “Cannabis is legal in more and more countries so, yes, I’m perfectly serious and my policies will soon be regarded as basic common sense.

“In England, cannabis is ubiquitous across classes, professions, personality types, age groups, etcetera; whoever you are, you know countless stoners.”

Mr Pilley added: “Nigel Farage is the most consequential figure in UK politics this century despite having never won any serious elections. In politics you can win your war despite losing every battle if you’re persistent.”

Responding to a question of the “opposition” nature of the party, he said: “I’m not any sort of ‘opposition,’ we are a fringe party talking about quite obscure ideas. The glory of democracy is everybody can express ideas no matter how weird they might sound.”

The Psychedelic Movement also promise to “allow churches to use ayahuasca in their ceremonies and bring shamanic Christianity to Southend”.

Mr Pilley said: “Fungi containing tryptamines are illegal because tryptamines produce ecstatic visions and our ruling classes seriously do not want the plebs enjoying ecstatic visions. As the world turns to Hell around us I think society could do with more ecstatic visions.”

Mr Pilley ran for the movement to become an MP in the 2022 by-election following the death of Sir David Amess in October 2021.

He runs in the July 4 General Election against David Burton-Sampson (Lab), Stephen Cummins (Lib Dem), Tom Darwood (Ind), Anna Firth (Con), Robert Francis (Ind), Tilly Hogrebe (Green), Lara Hurley (Heritage Party), Peter Little (Reform UK) and James Miller (Confelicity).