Organisers say they want cannabis regulated

Lambeth Council would not allow the seventh annual event to be held in Brockwell Park, Brixton, because of drug dealers at previous festivals.

Organiser Shane Collins has applied to the Greater London Authority (GLA) to hold it in the central London square.

He says the event is part of a campaign to legalise and regulate the drug.

Mr Collins told BBC News he was aware drug dealers were at previous events and had wanted to work with the council to ensure they did not attend.

'Drug dealing issue'

He said: "The issue of youth psychosis is a problem and what we are trying to say is that we need to be taking cannabis out of the hands of youth, regulating it, getting dealers off the streets and into cannabis cafes where there is a clear age limit, the same as alcohol and cigarettes, and there is clear information on the strength of the cannabis."

He also said the festival was a free event which was not driven by making money and which represented tolerance.

A Lambeth Council spokeswoman said: "The main issue is drug dealing at the festival and while we very much see that it's a democratic right to protest to try and change the law it is not right to break the law while doing that."