Legalise Drug To Reap
Benefits: Campaigner says new cannabis
laws do not go far enough
Source: Evening
News, Norwich
Pub Date:
Friday, 23 January 2004
Subj: Legalise
Drug To Reap Benefits
Web:
http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk
Cited: Legalise Cannabis
Alliance http://www.lca-uk.org
Contact:
EveningNewsLetters@archant.co.uk
Legalise Drug To
Reap Benefits
Campaigner says
new cannabis laws do not go far enough
DOWNGRADING
cannabis to a Class C drug does not go far enough and could even put people's
health at greater risk, a Norwich campaigner said today.
City man Alun
Buffry, who is the national coordinator for the Legalise Cannabis Association
(sic), called for the drug to be made totally legal to allow the quality of the
plant to be regulated.
And he also
believed reclassification of the drug could also lead to vulnerable people
becoming easy targets for the hard-drug dealers.
Mr Buffry said:
"I'm not too keen, as classifying it as a Class C drug really doesn't make
a lot of difference to cannabis and the problems associated with it. It makes it more likely that people will try
it. But the problem is nothing is done
about being able to grow it or buy it."
He said people
who already bought the drug from a reliable source were relatively safe, but
feared newcomers to the substance could approach hard-drug dealers, who could
then tempt them into taking more dangerous drugs - such as cocaine or heroin.
"It will
make people easier prey for the hard drug dealers. Without tackling supply, it's pointless", Mr Buffry added.
"If people
could grow and buy it legally it would keep them out of the criminal
world. It would also keep control on
quality.
"Once
people cross the line into breaking the law they are criminals and tend to mix
together. I don't see why they should
be criminals for growing or smoking a plant."
Penny McVeigh,
chief executive of Norfolk drug and alcohol support service Norcas, felt the
downgrading was more politically motivated than anything else. She said: "My personal understanding of
the political ramifications is that it's about freeing up police time. I think that's one thing that needs to be
remembered."
Ms McVeigh's
views were yesterday reinforced by remarks made by Tory leader Michael Howard, who
said a future Conservative government would reverse Labour's downgrading of the
drug.
Home Officer
drugs minister Caroline Flint said: "Cannabis is harmful and will remain
illegal after January 29, when it is reclassified to class C.
"That is
the simple message. By reclassifying
cannabis we are being honest to young people about the harm cannabis can cause
in comparison to drugs such as crack and heroin."
The Government
is reclassifying cannabis as part of its overall drug strategy to focus on more
harmful Class A drugs, especially heroin and cocaine.
The use of
cannabis in treating chronic medical conditions is already being investigated
at a Norfolk hospital.
Dr William Notcutt, a consultant anaesthetist at the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston, conducted Britain's first clinical trial of cannabis as a medicine more than three years ago.