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UK: Was it right to reclassify cannabis? Richard Harris The Press, York Tuesday 27 Jan 2009 CANNABIS is now a class B drug having being reclassified from a class C. The Government made the change because of fears that stronger forms of cannabis such as skunk can contribute to mental health problems – and to strengthen the message that cannabis is illegal and potentially dangerous. Following the reclassification, sentences for those caught using and supplying the drug can be harsher. But the Government has been accused of confusing the issue by proposing that people caught for the first time with cannabis would be given a warning, the second time an £80 fine and only when caught possessing cannabis for the third time would they be arrested and put before magistrates. Here two people from opposite sides of the argument offer their opinions. Yes... says DC Paul Johnson DC Paul Johnson is based in York and is a drug co-ordinator for North Yorkshire Police. He believes re-classifying cannabis as a class B drug will allow the criminal justice system to hit the criminal gangs harder. But he said that it is unlikely users of cannabis will see much of a difference in the way that the police deal with them. He said: “From my perspective, we see virtually no cannabis resin in the UK any more. The figures quoted are that 80 per cent is now skunk – the stronger type of cannabis. “Also, the old ounce transacted for £40, but now skunk costs between £120 and £160. We have a whole criminal enterprise around this now. “We have organised criminal gangs who are involved purely in the production of this type of cannabis. “Cannabis resin had to be imported and the profit margins were not so good, but if you produce it domestically the profits are better. “We see the market perpetuated by people who don’t see themselves doing anything particularly wrong, but what we have now is heavy criminal gangs who are profiteering and it’s organised crime. Cannabis skunk is like the ATM of the organised crime world.” He believed individual users were contributing to organised crime, adding: “No one raindrop considers itself responsible for the flood.” But although cannabis has been reclassified to make it a more serious offence if one is caught with the drug, it is unlikely to make any difference if officers do apprehend someone in possession. DC Johnson said that at present, depending on individual circumstances, people who are caught with cannabis were given a caution. Essentially, this would remain the same with the Government suggesting people are first warned, then fined and only arrested for a third offence. DC Johnson agreed with the Government that stronger forms of cannabis could lead to health problems and stressed that if police officers arrested someone they believed to be having problems, they should try to help that person. He said: “I’m certainly aware of people who are having more problems with skunk. The active ingredients are many, many times stronger.” He said problems included people driving under the influence of the drug. The police force had always maintained that cannabis was not safe. He admitted it was probably the least problematic of the illegal drugs, but it was also the most prevalent. He said: “By and large, if people take it in moderation they may get away without a problem, but certainly the likelihood of problems is increased with the potency. If you don’t use it, you won’t ever have problems with cannabis.” No... says Steve Clements STEVE Clements, the York-based spokesman for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, believed changing the classification would make no difference to whether people smoked it or not. But he fearer more otherwise law-abiding people might find themselves criminalised and that this would perpetuate the antipathy felt towards the authorities because of prohibition. He also questioned the reasons behind the reclassification. Mr Clements said: “Jacqui Smith claims to be concerned about people’s health, but I don’t think she has the least concern about people’s health otherwise she would be doing more about the dangers of alcohol and tobacco. “What the Government is doing is making a purely political gesture because they think it’s going to get them more votes as the Tory party has said they would reclassify it. “The advisory council said the risks of cannabis are so tiny in the general population that it really was not worthwhile putting it back to a class B. “The Government’s position is that cannabis is stronger than it used to be, but as someone who has smoked cannabis for 30 years that is a load of rubbish.” Mr Clements said arguments that cannabis damaged communities and families were false. He said the damage was caused by people being criminalised and locked up or having their career prospects harmed because of a conviction for drug possession. He said: “What the law does is leave thousands of people in York with very little respect for authority. It is, at the end of the day, a matter of personal choice. “I smoke cannabis, but I drink very little alcohol. I don’t harm anybody else, I don’t cause problems, I’m hard working and I get on with my life as most cannabis users are.” Because people could be caught twice without being arrested, the Government appeared confused about the matter and what signals it wished to send out, Mr Clements added. “Classifying a plant alongside barbiturates and amphetamine sulphate based on the theory that that cannabis has something to do with mental health problems is ridiculous,” he said. “During the past 30 years, when cannabis use has risen among all expectations, the prevalence of mental illness and schizophrenia has remained about the same. “The law leaves a huge swathe of the population sticking their fingers up to authority and the police.” http://www.thepress.co.uk/search/4079221.Was_it_right__to_reclassify_cannabis_/
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