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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Police relax policy on cannabis
Eastern Daily Press, Norfolk Thursday 11 Sep 2003 Police will effectively turn a blind eye to people smoking cannabis at home= to let officers target dealers in heroin and crack cocaine, Norfolk's Chief Constable will announce today. People using the drug in public view, those in possession of it near schools and youth clubs, repeat offenders and those committing public disorder after taking it will still face arrest under the guidelines to be unveiled= nationally by Andy Hayman. While it will stay an offence to have cannabis, the recommendations will say there should be a "presumption against arrest", with warnings and cautions issued by officers instead. The guidelines =AD more than a year after the Government proposed a reclassification of cannabis from Class B to Class C =AD will be announced= by Mr Hayman in his role as chairman for the Association of Chief Police Officers' drugs sub-committee. Mr Hayman yesterday told the EDP the Cannabis Enforcement Guidance was a= direct response to the Government's desire for a "more liberal approach" towards cannabis possession =AD but not dealing =AD to let forces concentrate their= efforts on heroin and crack. It would still be an offence to possess cannabis, he said, but people would= not be arrested for simple possession charges to prevent such minor offences= taking up vital police time. Officers would be expected to use their discretion and take the circumstances into account. "You can present all sorts of different scenarios about when people might be arrested and we could end up with a very interesting debate that goes= nowhere," said Mr Hayman. In 2002-03, Norfolk police seized more than 32kg of cannabis resin, 12kg of herbal cannabis and 687 plants. The amount of crack cocaine recovered rose= to 674g in 2002-03 from 21.76g the previous year. Mr Hayman said: "Norfolk people should be reassured that we recognise the difference between Class A drugs and those that cause less harm and that has been demonstrated in the seizures." Spokesman for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance Don Barnard said it was "an illusion of change" which did not address fundamentals like personal home= use and in the treatment of illness.
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