Subj: UK: Jail Threat May Be Lifted From Cannabis Smokers



Source: Times, The (UK)



Pubdate: January 14 2000



Author: Philip Webster, Political Editor





Jail Threat May Be Lifted From Cannabis Smokers

By Philip Webster, Political Editor



Possession of cannabis would no longer be punishable by jail under a

controversial shake-up of Britain's drug laws to be recommended by an

independent inquiry soon.



The most far-reaching investigation of drugs legislation for a quarter of a

century will also call for a relaxation of the ban on the use of cannabis

for medical purposes and is expected to propose that Ecstasy be downgraded

from a "hard" to "soft" drug.



The report is due to be published in mid-March by a committee of inquiry

established in 1997 by the Police Foundation, whose president is the Prince

of Wales. The Prince's Trust has made a financial contribution to the

inquiry, which was set up to determine whether the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971

was effective.



The inquiry is chaired by Lady Runciman, a former member of the

Government's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, and its members

include senior police officers.



Lady Runciman declined to comment on the details of the report last night

and made plain that it had yet to be completed. Other sources said that

several key decisions remained to be taken.



However, The Economist today publishes an account of the expected contents

of the report; and The Times has learnt that the most controversial

recommendation will be a proposal for the "depenalisation" of cannabis

possession - for which 500 people were jailed in 1997.



The inquiry has found that the 1971 Act is inconsistent and imposes heavy

demands on the criminal justice system. It suggests that cannabis

possession, now punishable by up to seven years in prison, should instead

by dealt with by fines or other penalties.



The proposal falls short of the "decriminalisation" favoured by some

members of the inquiry team, but it is understood to have felt constrained

by the need to come up with a report that might eventually be embraced by

the Government. Even so, removing the threat of prison would be seen as

moving towards the more liberal approach of The Netherlands, where cannabis

is freely available for sale in small quantities.



Tony Blair and Jack Straw are extremely cautious on the subject of reform

and are unlikely to back decriminalisation of the drug. Only Charles

Kennedy, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has backed calls for a royal

commission to consider such a move. The Home Secretary has even rejected a

Lords report recommending that cannabis should be available for medicinal

use - a proposal that will feature in the Police Foundation report.



The report is also believed to make a new distinction between supply and

possession, apparently suggesting that possession of less than two grammes

of cannabis should be treated as a minor offence, but over two grammes

could attract a charge of supply.



The report is certain to be attacked by the Conservatives. Ann Widdecombe,

the Shadow Home Secretary, said: "Existing penalties should continue."