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Drug laws the debate nobody wants
The Guardian
Monday 14 May 2001 Drug laws: the debate nobody wants Alan Travis The past four years have seen a minor revolution in attitudes to the reform of the drug laws, especially the ban on cannabis, amongst almost everyone including the public, the media and even the police. Amongst almost everyone, that is, but Labour ministers when appearing on a public platform. Only last month Cleveland police authority held a conference to debate the option of legalising all drugs on the grounds that the "war against drugs" was unwinnable - an event which would have been unthinkable five years ago. When Ann Widdecombe unveiled her "flagship" drugs policy of fixed penalty fines of at least £100 for those caught in possession she was denounced by eight members of the shadow cabinet who admitted having smoked cannabis - not the kind of open party split they want to repeat in an election campaign. Since then Home Office minister, Charles Clarke, and more famously Mo Mowlam have admitted smoking dope in their youth. Even the Liberal Democrats, who want a royal commission debate, are unlikely to mention it over the next three weeks. Why they should be talking about it? The government's 10-year drug strategy is supposed to crack down on the most harmful drugs, heroin and cocaine, yet the number of people fined, cautioned, and in some cases jailed, for possession of cannabis is still running at over 100,000 a year. This month is the 30th anniversary of Britain's drugs laws. They are increasingly out of step with the rest of Europe. It is not only the Dutch, who are introducing drive-through cannabis shops, who have stopped punishing people for smoking dope - the Swiss and the Belgians are adopting a similar approach. Yet in Britain 40% of school-children - amongst the highest in Europe - admit to having tried cannabis. What could be done? The Police Foundation inquiry into the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act found cannabis was less harmful than tobacco or alcohol and said the severe prison sentences for possession should be repealed. Many argue that cannabis should also be legalised for medical use.
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