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UK: Lilley renews cannabis call after hash cafe tour

Ananova

Saturday 14 Jul 2001

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Former Tory Minister Peter Lilley has renewed his call to legalise
cannabis after a tour of Amsterdam hash cafes.

Mr Lilley chatted with holidaying Britons as they smoked pot in the city
where the drug is sold in regulated outlets.

Afterwards, he said his first experience of seeing people getting stoned
was "about as exiting as a coffee break at a convention of accountants".

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I certainly don't want to encourage anyone to
take cannabis, and what I've seen certainly doesn't encourage me to do
so."

But he said the tour had reinforced his belief in the importance of
"breaking the link" between the supply of cannabis and the supply of
heroin and cocaine.

"The police that we met in Amsterdam said the number of heroin addicts
had declined since this break in the two markets was established. They
are able to devote their resources to tackling hard drugs or other
crimes, instead of wasting their time arresting cannabis users and then
setting them free again.

"In the UK, by putting both drugs in the same illegal channel and
merging the two worlds we encourage people to move from one to another.
I want to discourage this by separating them out and providing some
legal outlets for cannabis."

But Mr Lilley opposes setting up Amsterdam-style hash cafes in Britain,
arguing instead for a licensing scheme.

"One of the advantages of having legalised outlets is that people can be
told of the health risks from taking cannabis, and on the packet there
can be a health warning. At present, because it's illegal, there is no
way of informing the users of what dangers there are.

Shadow Home Secretary Ann Widdecombe has responded to Mr Lilley's call
by warning that legalising cannabis would lead drug barons to push even
more hard drugs, and Tory leadership contender Kenneth Clarke - who has
also visited Amsterdam - has said he isn't persuaded of the merits of
legalisation.

 

 

 

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