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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: New law will not lead to drug cafes
Richard Ford The Times
Wednesday 31 Oct 2001 PROPOSED changes to the drugs law would not lead to Dutch-style coffee shops openly selling cannabis, the Home Office's director of drug strategy said yesterday. Sue Killen told MPs that people found with small amounts of cannabis in their possession will no longer be prosecuted under government plans to reduce the classification of the drug. She added that the Home Office did not expect the reclassification of cannabis from a Class B to a Class C drug to lead to an increase in its consumption. David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, has asked the Advisory Committee on the Misuse of Drugs to look at his proposal to reclassify the drug and report back to him within a matter of weeks. Ms Killen, director of drug strategy at the Home Office, was asked by a member of the Commons Home Affairs select committtee if those in possession of small amount of cannabis were likely to face prosectuion. She replied: 'No. I think the Home Secretary has made this position clear. They will now face cautions.' Members of the select committee clashed with Home Office officials giving evidence when they admitted that they had never examined possible effects of decriminalising or legalising drugs. Chris Mullin, its chairman, said: 'You appear to be in denial here. There's a huge debate in the outside world about whether decriminalisation is or is not a good thing.' He ordered them to produce a rebuttal to arguments for the decriminalisation and legalisation of drugs by Thursday night.
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