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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Harry & Drugs: Dad Praised
Sky News
Sunday 13 Jan 2002 Prince Charles has been commended for the way he dealt with his teenage son's cannabis confession. Harry, then 16, was sent to a drugs rehabilitation clinic for the day to see the effects of long-term use. St James's Palace said the young royal - whose mother, Diana, was killed in a car crash four years ago - has not touched drugs since. Blair's empathy Prince Harry left Eton College earlier after the story emerged, to spend the day at his father's country residence, Highgrove in Gloucestershire. Mr Blair, whose eldest son Euan was found drunk in Leicester Square while celebrating the end of his GCSEs, acknowledged it was a difficult situation for the Prince of Wales. He said: "I know this myself. I think the way that Prince Charles and the Royal Family have handled it is absolutely right and they have done it in a very responsible and in a very sensitive way for their child." Local pub A spokesman for St James's Palace confirmed Harry had visited the Featherstone Lodge drug rehabilitation clinic in Peckham, south London. He said: "This is a serious matter which was resolved within the family, and is now in the past and closed." Prince Charles discovered Harry had taken drugs at Highgrove and at private parties, and allegedly drank alcohol at the Rattlebone Inn, Sherston, Wiltshire, the News of the World reported. Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy said he hoped the case could help promote a sensible debate about relaxing cannabis laws. 'Learnt a lot' Bill Puddicombe, chief executive of Phoenix House Treatment Service For Drug Dependency, which runs the clinic, said Prince Harry's visit was at the request of the Prince of Wales, its patron. "He came for a couple of hours on a day in late summer and talked to several people in recovery - heroin and cocaine addicts mostly," he said. "I spoke to the Prince in November and was pleased to hear that Harry had enjoyed his visit and learnt a lot." 'Parent's nightmare' Charles had faced "every parent's nightmare" but handled it very well, according to Addaction, Britain's largest specialist drug and alcohol treatment agency. "It seems from what we know of the story that the Prince of Wales has acted with deep sensitivity and very quickly, which is exactly what is needed," said chief executive Peter Martin.
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