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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: A studied approach to tackling menace of drug abuse Jane Hamilton Edinburgh Evening News Friday 18 Jan 2002 EDINBURGH'S new police chief today called for a more open public debate about the use of cannabis in the wake of plans for an Amsterdam-style cafe in the Capital. Paddy Tomkins, who took up his post as Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police on Monday, said the rising death toll caused by drugs in the UK was cause for concern and suggested it may be time to review existing strategies. Politicians and health professionals, he said, should join in a "mature" discussion about cannabis and its effect on society. His comments come just weeks after Edinburgh publisher Kevin Williamson announced plans to launch an Edinburgh cafe where cannabis would be openly sold. Mr Williamson intends to open the cannabis cafe at an undisclosed location in the city after Home Secretary David Blunkett's plans to reclassify the drug as Class C come into effect, probably in the spring. When asked about the cafe plans, in an exclusive interview with the Edinburgh Evening News, Mr Tomkins said: "This is a matter for politicians and the wider community. This is not a police matter in the sense that the law at the moment is quite clear on the status of cannabis and other drugs. We will enforce the law as it stands at the moment with discretion. "My broader view on cannabis and other drugs is that the situation requires a mature and more open debate than we have had to date. Not just police but politicians and health advisers. I would welcome a wide and mature debate on the drug issue because the ramifications go beyond individual users." The region's new Chief Constable has already established himself as one of the country's most distinguished police officers after bringing serial rapist Richard Baker to justice and overseeing the peaceful end of an armed siege at London's Greek embassy. Mr Tomkins said the fact drug-related deaths have continued to climb in the UK at a higher rate than any other European countries had raised his concern. The drugs problem in Britain is the worst in Europe, according to a European Union report published last year. The report by the EU-funded European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, showed the UK to have higher rates than the rest of Europe for almost every kind of drug-taking. Out of 7266 deaths from overdoses of illegal drugs across the EU in 1999, 2857 were in the UK. Mr Tomkins insisted that the overall effects of drug use on society, including the effects of drug-related crime, needed to be taken into account in a national debate. "The damage that drugs do can hardly be overstated, not just to the individuals but to their families. "The financial implications for the country are huge. Some surveys show that 16,500 pounds [a year] is spent by hard users and 80 per cent of that is acquired through crimes like robbery and so on. We've got to ask why this is and be prepared to examine our existing policies." The Home Secretary is expected to announce new legislation in the spring that would soften the stance on cannabis possession, which would mean anyone caught with small amounts of the drug would be cautioned, rather than arrested. The new Chief Constable said his views on drugs were based on his thoughts and feelings both as a police officer and a parent of two children, aged nine and five. Mr Tomkins said the most important thing was giving children the confidence to resist peer pressure when it came to the time when they may be offered drugs. "You and I won't be there when they are faced with that situation. We know, as parents, however much enforcement goes into stopping the supply of drugs, the most effective strategy for our children would be education. "Our overall objective must be to protect our children from harm and it seems to me it's important for any society to reflect upon it's decisions and choices to pursue policies that would minimise harm to individuals and the wider community." The 41-year-old comes to his new position with a distinguished policing and academic background. Already armed with a first class degree in medieval history from King's College in London, Mr Tomkins is halfway through an Open University masters degree in classical studies. "I'm going to have to take a year out from that . It's just not going to be possible given the new job and moving house," he says, but stresses he will pick up his studies again in the near future. Mr Tomkins joined Sussex Police in 1979 when he was 18. A spell with special branch followed before he moved to Gatwick Airport as operations manager. He then moved on to the Met as Crime Commander for Central London, where he brought the three-day Greek embassy siege to a peaceful end in 1999. He also led the team which brought one of the worst serial rapists of recent years, disc jockey Richard Baker, to justice in the same year. And he was the first officer on the scene at the 1984 Brighton bombing, when IRA terrorists tried to blow up Margaret Thatcher and her government. At the time of his appointment to Lothian and Borders, Mr Tomkins was a deputy assistant commissioner with the Metropolitan Police and aware of the force's reputation in the rest of the country. "I'm very conscious of the fact that I'm taking on one of the best performing forces in the country with an excellent reputation throughout the UK and that's a difficult job for any man ." Speaking about the challenges of the post, Mr Tomkins revealed he had visited Scotland over Hogmanay to witness the complex police operation that ensured 100,000 revellers enjoyed themselves safely. "I have to say I was very impressed by the good nature in which people enjoyed themselves and there was no evidence of any aggression ," he said. Mr Tomkins said he would be working with other officers and learning about the region's priorities in the months ahead before launching into any major new initiatives. However, one of his first tasks will be overseeing a recruitment drive aimed at adding 110 extra officers to the strength of the Lothian and Borders force, thanks to a substantial rise in its annual funding over the coming years. He said: "I tend to learn more when I keep my mouth shut and my ears open and that's exactly what I intend to do in the first two to three months. "The worst thing would be for me to come from the Met or HMISC in England and Wales and say, 'oh yes these solutions work', because they won't work. The only thing that will work is making sure we do things for Lothian and Borders which are appropriate to the needs of Lothian and Borders and I will draw on my experience to see if I can contribute. "At the moment I'm still in the listening stage, but of course there will be changes because any organisation which doesn't change in this rapidly changing world is just not going to give the quality service expected of it." His long-term vision for the force, he said, was to see it not only be one of the best performing forces in the UK but in Europe. "Lothian and Borders will deliver the highest quality police service in Europe. Not just in the UK because I think we can do that but this is a capital city in Europe and I want to ensure people get the best quality service they can have."
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