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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Drug use rises after police try lenient approach
Richard Ford, Home Correspondent The Times
Wednesday 23 Jan 2002 THE leader of Britain's rank-and-file police officers said yesterday that the use of hard drugs and cannabis was increasing in an area of South London that has adopted a "softly softly" approach to cannabis. Fred Broughton, chairman of the Police Federation, also told MPs that the scheme had given youngsters the impression that cannabis use had been condoned by the police and other authorities. Mr Broughton said that crack abusers and crack dealers had become more active and visible in Lambeth since the piloting of the relaxed attitude towards cannabis users. He said: "There's anecdotal evidence in South London that the change in procedures is encouraging more people to come to that area and more people are involving themselves in cannabis. "There's also anecdotal evidence that more serious matters " crack abusers and crack dealers " are becoming more visible and more active." Mr Broughton, whose organisation represents 126,000 police officers, criticised the pilot scheme when he gave evidence to a cross-party Commons Home Affairs Select Committee inquiry into the Government's drugs policy. "I don't think that what's currently practised in South London is reducing the number of people who are using cannabis or using other drugs. In fact, the reverse seems to be true," he said. "It is alleged that there are more people openly smoking cannabis in and around the town centre. One officer told me that whereas a year or so ago a member of the public would hide from you in relation to smoking cannabis, now they are openly smoking it." Mr Broughton said that police officers in Lambeth who worked as school liaison officers reported confusion among pupils and teachers who thought that cannabis had been decriminalised. Under the scheme, started by Brian Paddick, the local police commander, those found with small amounts of cannabis for personal use are warned, not arrested. The drug is confiscated. He was not available for comment yesterday. Since the initiative began, 400 people have escaped prosecution after being stopped by police and found to be in possession of cannabis.
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