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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Pot in the shops
Allan Ledward Wigan Evening Post
Monday 04 Feb 2002 Sell cannabis legally to cut crime, plead health chiefs Health chiefs are calling for cannabis to be sold in Wigan shops, insisting the controversial move would help police in their fight against crime. Wigan and Bolton Health Authority officials say recent measures that mean those found in possession of small amounts of the drug are unlikely to face prosecution, do not go far enough. The authority's executive board has exressed concern that rising crime, with many offences drug-related, is affecting the mental health of the community. It has been involved in consultations with Wigan Community Safety Partnership and claims surveys have shown people throughout the area are living in fear of crime. In a report, Dr Peter Elton, the authority's director of public health, said: "Wigan and Bolton Health Authority disagrees with a policy that only decriminilises the possession of cannabis as this still means cannabis has to be obtained from criminal sources which brings people into contact with those who will be undertaking other illicit activities. "Rather, cannabis should be legalised so that it can be sold by licensed retailers." "The legalisation of cannabis would allow those concerned with public health to promote key messages. These would include that for those who use cannabis, it is best to smoke it without tobacco or to consume it orally and that to use cannabis and drive is dangerous. "It would be a productive use of police time, to prevent deaths and injuries, for them to take measures to prevent and detect driving under the influence of cannabis, which should be illegal and should be dealt with as harshly as drinking and driving." Dr Elton added: "The re-direction of addicts to a legitimate source of drugs would deprive criminals of a ready source of income and make drug trafficking considerably less attractive. "Two randomised controlled trials show that such a policy would drastically reduce the crime committed by drug addicts."
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