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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: On-the-spot fines possible for cannabis possession
Ananova
Saturday 02 Mar 2002 Scotland Yard is considering on-the-spot fines for cannabis possession. The move is planned as an alternative to the "softly-softly" approach pioneered in Brixton. Police would hand out a ticket which the offender would have to pay within 28 days or face prosecution. A senior officer has been asked to report on the feasibility of using fixed penalty notices in London. The results will then be compared with the experiment in Lambeth, south London. Under the Brixton initiative, those caught in possession of small amounts of cannabis are let off with a reprimand after their drugs are seized. The Metropolitan Police and Home Secretary David Blunkett are studying the results of the scheme, which aims to cut bureaucracy and free officers to get back on the streets and tackle dealers in hard drugs. Fixed penalty notices are currently used for motoring offences such as speeding. A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "The Lambeth scheme is still ongoing and we are evaluating the results of our internal analysis but awaiting those of the external evaluation by the Police Foundation. "As yet no decision on the future of the scheme has been made. We have asked someone to prepare a report on the feasibility of using fixed penalty notices as an alternative to the Lambeth approach. "When all this work is completed we will then discuss the implications for London as a whole, both internally and externally."
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