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UK: Cannabis is now just a signature away from legitimacy...

Sophie Goodchild, Home Affairs Correspondent

Independent on Sunday

Sunday 10 Mar 2002

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Cannabis is now just a signature away from legitimacy. (Over to you, Mr
Blunkett)
Relax law, say government advisers; Reform would be first for 30 years;
Lib Dems vote for legalisation


David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, will be told this week by his
official panel of drug advisers to downgrade cannabis from a Class B to
a Class C drug. The change, which would enable users to smoke a joint in
the street without fear of arrest, would be the first relaxation of drug
laws in Britain for 30 years.

Yesterday, in a separate initiative, the Liberal Democrats became the
first major political party to vote for the full legalisation of
cannabis. They also voted for an end to prison sentences for those
caught in possession of other drugs, including cocaine, ecstasy and
heroin, and called for ecstasy to be downgraded from a Class A to a
Class B drug.

The vote came as the Home Office considers recommendations from the
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) that cannabis should be
given the same status as prescription tranquillizers such as valium,
making its possession a non-arrestable offence.

A source close to Mr Blunkett said last night the Home Secretary was now
"minded" to downgrade the drug. The advisory committee is considered the
authoritative voice on drugs classification and it would be unusual for
the Home Secretary to ignore its advice. The committee's findings will
increase pressure on Mr Blunkett to make a formal announcement of the
reform the laws on cannabis. A senior government source told The
Independent on Sunday: "He [the Home Secretary] said he was minded to do
it [reclassify cannabis]. He will make a final decision when all of the
information is in front of him."

As well as the committee's research, there are at least four other
studies being carried out into the policing of cannabis which are
expected to be presented to the Government over the next two months.

Next Wednesday, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation will reveal that up to
£50m a year is spent on policing cannabis and the time this involves is
equivalent to the work of 500 police officers a year. The Metropolitan
Police and the Police Foundation are also compiling separate reports
into a pilot scheme by police in Lambeth, south London.

Originally planned to last six months, senior officers have found the
scheme in Brixton, where cannabis users are not arrested but given on-
the-spot warnings, to be successful enough to warrant extending for the
time being.

An inquiry into drugs, including cannabis, is also being carried out by
members of the Home Affairs select committee who are expected to report
to the Government this April.

The debate over downgrading cannabis gained momentum last October when
Mr Blunkett announced that he had decided in favour of changing the law.
He proposed to end the power of police to arrest people caught with the
drug for their own use. This was partly so that officers could
concentrate on hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine. His decision to
change the drug laws was announced to the Home Affairs Select Committee.

At the time, the Home Secretary emphasised that he was not
decriminalising or legalising cannabis. "Cannabis would remain a
controlled drug and using it a criminal offence," he said. "In spite of
our focus on hard drugs, the majority of police time is currently spent
on handling cannabis offences. It is time for an honest and common-sense
approach focusing on drugs that cause most harm."

The Home Secretary commissioned the ACMD to report on the medical and
social impact of cannabis. Their report was completed several weeks ago
but has been held on to by the Home Office.

Drugs charities and experts say they welcome the committee's report.

Roger Howard, chief executive of DrugScope, said he wanted the
Government to promise that there would be no fines or cautions for
personal possession of the drug.

"If this report is true, then DrugScope warmly welcomes it," he added.
"It's refreshing to see a Home Secretary at last moving towards a
sensible, logical and evidence-based drugs policy."

Viscountess Runciman, a former member of the committee and campaigner
for reform, said this was a "very significant development".

"This is not to say cannabis is a harmless drug," she added. "It does
remain a controlled drug. There is still a lot of incoherence in our
laws. This will bring the law in line with Brixton."


 

 

 

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