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UK: Top drug officer's cannabis warning

Sophie Goodchild

The Independent on Sunday

Sunday 14 Jul 2002

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The Metropolitan Police's most senior drugs officer has warned that
relaxing cannabis laws will lead to teenagers becoming "psychologically
dependent" on the drug.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Mike Fuller, head of the Met drugs
directorate, said a younger generation is now likely to start using the drug.

"You will see a younger population using cannabis. This is off the back of
declassification," he said in an interview with this newspaper.

Last week, the Government overhauled Britain's drug laws for the first time
in 30 years by downgrading cannabis from a Class B to a Class C drug. This
means users found in the possession of small amounts of the drug will face
a warning instead of arrest. This will apply in London from this autumn and
from next July for the rest of the country.

The policy change followed a year-long "softly softly" approach to cannabis
possession pioneered by Commander Brian Paddick, in Lambeth, London.
Supporters claimed the scheme saved the equivalent of two years of police
time, cut street crime by 35 per cent, and was welcomed by 80 per cent of
residents.

However, some in the community, backed by the Police Federation, claimed
Lambeth was turning into a haven for drug suppliers and users.

In response to fierce lobbying from senior police officers, the Home
Secretary, David Blunkett, did announce the power of arrest would be
retained for police if the offences involved children, public disorder or a
"flagrant disregard for the law".

DAC Fuller said he saw first hand the impact cannabis had on young people
during visits to Jamaica. "They experience the same issues as here," he
said. "There are street kids with a psychological addiction to marijuana.
You get kids stealing to fund their habit."

He also said the white community was shielded from the damaging effects of
drug use. "It may be they don't experience the damaging social impact of
drug use. There may be class issues there."

The charity DrugScope said cannabis users could become dependent on the
drug, but numbers were small. It said young people would be deterred from
using the drug if attempts were made to distance cannabis from more harmful
substances. "Personal cultivation should be treated in the same way as
possession," said a spokesman. "It does act as a gateway drug because of
its legal position. We would ask the Home Secretary to go further than he has."

 

 

 

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