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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Police unveil "three-strikes" cannabis policy
Reuters
Wednesday 04 Sep 2002 LONDON (Reuters) - Cannabis users face a "three spliffs and you're out" policy under new police guidelines. Senior police said on Wednesday that when cannabis laws are relaxed next year, people caught with small amounts of the drug will be given two verbal warnings. "On a third occasion I think it is appropriate for people to be arrested and other sanctions to be considered," Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner Andy Hayman, told BBC Radio. The guidelines were presented to the annual conference of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) in Blackpool, northwest England, on Wednesday. "Drugs laws must reflect the relative harm of drugs if we are going to be credible in persuading young people of their dangers and if the police are to focus their resources effectively," Home Office minister Bob Ainsworth told the conference. ACPO said its plan was expected to be adopted by senior officers early next year and aimed to give police a standardised approach to cannabis users. Britain announced plans in July to ease laws governing cannabis users from next summer, downgrading the drug to low risk Class C, the same category as anabolic steroids. Home Secretary David Blunkett said he wanted to give police more time to tackle the sale and use of harder drugs, such as heroin and crack cocaine. Britain has an estimated five million cannabis users and government figures suggest its use has grown sharply in the last 20 years.
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