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UK: Drug charity condemns cannabis rules

ePolitix

Thursday 05 Sep 2002

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The charity DrugScope has attacked the new "three spliffs and you're out"
policy as a charter to increase police stop and search powers.

The criticism follows the Home Office's announcement that drug users caught
in possession of cannabis on the streets three times within a year will be
arrested under a "three spliffs and you're out" rule.

DrugScope claimed the move could mean "conservative police elements" could
try to frustrate ministers' intentions and hang on to their powers.

Chief executive, Roger Howard, said ministers had made pledges that people
would only face arrest in exceptional circumstances such as aggravating
officers by smoking the drug in front of them. "Repeat personal possession
is not, in our view, an aggravating factor," he said.

"This three strikes policy is likely to hit those communities who are
subject to the most stop and searches. Cannabis law will therefore continue
to be a source of friction with particular communities."

But the police argued there was a difference between being tolerant of
private personal use and allowing people to smoke cannabis in the streets.

"We want to be tolerant but we don't want to be too liberal," said Andy
Hayman, deputy assistant commissioner with the Metropolitan police and
chairman of Acpo's drugs sub-committee.

"Part of our guidelines will be to give some clarity to officers on the
street. It's about creating a level playing field, so people in communities
around the country know they are being treated fairly.

Hayman explained how the new rules would operate when cannabis becomes a
Class C drug in July next year.

"What we will want to do, given the priority that cannabis is now going to
achieve through reclassification, is to say to people that if you get
caught with possession, in the first instance you'll get a verbal warning,"
he said.

"Second instance we'll be fairly tolerant and say that a second warning is
acceptable. But on a third occasion I think it's then appropriate for
people to be arrested and other sanctions to be considered."

 

 

 

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