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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Fettes head attacks soft line on drugs Gillian Harris The Times Thursday 17 Oct 2002 THE headmaster of Tony Blair's former school criticised Labour's soft stance on cannabis yesterday, claiming that it would undermine anti-drugs policies in private schools. Michael Spens, the head of Fettes College in Edinburgh, said that making cannabis possession a non-arrestable offence could force schools like his to abandon their zero tolerance approach towards all drugs. "It is not very easy to get the message about drugs across to the children when you've got the Government apparently sending out a different message," he said. "It will be very, very difficult to have a hardline policy on cannabis and I am disappointed that the Government have gone down this route. You cannot say that taking cannabis is bad when the law of the land takes a much softer approach. It is a confusing message." Mr Spens stressed, however, that he would continue to enforce the anti-drugs policy at Fettes, which states that any pupil found taking drugs will be expelled. Three sixth-formers at the £18,000-a-year school were expelled eight months ago for using cannabis. David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, announced the reclassification of cannabis in July, with a change in the law to come into effect next summer. Mr Spens was supported yesterday by other private school headteachers. Robin Easton, rector of the High School of Glasgow, said: "There is a real risk that by relaxing these laws, we are opening the door to children getting involved in much more dangerous substances." A recent survey of drug-taking in private schools across Scotland revealed that 60 per cent of 16-year-old pupils in the private sector had tried drugs compared with 50 per cent of state pupils.
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