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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Head's 'Licence Drug' Call
Herald Express, Devon
Thursday 02 Jan 2003 The headteacher of a Torbay school which suspended four pupils for using cannabis has backed moves to legalise the drug. Torquay Boys Grammar School boss Roy Pike has suggested licensing the substance through chemists to over-16s. He suggests the move may free up police resources to tackle more serious drug problems blighting the South Devon. He said: "If we accept that we have lost the battle against cannabis then surely we should be looking at some way of controlling it. We could license cannabis through chemists in pure form to the over-16s. "This would enable the police with limited resources to get after the hard stuff." Mr Pike's comments come three months after the school removed four pupils from class for using cannabis. The quartet, who cannot be identified, are now back in school after going through a counselling programme as well as meeting police and social services workers. Torbay's Youth Offending Team and the school's personal, social and health education experts were also called in. Elsewhere, dangers posed by unlawful adults also present concern as schools, police and health services struggle to stifle the drug supply chain into Torbay. Mr Pike added: "Torbay has all the problems of an inner city without being an inner city." Meanwhile, Mr Pike is aware of the debate surrounding use of cannabis as a "gateway" drug towards youngsters using harder substances. Controversy also surrounded recent Government moves to declassify cannabis from a Class B to a Class C substance. But mixed messages being given to students are threatening to cloud information. Mr Pike said: "The trouble with cannabis is that, if it is made legal, a young person may get into it and get numbed to such a point they lose touch with reality. The four suspended pupils were expected to sign contracts of behaviour when their suspensions expired. The contracts involve promises not to repeat their behaviour in or out of the school. Mr Pike's backing for the legalisation of cannabis follows a two-month blitz by police, helped by the Herald Express Shop The Pushers campaign, which led to 50 arrests and seizures with a street value of £250,000.
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