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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Blunkett's plan scrapped
Sky News Sunday 22 Jun 2003 Home Secretary David Blunkett has backed down over plans to seize the homes of cannabis users deemed a "serious nuisance" in the face of opposition from police and fellow ministers. The Home Office said it would not be going ahead with a proposal to extend powers in the Anti-social Behaviour Bill to close down premises associated with class A drugs to cover class B and C drugs as well. However a leaked letter from Mr Blunkett to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, obtained by the Sunday Times, showed that as recently as June 4 the Home Secretary wanted to press ahead with the plan. He told Mr Prescott, the chairman of the Cabinet domestic affairs committee, that he was "minded" to strengthen the powers in the bill "to include all classes of illegal drugs". "This would ensure that where such premises are associated with serious nuisance related to class B or C drugs they could be effectively controlled using these powers," he wrote. "I have become convinced that such an extension also offers an appropriate additional control to premises used for illegal drug supply, such as 'cannabis cafes'." However the plan was said to have run into opposition from health and housing ministers who warned that it could divert attention from tackling class A drugs and cause problems for councils who would have to house the people made homeless. A Home Office spokeswoman said: "It was explored, it was looked at and it was decided not to, having consulted with the police, drugs charities and ministerial colleagues".
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