|
Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
|
|
UK: Cannabis stance won't change
Evening Times, Glasgow
Friday 19 Sep 2003 SCOTS police officers will continue to arrest people for possessing cannabis despite moves in England and Wales to let people off with a warning. First Minister Jack McConnell said he had no plans to change existing recommendations in Scotland, but said his officials would continue to review the position. His statement follows new guidelines unveiled last week by Home Secretary David Blunkett which recommend "a presumption against arrest" for cannabis possession. After being questioned by Tory justice spokeswoman Annabel Goldie if he would change the position north of the Border, Mr McConnell said: "No, I don't believe current prosecution guidelines are inadequate. I think that in Scotland we have the balance right for the moment." He said police had a duty to implement the law and time spent tackling serious drugs was "time being very well spent". But Mr McConnell's remarks were seized upon by SNP justice spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon who said it was "common sense" to follow Mr Blunkett's example. She said: "There is a need to modernise the law and it is important that trying to appear tough on crime doesn't get in the way of that." SCOTS police officers will continue to arrest people for possessing cannabis despite moves in England and Wales to let people off with a warning. First Minister Jack McConnell said he had no plans to change existing recommendations in Scotland, but said his officials would continue to review the position. His statement follows new guidelines unveiled last week by Home Secretary David Blunkett which recommend "a presumption against arrest" for cannabis possession. After being questioned by Tory justice spokeswoman Annabel Goldie if he would change the position north of the Border, Mr McConnell said: "No, I don't believe current prosecution guidelines are inadequate. I think that in Scotland we have the balance right for the moment." He said police had a duty to implement the law and time spent tackling serious drugs was "time being very well spent". But Mr McConnell's remarks were seized upon by SNP justice spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon who said it was "common sense" to follow Mr Blunkett's example. She said: "There is a need to modernise the law and it is important that trying to appear tough on crime doesn't get in the way of that." SCOTS police officers will continue to arrest people for possessing cannabis despite moves in England and Wales to let people off with a warning. First Minister Jack McConnell said he had no plans to change existing recommendations in Scotland, but said his officials would continue to review the position. His statement follows new guidelines unveiled last week by Home Secretary David Blunkett which recommend "a presumption against arrest" for cannabis possession. After being questioned by Tory justice spokeswoman Annabel Goldie if he would change the position north of the Border, Mr McConnell said: "No, I don't believe current prosecution guidelines are inadequate. I think that in Scotland we have the balance right for the moment." He said police had a duty to implement the law and time spent tackling serious drugs was "time being very well spent". But Mr McConnell's remarks were seized upon by SNP justice spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon who said it was "common sense" to follow Mr Blunkett's example. She said: "There is a need to modernise the law and it is important that trying to appear tough on crime doesn't get in the way of that." SCOTS police officers will continue to arrest people for possessing cannabis despite moves in England and Wales to let people off with a warning. First Minister Jack McConnell said he had no plans to change existing recommendations in Scotland, but said his officials would continue to review the position. His statement follows new guidelines unveiled last week by Home Secretary David Blunkett which recommend "a presumption against arrest" for cannabis possession. After being questioned by Tory justice spokeswoman Annabel Goldie if he would change the position north of the Border, Mr McConnell said: "No, I don't believe current prosecution guidelines are inadequate. I think that in Scotland we have the balance right for the moment." He said police had a duty to implement the law and time spent tackling serious drugs was "time being very well spent". But Mr McConnell's remarks were seized upon by SNP justice spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon who said it was "common sense" to follow Mr Blunkett's example. She said: "There is a need to modernise the law and it is important that trying to appear tough on crime doesn't get in the way of that."
After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.
|
This page was created by the Cannabis Campaigners' Guide.
Feel free to link to this page!