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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Blunkett Overhaul Of Drug Laws Will End Prosecution For
ccguide Wednesday 24 Oct 2001 Pubdate: Wed, 24 Oct 2001 Source: Independent (UK) Copyright: 2001 Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd. Contact: Website: http://www.independent.co.uk/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/209 Author: Ian Burrell, Home Affairs Correspondent Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) BLUNKETT OVERHAUL OF DRUG LAWS WILL END PROSECUTION FOR CANNABIS USERS Possession of cannabis should no longer be an arrestable offence, the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, said as he announced the biggest reform of British drugs policy in modern times. The Home Secretary said he wanted to reclassify the drug from Class B to Class C, putting it in the same category as anti-depressants and steroids. He was at pains to point out that possession of cannabis would remain illegal and the proposal was not tantamount to decriminalisation. But cannabis campaigners said, in practice, users of the drug would no longer face prosecution. Mr Blunkett said he would recommend the legal use of cannabis-based drugs for medicinal reasons, subject to the outcome of clinical trials to be completed in 2003. He also announced plans to make heroin more widely available on prescription where doctors considered it to be appropriate. The Home Secretary said the reclassification of cannabis was necessary if the Government's drug policy was to be taken seriously by young people. "We will only be successful at delivering this message if our policy is balanced and credible," he said. "A quarter of a million lives are being destroyed by hard drugs and the cost to the criminal justice system alone amounts to UKP 1.2bn. "In spite of our focus on hard drugs, most police time is spent on handling cannabis offences. It is time for a common sense approach, focusing on drugs that cause most harm." Mike Goodman, director of the national drug and alcohol advice charity Release, described the proposal as a "Berlin Wall-type development. The announcement is hugely significant," he said. The Labour MP Paul Flynn, who has campaigned for drugs reform, said the move was a "wonderful, sensible first step". But the former Tory minister Peter Lilley said the Government had "missed the main point" and should have licensed cannabis outlets to "break the link" with criminal suppliers. - --- MAP posted-by: Jackl
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