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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Cannabis reform debate
Sky News Online
Tuesday 28 Oct 2003 David Blunkett's plan to downgrade cannabis to a Class C drug is to come under fire from the Tories today. The move - which will see the drug ranked alongside body-building steroids and some anti-depressants - is to be debated in the Commons. Under the Home Secretary's plans, possession of cannabis will no longer be an arrestable offence in most cases. However, police will retain the power to arrest users in certain aggravated situations - such as when the drug is smoked outside schools. The Conservatives have described the plan as "liberalisation", making the drug "semi-legal". The Police Federation, representing 130,000 frontline police officers, also opposes the move as "misguided and unnecessary". But the Government insists cannabis will remain illegal. Mr Blunkett has said the change in the law is necessary to enable police to spend more time tackling Class A drugs like heroin and crack cocaine. About 80,000 adults-a-year are currently arrested and fined for possession. Under the new rules, they would receive only a warning and have the drug confiscated. Both Houses of Parliament and the Privy Council will have to approve the downgrading plan, aimed to come into effect on January 29.
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