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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Cannabis law set for rethink
Duncan Gibbons icCoventry
Tuesday 08 Mar 2005 Foreign secretary Jack Straw said he had "learned a lot" from his audience with a group of Warwickshire residents yesterday. Mr Straw spent an hour talking to a group of 60 people about issues such as anti-social behaviour and ID cards. He also gave a strong hint the government may rethink its decision to downgrade cannabis. People were invited to the session at Warwickshire College's Trident Centre, in Whitnash, after filling in questionnaires sent by Warwick and Leamington MP James Plaskitt about issues they were most concerned about. Mr Straw said: "I have heard some fairly broad opinions from the seven tables and I have learned a lot. "In my role as home secretary and then David Blunkett after me, we strengthened powers of the police and the courts to deal with trouble-makers, including the introduction of anti-social behaviour orders. "These are now used to a great extent." Mr Straw also gave a strong indication that cannabis may be reclassified as a class B drug following its controversial downgrading to class C. He said: "It was done for good reasons but we may need to think if we have to review it in light of experience." Audience members said Mr Straw's visit was a worthwhile exercise. Sarah Miller, aged 36, of College Park, Leamington, said: "We let him know that anti-social behaviour and drugs are a big problem in Leamington. "Kids are bored because youth clubs are shutting down. I think there should also be random drug testing in schools. "It was exciting to think that something might change because of what we said."
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