Source: Western Gazette, UK

Pub Date: Thursday 21 November 2002

Subj: Tory goes to drug boffins for help

Author: Nick Heath

Contact: newsdesk@westgaz.co.uk

Cited: Legalise Cannabis Alliance http://www.lca-uk.org

Comment: The letter from Mr Letwin and reply from LCA can be seen at www.lca-uk.org

TORY GOES TO DRUG BOFFINS FOR HELP

PRO-CANNABIS campaigners say a leading Conservative MP went potty this week when he sought their help to reduce crime.

Oliver Letwin, Shadow Home Secretary and West Dorset MP, who has admitted unwittingly smoking the drug, wrote to the Legalise Cannabis Alliance asking what they thought of the Conservative party's proposals on tackling youth crime.

Members of the LCA believe the letter is a smoking gun which signals a softening of Conservatives towards cannabis use.

But Mr Letwin says the group are simply one of 350 consultees who have been approached to comment on plans to reduce young people's use of hard drugs like cocaine and heroin.

LCA national co-ordinator Alun Buffry said: "I am intrigued that Mr Letwin has asked the advice of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance on the Conservative Party's proposed policies on tackling youth crime, because the plant is not mentioned once. Maybe he recognises that flaw.

"It is not cannabis that is the gateway to hard drugs and crime, it is the dealers that are the result of the huge profits enabled by the ban. They are often the cause of entry onto the Tory Party's 'Conveyor Belt of Crime'.

"No educational policy on drugs and crime can be complete unless it seeks to regain the trust of the young.

"One step is to tell the truth about cannabis - it is a part of the lives of a high percentage of young people and most of them are either criminalised themselves or know someone who is, by a law in which they see no sense."

Mr Letwin approached the alliance about Tory policy called "The Conveyor Belt to

Crime" and policy briefing notes.

In his letter Mr Letwin says: "You may wish to give us your views on all three papers or on one paper where you have the specialist expertise.

'Alternatively, you may want to comment more generally on our approach to youth crime.

"It is only by consulting widely and remaining open to constructive criticism that we can develop robust policy' that will deliver on the ground."

Mr Letwin said it was part of a wide-ranging consultation on his proposals to multiply by ten the number of rehabilitation centres for cocaine and heroin users and make attendance mandatory.

He said: "It has nothing at all to do with changing our stance on cannabis.

"In Sweden and the Netherlands they have increased the number of centres by ten and they have virtually eliminated heroin abuse among the young.

"I think it will have a dramatic effect on crime. I think the current numbers of centres is absolutely appalling."

Mr Letwin admitted smoking the drug when he was about 18 years old but blamed it on friends who spiked his pipe.