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| Cannabis is Now Just a Signature Away |
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Posted by FoM on March 09, 2002 at 19:04:14 PT By Sophie Goodchild, Home Affairs Correspondent Source: Independent UK 
David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, will be told this week by his official panel of drug advisers to downgrade cannabis from a Class B to a Class C drug. The change, which would enable users to smoke a joint in the street without fear of arrest, would be the first relaxation of drug laws in Britain for 30 years.Yesterday, in a separate initiative, the Liberal Democrats became the first major political party to vote for the full legalisation of cannabis. They also voted for an end to prison sentences for those caught in possession of other drugs, including cocaine, ecstasy and heroin, and called for ecstasy to be downgraded from a Class A to a Class B drug. The vote came as the Home Office considers recommendations from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) that cannabis should be given the same status as prescription tranquillizers such as valium, making its possession a non-arrestable offence. A source close to Mr Blunkett said last night the Home Secretary was now "minded" to downgrade the drug. The advisory committee is considered the authoritative voice on drugs classification and it would be unusual for the Home Secretary to ignore its advice. The committee's findings will increase pressure on Mr Blunkett to make a formal announcement of the reform the laws on cannabis. A senior government source told The Independent on Sunday: "He [the Home Secretary] said he was minded to do it [reclassify cannabis]. He will make a final decision when all of the information is in front of him." As well as the committee's research, there are at least four other studies being carried out into the policing of cannabis which are expected to be presented to the Government over the next two months. Next Wednesday, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation will reveal that up to £50m a year is spent on policing cannabis and the time this involves is equivalent to the work of 500 police officers a year. The Metropolitan Police and the Police Foundation are also compiling separate reports into a pilot scheme by police in Lambeth, south London. Originally planned to last six months, senior officers have found the scheme in Brixton, where cannabis users are not arrested but given on-the-spot warnings, to be successful enough to warrant extending for the time being. An inquiry into drugs, including cannabis, is also being carried out by members of the Home Affairs select committee who are expected to report to the Government this April. The debate over downgrading cannabis gained momentum last October when Mr Blunkett announced that he had decided in favour of changing the law. He proposed to end the power of police to arrest people caught with the drug for their own use. This was partly so that officers could concentrate on hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine. His decision to change the drug laws was announced to the Home Affairs Select Committee. At the time, the Home Secretary emphasised that he was not decriminalising or legalising cannabis. "Cannabis would remain a controlled drug and using it a criminal offence," he said. "In spite of our focus on hard drugs, the majority of police time is currently spent on handling cannabis offences. It is time for an honest and common-sense approach focusing on drugs that cause most harm." The Home Secretary commissioned the ACMD to report on the medical and social impact of cannabis. Their report was completed several weeks ago but has been held on to by the Home Office. Drugs charities and experts say they welcome the committee's report. Roger Howard, chief executive of DrugScope, said he wanted the Government to promise that there would be no fines or cautions for personal possession of the drug. "If this report is true, then DrugScope warmly welcomes it," he added. "It's refreshing to see a Home Secretary at last moving towards a sensible, logical and evidence-based drugs policy." Viscountess Runciman, a former member of the committee and campaigner for reform, said this was a "very significant development". "This is not to say cannabis is a harmless drug," she added. "It does remain a controlled drug. There is still a lot of incoherence in our laws. This will bring the law in line with Brixton." Note: Relax law, say government advisers; Reform would be first for 30 years; Lib Dems vote for legalisation. Complete Title: Cannabis is Now Just a Signature Away from Legitimacy (Over to You, Mr Blunkett) Source: Independent (UK) Related Articles & Web Site: Drugscope Lib Dems Vote To Legalise Cannabis Make Cannabis Legal Now Britain's Liberal Democrats Vote for Marijuana Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #6 posted by cltrldmg on March 10, 2002 at 01:15:31 PT |
| The Liberation of Europe is nearly over.. the Prohibitionists are still holding on to Sweden and Greece, but not for much longer. As Richard Cowan said, the War on Drugs is like WWII in reverse, and it'll be the Europeans who save America. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by MikeEEEEE on March 09, 2002 at 22:46:03 PT |
| Our British friends are doing great, but I hope we live long enough to see our country do get some brains. Recently I read about Colombia, then I see this crap:
Pentagon to Prepare Nuclear Weapons, Report Says They have to stop taking that drug named alcohol. On another subject: Welcome back ddddd. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by freedom fighter on March 09, 2002 at 22:08:33 PT |
| Soberstoner. Since I am not able to toke one up, please toke one up for the legalisation! Free the herb and you shall free the people. ff [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by Tigress58 on March 09, 2002 at 21:16:02 PT |
| OK America your NEXT! Or are you going to start a war with the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, after all, druggies are terrorist, right? Your words President Bush! Hey, President Bush, didn't the Dutch and American governments negotiate and draft a Treaty on Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in 1956, effective December 05, 1957, aimed at strengthening the ties of friendship and peace, and to encourage closer economic ties and cultural relations between the American and Dutch peoples, resulting in mutually advantageous trade and investments? Jeeze, Mr. Bush, now your going to have to have DEAth bust the United Kingdom and the Netherlands and put those countries in prison. Charges: Contributing to the delinquency of America, Illegal possession of Schedule 1 hard drugs, Violation of American federal drug laws, possession of paraphernalia, habitual offender, ah, what else? Manufacturing and distribution, did I miss any? Man, what does that add up to? 50 years without parole? Damn, Senor Bush, your loco. Now how are you going to accomplish this task? [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #2 posted by SoberStoner on March 09, 2002 at 20:32:06 PT:
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| I read these articles about the brits and i feel these strange twinges in my face that havent been present in quite a while when thinking about our glorious green friend. My muscles start twitching and suddenly i realize that i'm smiling. This has been a fantastic week for us with Scotland and now a major political force in one of the biggest countries in the world coming out in favor not only of medical MJ, but complete legalization. And with the victories in Cali primaries that pushed out hardline anti's, the light at the end of the tunnel seems just a little bit brighter than it did a week or two ago. Watch Ed Roesnthal and Colin Davies' legal procedings very carefully, they could be the start of the end of this God-forsaken war against nature. The dream is possible SS [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by goneposthole on March 09, 2002 at 19:56:07 PT |
| It might be the 's' in the British spelling of legalization. Maybe we should change the spelling of legalization to 'legalisation'. Marihuana or marijuana is fine spelled with an 'h' or a 'j'. As in, "The Marihuanans have existed from the beginning of time and will last until the end time." [ Post Comment ] |
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