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| Public Backs New Cannabis Approach |
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Posted by FoM on March 21, 2002 at 17:37:24 PT News & City Source: London Evening Standard 
Up to three-quarters of the population would back the controversial "softly, softly" approach to cannabis being introduced in their area. A study by the Police Foundation into a pilot scheme in Lambeth, south London, has found strong support both locally and nationally.In Lambeth, 83% of residents questioned supported the scheme in which people caught in possession of cannabis receive a warning and have the drug seized rather than being prosecuted - just 8% opposed it. Nationally, one quarter approved of the scheme outright and that rose to three-quarters if the condition was applied that police were more successful in tackling serious crime as a result. However, the survey of 2,055 Lambeth residents found many had misunderstood what the scheme meant. Only 14% knew cannabis would be confiscated when they were warned and 37% thought it meant police would "let people off for possessing cannabis". Some 45% believed there would be no difference to the level of serious crime and 52% believed there would be no difference in serious drug use. A larger percentage of white residents than black or Asian supported the scheme. William Saulsbury, assistant director of the Police Federation, who headed the survey, said: "There is strong evidence that a high proportion of Lambeth residents support the scheme as a rational approach on the part of the police. "They recognise that such a scheme does not offer a magic wand for reducing serious crime and use of hard drugs but they expect, and believe, that the time saved with the new approach will be put to those ends." Home Secretary David Blunkett has been waiting for the results of the pilot before deciding to reclassify cannabis from a class B to a class C drug. Source: London Evening Standard (UK) Related Articles: Cannabis Scheme Saves Police Time Blunkett Defends 'Liberal' Drugs Policy Scotland Yard Investigates Marijuana Complaint Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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