cannabisnews.com: Peers Support the Reform of Cannabis Law





Peers Support the Reform of Cannabis Law
Posted by FoM on July 07, 2001 at 19:23:52 PT
By Michael Prescott and Tom Robbins 
Source: Sunday Times
Two former home secretaries said yesterday that possession of cannabis should be decriminalised amid signs from the Home Office that change may be contemplated during the course of this parliament. Lord Jenkins and Lord Baker each supported a change in the law under which possession of cannabis for personal use would no longer be an arrestable offence. A third former home secretary, Lord Waddington, said he would regard decriminalisation as a "minor step". 
At present cannabis is a category B drug, as defined by the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act. Those caught in possession can be arrested and face a prison sentence of up to five years. Last year an independent commission into the drugs laws chaired by Lady Runciman proposed reclassifying cannabis as a category C drug, thereby making possession for personal use no longer an offence carrying a criminal record. Jenkins, regarded as an important mentor to Tony Blair on key Labour reforms, said yesterday that he supported the Runciman proposal. "It is quite firmly my view that the time for a change in the law has come," said Jenkins, who served as Labour's home secretary from 1965 until 1967. This was the year when controversy about the ban on cannabis first broke because of the conviction on drug charges of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. Asked what change in the law he favoured, Jenkins said: "To decriminalise, certainly." Baker, who served as Tory home secretary from 1990-92, remained firmly opposed to the legalisation of cannabis. However, asked whether he would support decriminalisation, he replied: "I think that's quite a good position. To fill our prisons with people who are cannabis users is a bum use of the prisons." Waddington, who was viewed as a hardliner when he was Tory home secretary from 1989-90, remained staunchly opposed to legalisation of cannabis but was also sympathetic to decriminalisation. "Cannabis has an unfortunate effect on the personality," he said. "I saw it in Bermuda [where he served as governor] where there are many habitual users. It destroys motivation. It can precipitate schizophrenia and do lasting brain damage." Asked whether he might support decriminalisation, he replied: "There may be a case for that." People caught possessing a class C drug, such as tranquillisers, generally receive a caution, although a maximum two-year sentence remains on the statute book. Downing Street gave a dusty response on Friday to questions about changes in the law on cannabis, which were prompted by a Social Market Foundation pamphlet written by Peter Lilley. The former cabinet minister advocated legalisation of cannabis and suggested it should be sold from licensed outlets for use at home. Although Home Office ministers have refused to comment on Lilley's idea, senior sources at the department signalled yesterday that changes were not ruled out. They said David Blunkett, the home secretary, would wait to see the outcome of a trial in Brixton, south London, where police have said they will issue warnings for cannabis possession but will make no arrests. Although Blunkett has ruled out setting up a royal commission on drug misuse, he promised "sensible answers that respond to the public need". He also said he was awaiting the results of a government study before deciding whether to legalise cannabis for medical purposes. The renewed debate about soft drugs coincides with the publication of a book which reveals that police officers are routinely taking drugs ranging from cannabis to ecstasy. Written by David Wilson, the former head of officer training for the prison service, the book details the experiences of officers who smoked cannabis in Amsterdam, took ecstasy at raves and spoke of a "secret society" of drug takers within the force. Wilson, now professor of criminal justice at the University of Central England, interviewed 20 officers who confessed to drug taking. In one case an officer revealed that he gave his drug dealer "mini-seminars" on how to avoid arrest. It argues that the police are fighting a losing battle against the tough crime reduction targets they have set themselves. Source: Sunday Times (UK)Author: Michael Prescott and Tom Robbins Published: July 8 2001 Copyright: 2001 Times Newspapers Ltd.Contact: editor sunday-times.co.ukWebsite: http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/Related Articles:Cannabis: Poll Reveals Demand for Legalisationhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10246.shtmlNow the Question with Cannabis is a Practical Onehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10240.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by Pontifex on July 08, 2001 at 21:50:09 PT:
An unfortunate effect on the governor
Delicious:"Cannabis has an unfortunate effect on the personality," said [former Tory Home Secretary Lord Waddington]. "I saw it in Bermuda [where he served as governor] where there are many habitual users. It destroys motivation. It can precipitate schizophrenia and do lasting brain damage."So this guy served as the colonial governor of Bermuda, a long-suffering, impoverished, tropical country only recently free of the U.K. -- and he attributes the resident's despair to smoking pot. In fact, good marijuana is probably one of the few things that helps people endure an oppressed life of agricultural poverty. Certainly it's popular with the many carribean residents who don't live in governor's mansions.Marijuana demonization is getting more unhip. But it's still a useful political tool for totalitarian demagogues.Decrim in Britain? I'll believe it when I see it!
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Comment #5 posted by Doug on July 08, 2001 at 10:55:55 PT
Calling the Kettle Black
Alcohol can do lasting brain damage -- it is the only commonly-used drug (other than inhalants) that can do that. It destroys motivation. Just look at the poor wreches on Skid Row --- most big towns have them. Myabe we can decriminalize alcohol, but we never want to allow stores to sell it!
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Comment #4 posted by Anonymous on July 08, 2001 at 06:22:44 PT
Don't Fall For Decrim...
British voters must push for legalization. U.S. pot-smokers settled for decriminalization in the 70's, and look where they're at now.
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Comment #3 posted by Mad Scientist on July 08, 2001 at 06:20:47 PT:
What does this mean at the local level?
I read the same article in the Observer this morning. Does this mean they also won't bother tracking downhome growers, or is it only large-scale traffickingor imports through Customs?Decrim isn't far away now in the UK...
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Comment #2 posted by Dan Hillman on July 07, 2001 at 23:38:15 PT
UK: Police end cannabis seizures
I have been predicting the imminent collapse of the drug war in Britain for some weeks now.see: http://www.observer.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,518504,00.htmlfor some news that should make drug warriors buckle at the knees.
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Comment #1 posted by lookinside on July 07, 2001 at 22:03:42 PT:
off subject....
for those of you as upset as i was at the last election,please check out this link... http://www.PetitionOnline.com/impeach/petition.html
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