cannabisnews.com: Drugs Leak Sows Policy Confusion 





Drugs Leak Sows Policy Confusion 
Posted by CN Staff on July 06, 2002 at 20:47:04 PT
By Kamal Ahmed, Political Editor
Source: Observer UK
The Government's drugs policy was mired in confusion last night after a leaked letter revealed that David Blunkett is seeking to 'get tough' with dealers in cannabis by doubling jail sentences. The letter, dated 2 July and obtained by The Observer, reveals deep fears at the heart of government that moves to effectively decriminalise cannabis show that Labour has gone 'soft' on drugs. 
The Prime Minister is known to be particularly concerned that Middle England parents will punish the Government at the polls because of the change in cannabis policy. 'We have to handle this very, very carefully,' said one Whitehall official. 'We do not want to give the public the wrong impression about our attitude to drugs.' An announcement will be made this week that the Government is to lay an order before the House of Commons moving cannabis from a Class B to a Class C drug. It will come as part of the official response to the ground-breaking Home Affairs Select Committee report on drugs earlier this year, which called for the decriminalisation of cannabis. But the letter shows that the Home Secretary will also legislate to double the maximum length of sentence dealers will serve from five to 10 years, putting dealing in cannabis on a par with serious gun crime and violent assault. Drugs campaigners immediately condemned the move, saying that it gave a 'completely confused message' to the public about the use of cannabis. Blunkett will also allow police to retain arrest powers for people using cannabis, although the sentence for possession will be reduced from five to two years. Police will be able to arrest and charge cannabis-users if there are 'aggravating factors', the letter says. Whitehall sources said that examples would be smoking cannabis in front of children or outside schools or when at work and operating machinery. Drugs campaigners said the new power would defeat the object of reclassifying cannabis, because the police would still be wasting resources picking up users. 'It is not intended that re-classification should detract in any way from the simple message that all controlled drugs including cannabis are harmful in keeping with their classification and no one should take them,' the letter says. 'The change will make clearer the distinction between cannabis and Class A drugs like heroin and cocaine. It is important to leave no one in any doubt that the supply and possession of cannabis will not have been legalised by reclassification. 'Government takes the supply and dealing of cannabis very seriously and accordingly it intends to bring forward legislation to increase the maximum penalty for supplying and dealing in Class C drugs from 5 to 10 years' imprisonment.' Blunkett wrote the letter last week to John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, in his capacity as chairman of the Domestic Affairs Committee, which governs domestic policy. It was copied to the Prime Minister, Sir Richard Wilson, head of the civil service, Gordon Brown, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Estelle Morris, the Education Secretary. Blunkett is also about to announce a campaign aimed at young people, warning about the dangers of drugs - particularly cannabis. Drugs campaigners said that the public would be left with contradictory messages. Steve Rolles of Transform, the drugs charity, said: 'It sows total confusion in people's minds.' Note: Blunkett wants to 'get tough' with cannabis dealers. Observer Special Reports: Drugs Uncovered: http://www.observer.co.uk/drugs/0,11908,686419,00.htmlSource: Observer, The (UK)Author: Kamal Ahmed, Political EditorPublished: Sunday, July 7, 2002Contact: letters observer.co.ukWebsite: http://www.observer.co.uk/Related Articles & Web Sites:Drugs Uncovered: Observer Special http://freedomtoexhale.com/dc.htmThe Uncovered Poll - Observer UKhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12598.shtmlRevealed: Britain's Drug Habit http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12594.shtmlTime To Be Adult About Drugs http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12593.shtml
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Comment #10 posted by john wayne on July 07, 2002 at 11:26:42 PT
a "leak", eh?
Wonder if that leak was right out of the bottom of the DEA/CIA/NSA bit-bucket!
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Comment #9 posted by p4me on July 07, 2002 at 10:32:02 PT
This article is up on DE messageboard
There are only 3 responses to this article so far at http://212.129.240.114/upload/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3415Here is Nol Van Schaik's response:too many messages...Blunkett and Co are not onle sending the wrong message, they are ending way too many !
If they just activate what they want to allow, we can test that again, and go beyond Class C if needed, and I think it will be !!
Going tougher on cannabisdealers is again choosing the side of organised crime and ABC dealers, when do they ever pick this up ?I think Class C is not going to give the safety we all think it would give, it will render smokers to a police force that does not know how to go about with it, still.NO coffeehops, just go to your local crooks !1,2
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Comment #8 posted by The GCW on July 07, 2002 at 07:40:24 PT
Public radio... said:
Bush and His dad had many things in common, including belonging to the same, "SECRET SOCIETIES".Everyone fighting this war, including Our opposition, would do well to know and understand Bush's SECRET SOCIETY, implications. For TRUE Christians, this has Biblical...People have been hoarding the power of cannabis way before the 1930s and in fact over hundreds of years.This has perhaps been going on since before the Bible as We know it. It may be a reason the Bible was given to Us.It occured previously to the extent that, it was the reason for the Bible,,, to hopefully prevent it from happening again.To Re-legalize cannabis glorifies Our Father.They both represent Truth.I believe Bush prays to God, but not the same God that Christ Jesus prayed to.Is that I what is shown to be true, when examining their secret societies implications?(when I read this story, Bush and His influence came to mind)Do any of these help in finding out about Bush's secret societies?George Bush:
The 
Unauthorized 
Biography http://www.tarpley.net/bushb.htmBRITISH FREEMASONRY'S PLAN FOR AMERICA 
 
 HISTORY OF BRITISH FREEMASONRY The Knights Templars (c. 1100-1600) http://watch.pair.com/MasonicPlan.htmlThe Secret History of America: 
      The Greatest Conspiracy On Earth http://www.freedomdomain.com/Catalog/catalog.htmA Satanic Plot for a One World Government 
The World Conspirators: the Illuminati --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Who controls the monies http://www.prolognet.qc.ca/clyde/illumin.htm Nice Guy?                        or the Devil's Spawn? http://www.geocities.com/trebor_92627/Bush.htmBush Jr.'s Skeleton Closet 
http://www.realchange.org/bushjr.htm#cocaine"Globalization"
Secret Societies Exposed by RIE http://www.4rie.com/What God does skul n bones pray to/
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Comment #7 posted by greenfox on July 07, 2002 at 06:16:43 PT
At least...
At least they are doing SOMETHING. The US is doing NOTHING except linking drug use with terrorism.
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Comment #6 posted by E_Johnson on July 07, 2002 at 00:13:00 PT
They need a drug policy fluffer
I read that in the porn business, a fluffer is the worker on the set of a porn film who is responsible for keeping the mens' policies from going soft. So to speak.So that would make Kate Hoey a drug policy fluffer.
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Comment #5 posted by Robbie on July 06, 2002 at 22:59:21 PT
E J!!!
Never challenge a man on the erectness of his penis!Or, yes, well, whatever.
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Comment #4 posted by goneposthole on July 06, 2002 at 22:33:13 PT
England swings
Like a pendulum do.Bobbies on bicycles two by two.Politicians need to become the police, go out and enforce their own laws. They will find out for themselves what a nightmare they have created.It is a vain attempt to sway public opinion, gerrymander, to try to hang on to their waning power.
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Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is the American Dream. Not making billions, and having everyting under the sun, that has become everybody's nightmare.
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Comment #3 posted by Industrial Strength on July 06, 2002 at 22:12:24 PT
Yankee pandering
All it is. Gotta keep the dangerous lunatics across the pond from blowing their tops, a tempramental Jack in the Box draped in the stars and stripes...
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Comment #2 posted by E_Johnson on July 06, 2002 at 21:47:19 PT
So drug policy is like an erection?
They're always so worried that it's going to go soft!It says a lot I think.
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Comment #1 posted by p4me on July 06, 2002 at 21:13:58 PT
Politicians worrying about themselves
What is so addictive about public office that makes a politician break his duty to do the people's work just for his little career? Maybe if they might hold on one more term until the internet wisdom convinces the masses that they sold out the public good for another term of power. The marijuana policy in Britain is going to fall even if it sweeps all the sorry politicians out of office because a majority of Brits are for legalization and the number is growing never to fall into a minority position ever, ever, ever again.1,2
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