Pubdate: Tues, 10 Oct 2000 Source: Guardian, The (UK) Copyright: 2000 Guardian Newspapers Limited Contact: 75 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3ER, England Fax: +44-171-837 4530 Website: http://www.newsunlimited.co.uk/guardian/ Forum: http://www.newsunlimited.co.uk/BBS/News/0,2161,Latest|Topics|3,00.html DEGLAMORISING CANNABIS: THE UK SHOULD FOLLOW THE DUTCH LEAD Forget the acute embarrassment of the Conservative party over an internal revolt against its new hardline policy on cannabis - enjoyable though its squirming might be. Forget the increasingly shrill responses of the Conservative leader, who descended yesterday to issuing the emptiest political response on the issue: "We have to step up the war against drugs." Britain already has the toughest laws in Europe, which is one reason why its policies are so ineffective. The Police Foundation's national commission on drug legislation - on which two chief constables served - rightly concluded in March that our current laws do more harm than good. Forget the disarray in the Conservative party, because it is Labour which is in power. When parliament reassembles, ministers will be summoned before the home affairs select committee to give their considered response to the 81 recommendations in the Police Foundation's report. Never has there been a better chance to reform our current system. Ministers should reflect on three fundamental shifts in attitudes - by politicians, public and police - that have occurred in the last week. In a mature society, the readiness of seven Tory shadow ministers to admit they have taken cannabis, should not cause a ripple. But until now, immature debate has predominated. An earlier admission by Mo Mowlam over taking pot, produced shock and horror on both front benches. Similarly, the public backlash against Ann Widdecombe's proposed abolition of the police caution for cannabis, breaks a long trend. Public backlashes are supposed to be associated with over-permissive policies, not the shamelessly regressive. Finally this week has not just seen the police superintendents, who would have to manage Miss Widdecombe's policy, openly declare it was unworkable, but a former chief constable, Francis Wilkinson, became the first to have held his rank to call for the legalisation of cannabis. If ministers are surprised by these responses, they should not be. A Mori poll, commissioned by the Police Foundation, found Middle England at odds with the government's hardline stance on drugs. Some 80% wanted a more relaxed approach to cannabis. Media attitudes have also shifted. The tabloids - not just the Mirror and Express, but the Mail too - said the Foundation's report deserved a serious debate. The Telegraph even played with a legalisation experiment. Ministers should seize the opportunity these shifts in attitude create. The foundation's report was too cautious, but its proposals - which would reclassify drugs according to the harm they cause - would be a logical first step to decriminalisation. So would its proposal to make cannabis an unimprisonable offence. These columns have long preferred decriminalisation to legalisation. Decriminalisation retains the offence but does not pursue prosecution. It has been supremely successful in Holland in separating soft drugs from hard drugs. It still has fewer young people than the UK taking cannabis despite its availability. And, unlike the UK, has stabilised or even reduced heroin use. Legalisation would either let the tobacco barons take part, or at least (because pot is mixed with tobacco) revive sales. The Dutch are no longer alone. Portugal and Switzerland are preparing to liberalise. A war against drugs is a war against our children. Seven shadow cabinet ministers recognise this truth. Surely Labour can follow suit. They should stop issuing the most dangerous message of all: that all drugs are equally harmful. They are not and young people already know it. - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck