Pubdate: Tue, 24 Oct 2000
Source: Daily Telegraph (UK)
Copyright: 2000 Telegraph Group Limited
Contact:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Author: P J Bonthrone

DECRIMINALISE CANNABIS, SAYS FREE CHURCH LEADER

A LEADING Free Church theologian has joined calls for cannabis to be
decriminalised and has attacked the call by Ann Widdecombe, the shadow home
secretary, for "zero tolerance" of drug abuse. Prof Donald Macleod, a
minister and the principal of the Free Church College in Edinburgh, also
said he did not rule out legalising the drug. Writing in the weekly West
Highland Free Press, Prof Macleod said the drug was a "mild narcotic," which
in the first instance should be downgraded from a class B drug.

He wrote: "I am in favour of decriminalisation. I have never used cannabis
but I have had contact with people who have. Alcohol causes much more
widespread harm."

Prof Macleod has never shied away from controversy. Three years ago he said
that Irish unification was "both inevitable and appropriate" and he has in
the past angered hardline members of the Free Church by saying that Roman
Catholics had every right to invite the Pope to Britain.
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