Pubdate: Wed, 24 Oct 2001
Source: Daily Telegraph (UK)
Copyright: 2001 Telegraph Group Limited
Contact:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
  Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/114
Author: Philip Johnston
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

POLICE EXPERIMENT STARTED SOFTER LINE

LABOUR came to power in 1997 vowing "zero tolerance" towards drugs. 
=46or four years, ministers and Keith Hellawell, their drugs "tsar", 
held the line against the growing clamour for a more liberal policy 
towards cannabis and other soft drugs.

When a Police Foundation inquiry chaired by Dame Ruth Runciman 
recommended reclassifying cannabis from a Class B drug to Class C, it 
was given short shrift.

Yet David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, did precisely that yesterday 
and took the first tentative steps towards decriminalising the 
personal use of cannabis. What changed Labour's mind?

The beginnings of a softer line on cannabis can be traced to an 
experiment in the south London borough of Lambeth this year. Brian 
Paddick, the local police commander, decided there was no longer any 
point trying to stop a practice that was now so widespread in an area 
that includes Brixton.

Penalising users was proving a huge drain on police resources at a 
time when most people wanted more officers on the beat trying to cut 
the growing number of street robberies and assaults.

In an area where gun crime is rife, muggings are the worst in Britain 
and the crack cocaine trade is flourishing, beat bobbies were tied up 
for hours a day on trivial cases of cannabis possession.

A typical case would take officers off the streets for five hours, 
cost =A310,000 to bring to court and lead to an average fine of =A345. 
Now, instead of arresting users, Lambeth police confiscate the drug 
and give an on-the-spot warning, which does not lead to a criminal 
record.

Police are no longer required to take offenders to the station, fill 
in forms for a formal caution or prepare court action. The Brixton 
experiment is to be evaluated at the end of this year and was 
expected to be adopted across London.

Mr Blunkett's announcement, however, has pre-empted the assessment 
and will serve as a signal to other forces to adopt a similar line. 
Labour has always been wary of changing the law but the political 
background has changed, with support for liberalisation coming from 
the Right and Left.

Last year, the Tories were seen as out of touch when Ann Widdecombe, 
then shadow home secretary, said anyone caught with cannabis should 
receive an automatic =A3100 fine.

Other senior Tories, however, detected a change in the social 
acceptability of the drug, particularly when seven members of the 
shadow cabinet admitted to having tried it.

The editorial policy of The Daily Telegraph has been in favour of a 
more liberal approach. Sir David Ramsbotham, former chief inspector 
of prisons, favoured legalisation of some drugs.

Opinion polls showed growing support for legalisation and some police 
were turning a blind eye. It was against this backdrop that Mr 
Blunkett chose to act.

He had already softened the previous tough line during the furore 
that followed Mr Lilley's comments in July but his announcement to 
the Commons home affairs committee yesterday was a surprise none the 
less.

Reclassifying cannabis does not make it legal to use. It will remain 
a crime with a maximum sentence of two years and five years for 
trafficking.

But it will no longer be an arrestable offence to be in possession of 
the drug and people found with small amounts are unlikely to end up 
with a criminal record.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Josh