Pubdate: Wed, 13 Mar 2002
Source: East Anglian Daily Times (UK)
Copyright: 2002 Eastern Counties Newspapers Group Ltd
Contact:  http://www.eadt.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/913

'SOFT' LINE ON SOFT DRUGS NOT OK

SIREN calls for the legalisation of cannabis have been answered by the 
Liberal Democrats. At the spring conference in Manchester they voted also 
to decriminalise the drug, scrap jail sentences for possession - of any 
drug for personal use, and to down-grade Ecstasy

Supporters of the move believe the way forward to beat the growing drugs 
menace in Britain is to open more rehabilitation facilities and impose 
tougher sentences for those caught selling drugs near schools rather than 
making criminals of people who use drugs, mostly for personal recreation.

Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy said: "The party has decided that the 
criminal law should concentrate on the dealers, traffickers and exploiters 
of drugs rather than the users who need help and treatment."

Mr Kennedy and his party are wrong. Those who are hooked on cocaine and 
heroin started on cannabis and moved on through recreational drugs such as 
Ecstasy

Parents of school-age children are likely to be horrified that the Liberal 
Democrats have adopted a policy that signals it is all right to possess and 
use any drug, many of which are potentially fatal.

Courageously Colchester's Bob Russell was the only Lib Dem MP to speak 
against his party's decision. Rightly he pointed out that it would allow 
opponents to portray the Lib Dems as soft on drugs.

He added; "My colleagues are as opposed to substance abuse as I am - where 
we disagree is the method of dealing with the problem.

'A teenager is more likely to die from an Ecstasy overdose than being 
murdered by a complete stranger We must be careful that we are not sending 
out the wrong signal to voters."

Since becoming leader, Mr Kennedy has grown in stature as a politician who 
is not afraid to take principled stands on a whole range of social issues. 
By its conference vote on drugs, the Liberal Democrats could have put that 
reputation in danger
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom