Pubdate: Tue, 22 Jan 2002
Source: Guardian, The (UK)
Copyright: 2002 Guardian Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardian/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/175
Author: Nick Hopkins, Crime Correspondent

CANNABIS AMNESTY ABUSED, MPS TOLD

Drug users have taken advantage of a pilot scheme in London which relaxes 
official attitudes towards cannabis by flooding into the area and openly 
smoking in front of officers, a police leader claimed yesterday.

The initiative in Lambeth has also confused children and encouraged crack 
cocaine dealers to become more active, said Fred Broughton, chairman of the 
Police Federation of England and Wales, which represents 126,000 rank and 
file staff.

His remarks to MPs drew a cool response from the Metropolitan police, which 
believes the scheme has been a success. Danny Kushlick, director of the 
drugs campaign Transform, said Mr Broughton was a "dinosaur" who was 
talking nonsense.

In evidence to the Commons home affairs committee, which is reviewing drug 
laws, Mr Broughton told MPs that he opposed plans by the home secretary, 
David Blunkett, to downgrade cannabis from a class B to a class C drug 
because it sent a message that smoking marijuana was acceptable.

"Cannabis is certainly not OK. The evidence is pretty conclusive that it is 
a major problem," Mr Broughton said.

He referred to the experiment in Lambeth, south London, where officers have 
been told to caution rather than arrest anyone caught with small amounts of 
cannabis.

"There's anecdotal evidence in south London that the change in procedures 
is encouraging more people to come to that area and more people are 
involving themselves in cannabis," he said

"There's also anecdotal evidence that more serious matters, crack abusers 
and crack dealers, are becoming more visible and more active. I don't think 
what's currently practised in south London is reducing the number of people 
who are using cannabis or using other drugs. In fact, the reverse seems to 
be true."

Officers who did liaison work in local schools reported confusion among 
pupils and teachers, who thought cannabis had been decriminalised by the 
scheme, he added.

The Met introduced the initiative in Lambeth to reduce the amount of time 
officers spent on minor cannabis offences, so they could focus on tackling 
class A drug users and dealers.

It is estimated that the scheme saved 2,000 hours between July and December 
last year, although the force will wait for an independent report on the 
project, due in March, before deciding whether to introduce the policy 
across London.

"There is a problem with crack cocaine in Lambeth, specifically Brixton, 
but this has been the case for some time," said a Met spokesman.

"There's nothing to suggest there's been an increase or decrease. We are 
unable to gauge that. We believe there has been a positive effect on the 
borough and there's a feeling that it has been a success. But we're unable 
to comment further until the evidence has been gathered."

Mr Kushlick said Mr Broughton's anecdotal evidence was contradicted by the 
analysis of well-informed professionals.

"These statements of reaction are an expression of the death throes of 
prohibition and do not stand up to critical analysis. They will make fine 
epitaphs for a policy that is amongst the most counter-productive in 
contemporary history. Legalisation will prevail within 20 years and the 
individuals opposing change are looking more Canute-like with each passing 
year."
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart