Pubdate: Thu, 11 Jul 2002
Source: Scotsman (UK)
Copyright: The Scotsman Publications Ltd 2002
Contact:  http://www.scotsman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/406
Author: Karen McVeigh
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom)

CITY'S PROBLEMS CONTINUE TO RISE

WHEN the "softly softly" approach to cannabis use was introduced in Lambeth 
by controversial police commander Brian Paddick a year ago, the idea was to 
help overworked officers stem the rising tide of hard drugs and associated 
crime.

But in Brixton yesterday, the only consensus seemed to be that the 
borough's drug problems had increased. "It's got much worse," said Chris 
Sanger, 60, who was out walking in Loughborough park, with her daughter and 
grand-daughter. "There was always a problem, but now you see dealers 
everywhere. They're never away from the bottom of our street, in the pubs, 
everywhere."

Chris Gunning, 30, a teacher, agreed, saying that dealing had become "more 
shameless and blatant".

He added: "I can't walk from Brixton tube to my door without being stopped 
four or five times, asked if I want hash or skunk. I can see where they 
were going with this initiative, but what worries me is what else are they 
selling?

"I suspect it's the same dealers who are dealing both. If kids can get hold 
of hash easily, and they can, then how do we know what else they can get 
hold of?"

Unlike community leaders and MPs who have criticised the Paddick approach 
for being too soft on drugs, many people in Brixton felt that the solution 
lay in the other direction.

The failure of the "softly, softly" approach, said Mr Gunning, is that it 
doesn't go far enough: "If you are going to decriminalise it, then you 
should go all the way and legalise it - start selling it in hash cafes. 
That 's the only way to make sure that people aren't exposed to harder 
drugs. Dope is the least of our problems round here."

Even among Commander Paddick's staunchest supporters, there was a feeling 
that his approach had stopped short of its target. "They use the weed as a 
front to all the other drugs, so he should legalise it all together," said 
Carmen MacKendrick, 50, who admitted to having smoked cannabis all her 
life. "We don't want our children getting hold of coke."

"The government are giving out mixed messages," said Jo Maher, 25. "If you 
give increased sentences for dealers in cannabis, then, to them, they might 
as well take a risk on harder drugs."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Ariel