Pubdate: Wed, 10 Jul 2002
Source: Edinburgh Evening News (UK)
Copyright: 2002 The Scotsman Publications Ltd
Contact:  http://www.edinburghnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1626
Author: Bill Jacobs

EX-TSAR QUITS OVER MOVE ON CANNABIS

THE Government's former drugs tsar today quit as an advisor to the Home 
Secretary in protest over the reclassification of cannabis.

Keith Hellawell, who last October was moved to a part-time post advising on 
international aspects of drug policy, said David Blunkett's move was wrong .

And he launched a strong personal attack on the Home Secretary whom he 
accused of "repackaging and respinning" initiatives, rather than doing 
anything about drug problems.

However, a government spokesman said Mr Hellawell had changed his views, 
claiming he had earlier supported reclassificaiton of the drug.

Mr Blunkett today responded to a report by the House of Commons Home 
Affairs committee by agreeing to downgrade cannabis from a class B drug to 
class C.

This means it is no longer an arrestable offence to possess the drug and 
those caught will face only cautions or fines.

However, Mr Blunkett decided to increase the penalties for dealing in class 
C drugs and refused to downgrade Ecstasy from class A - where it is ranked 
with hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine - to class B.

Mr Blunkett ran into immediate and fierce criticism from the Tories and the 
surprise attack from Mr Hellawell.

Mr Hellawell, the former Chief Constable of Yorkshire who was moved to his 
current post in October last year having been made drugs tsar by Mr 
Blunkett 's predecessor Jack Straw, said of the downgrading of cannabis: 
"I'm against it because it sends out the wrong messages.

"It's been bandied about as a softening of the law. It's a personal 
initiative of David Blunkett's and I don't know where he got his advice from.

"He certainly didn't get it from me."

He said the evidence of Mr Blunkett's own advisory committee was that 
cannabis was a dangerous substance, it was being more widely used by young 
people and more people were being treated for its ill effects.

Mr Hellawell said: "Why on earth, where there are these problems, are we 
changing our message and giving a softer message? I don't know.

"It's moving closer to decriminalisation. It's moving further towards 
decriminalisation than any country in the world."

After making the comments live on radio, he was asked how he could continue 
advising the Government on drugs if he held such views.

He replied: "I've resigned on this issue and the issue of spin."

A spokesman for the Home Secretary hit back at Mr Hellawell's criticism, 
claiming his stance on cannabis appeared to have changed since a meeting 
last year.

"Keith Hellawell said to the Home Secretary in a meeting last autumn that 
he was fully supportive of the Home Secretary's proposal to reclassify 
cannabis," said the spokesman.

"This was a meeting before the Home Secretary made his announcement to the 
Home Affairs Select Committee [revealing he planned to reclassify the drug].

"He tendered his resignation last month to take effect in August but the 
Home Office kept this private at his request."

Shadow Home Secretary Oliver Letwin said that Mr Blunkett's policy of 
calling cannabis use criminal, prosecuting dealers but turning a blind eye 
to its use was "the worst of all worlds".

He said it would lead to young people being drawn up from cannabis to hard 
drugs by the dealers who supplied both, adding: "That's going to create a 
social disaster in the parts of Britain where you can least afford it."

Police today spoke to GMTV television presenter John Stapleton after a 
viewer complained about him showing a quantity of cannabis resin live on air.

Mr Stapleton, 56, said GMTV was not condoning or promoting the use of 
cannabis but showing how easily available it is on Britain's streets.
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