Pubdate: Thu, 11 Jul 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

NO TIME TO EASE UP ON DRUGS

HOME Secretary David Blunkett was accused of giving mixed messages 
yesterday when he announced, as expected, that cannabis was to be 
downgraded from a Class B to a Class C drug.

Former so-called drugs czar, Keith Hellawell reacted by saying drug-dealers 
would be "euphoric" about the news.

"The perception... is that the Government doesn't care about personal 
possession of cannabis, which gives a totally misleading message to 
parents, children and the public as a whole."

Mr Hellawell, whose role as an adviser on drugs policy had already also 
been down-graded by the Government, has resigned over the issue.

Hardly surprisingly his decision, and comments, were seized on gleefully by 
those who oppose any relaxation in drug controls, and Conservative leader 
lain Duncan Smith said Hellawell's resignation was "a clear signal to Tony 
Blair and his ministers to think again before it is too late."

Certainly it seemed as if only the legalisation lobby was wholeheartedly 
welcoming Mr Blunkett's announcement.

Further embarrassment for the Government came from former sport minister 
Kate Hoey who warned that the long-term effects of the Metropolitan 
Police's "softly, softly" approach to cannabis (on which the new strategy 
is based) were not yet known.  She was afraid that in TO or 15 years, "we 
might look back to this day and say: why did we do this"?

There is no denying it was time for a rethink on drugs legislation. The 
present laws are flouted by literally millions of people, and have become 
unenforceable. At the same time, there is widespread concern about 
increasing levels of drug abuse par-ticularly among the young and all the 
attendant social problems.

Clearly something has to be done, but what?

The package of measures out lined by the Home Secretary yesterday includes 
welcome new emphasis on drug treatment and reducing the harm drug users do 
themselves.

Many people will agree with Mr Blunkett that it is better to devote limited 
police time to tackling the supply of the most serious drugs, like heroin, 
cocaine and ecstasy rather than focusing on cannabis.

However smoking cannabis is at least as dangerous as smoking tobacco, and 
should certainly not be encouraged.

That is why many influential commentators, including Keith Hellawell and 
Kate Hoey feel that the Home Secretary has taken a step too far in changing 
the classification of the drug, which does indeed send a mixed message.

Only time will tell how effective the new strategy will prove in practice.

But we hope the Home Secretary will heed Ms Hoey's  plea that police time 
freed by taking a more  relaxed attitude to cannabis really will be devoted 
to tackling hard drugs.
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MAP posted-by: Beth