Pubdate: Fri, 12 Jul 2002
Source: Peterborough Evening Telegraph (UK)
Contact:  2002, East Midlands Newspapers Ltd.
Website: http://www.peterboroughet.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/961
Cited: Legalise Cannabis Alliance:  http://www.lca-uk.org
Cited: Durgscope http://www.drugscope.org.uk/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom)

DRUGS: CANNABIS - THE GREAT DEBATE

SINCE David Blunkett announced the reclassification of cannabis, the debate 
has raged.

Today, we ask three people who represent differing sides of the discussion 
- - Marcus Davies, of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, Chief Superintendent 
Mark Hopkins of Peterborough police, and Lisa Mellen, team leader with 
Bridgegate Drug Advice Agency - their views on the Home Secretary's plan.

David Blunkett announced he was making cannabis a Class C drug because the 
previous classification was "disproportionate in relation to the harm that 
is causes". Do you agree with the change?

Marcus Davies: There most definitely needs to be a change in the law. I 
don't think Mr Blunkett has gone far enough.

Making cannabis a Class C drug is like saying it is still dangerous and I 
don't believe it is.

Mark Hopkins: There's no indication to the best of my knowledge that 
cannabis creates the same dangers to health as taking Class A substances. 
While there are still question marks over the possible long term 
psychological effects, they do not appear to be as dangerous as those 
linked to taking other illegal substances.

Lisa Mellen: I agree that when you look at cannabis in relation to other 
Class B drugs, amphetamines for example, it does not have the same 
long-term and short-term risks.

And from that point of view, reclassification is certainly going to be very 
useful.

Mr Blunkett stated that in the "vast majority of cases", police will now 
issue a warning and seize the drugs of people in possession of cannabis.

Do you agree with this new strategy?

Marcus Davies: This is not a great change in strategy, as warnings and drug 
seizures are already common ways of dealing with people caught in 
possession of small amounts of cannabis. The real difference is that the 
police will not go looking for cannabis users, but the message is still the 
same that they should not be smoking the drug.

Mark Hopkins: I don't think that has been completely thought through. 
Before we make any firm decisions we need to look at the experiences of 
officers working in the Metropolitan police in the Brixton area of London, 
who have conducted a trail period changing their approach to policing 
cannabis users.

Lisa Mellen: We work within the boundaries of whatever is the law of the 
day when it comes to regulating cannabis. But Drugscope, the national 
organisation which Bridgegate subscribes to, was consulted by the 
Government when they were reaching these conclusions, so we have had some 
say in these latest developments on how the police plan to change their 
approach.

The maximum penalty for supplying and dealing Class C drugs is to increase 
from five years to 14 years.

Is this fair for a Class C drug?

Marcus Davies: These are scare tactics which won't make a difference to 
people who use or deal in it. The real danger is you have to buy cannabis 
from someone who would rather sell you something more profitable heroin, 
cocaine and ecstasy will make dealers far more money.

Mark Hopkins: Yes, dealing in cannabis remains a very lucrative and 
valuable trade, as we have seen in Peterborough with the case of the 
Dowells. There is currently no suggestion of decriminalisation of the drug, 
and people who deal in it should continue to face harsh penalties.

Lisa Mellen: As an agency we are responsible for telling people the penalty 
for supplying Class C has increased that is our role. The increase will be 
a deterrent for some people who will be warned off from supplying cannabis 
by the threat of a longer prison term.

Mr Blunkett said that anyone attempting to open a "cannabis cafe" will 
still be breaking the law. Should this be the case?

Marcus Davies: For the last two years I have been involved in an internet 
cafe shop selling medicinal cannabis chocolate to Multiple Sclerosis 
sufferers. I know a cannabis cafe has been opened in Stockport, and there 
is one in London which I go to, although I don't see why I should travel 
all the way to London for something which to me is no different from the 
herbs you might put on your pizza.  Unfortunately, as a city I think we are 
too narrow-minded to open a cannabis cafe in Peterborough.

Mark Hopkins: Yes, as they are still supplying a controlled drug. While we 
are saying there is a lower impact on people's health from cannabis use, we 
have not gone all the way to saying smoking it is ok. Until we get to that 
point and we may never get to that point we must continue to be vigilant 
with people who sell it.

Lisa Mellen: The review has taken into account all the things that needed 
to be considered in the bigger cannabis picture, and one of those things is 
the type of cannabis cafe commonly heard of in Amsterdam. But it is very 
important we remember we are not talking about decriminalisation, and 
people do not make the mistake that that is what has happened here. 
Cannabis has been downgraded, but it is still illegal to supply it, and 
cannabis cafes would come under the category of suppliers.

Mr Blunkett said all "killer drugs" should remain Class A. Do you agree?

Marcus Davies: Yes, I do believe that any drug which can kill you should 
remain Class A. But I also believe we are educated enough to know that 
heroin and crack cocaine will kill you, amphetamines will do you great 
damage mentally, and cannabis will make you cough.

How many people have died from coughing too much?

Mark Hopkins: There is still great potential for abuse by individuals or 
suppliers, either intentionally or unintentionally, when it comes to Class 
A drugs. People can overdose when the strength of the heroin is too low by 
taking too much, or if it is too strong. Great care therefore should be 
taken in reducing the classifications of these drugs, where there is still 
such a huge risk to the individual.

Lisa Mellen: These drugs which are causing a greater degree of harm to 
individuals and families should remain Class A drugs. They need to be dealt 
with more severely, as they are more dangerous than cannabis, and create 
greater levels of hurt and distress.
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MAP posted-by: Jackl