Pubdate: Fri, 23 Jan 2004
Source: Daily Telegraph (UK)
Copyright: 2004 Telegraph Group Limited
Contact:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/114
Author: John Steele, George Jones

CLOUD OF CONFUSION OVER CANNABIS LAW

The Government yesterday launched an advertising campaign to remind the 
public that possessing cannabis remains illegal, amid continuing confusion 
over the effects of a legal downgrading of the status of the drug.

Police chiefs also stepped up their efforts to explain the legal position 
of cannabis to their officers, who currently make tens of thousands of 
arrests for cannabis possession each year.

The new advertising campaign clarifying the Government's position on cannabis

Sir John Stevens, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said junior 
officers in his force had told him they were "muddled" about the drug, 
adding: "We do need to clarify where we are in terms of drugs law."

The re-classification of cannabis - from a Class B to the less serious 
Class C category - will come into force next week. Previously, possession 
of Class C drugs has not been an arrestable offence but the downgrading has 
been accompanied by new legislation retaining police arrest powers for 
cannabis.

There will be a presumption in cases of adults caught in possession that 
they will not be arrested, unless there are "aggravating factors", that the 
drugs will be removed and that a warning will be given on the street. 
Juveniles under 18, though, will still be arrested, so the series of 
warnings and cautions for youngsters required under law can be implemented.

This policy has prompted accusations of confusion, particularly in the 
minds of young people.

The issue caused political controversy when the Tory leader, Michael 
Howard, pledged that a future Conservative Government would reverse the 
re-classification. He said: "We have come to the view that the Government's 
decision is misconceived."

Home Secretary David Blunkett's changes introduced a "muddle" which would 
send a signal to young people that cannabis was legal and safe, when it was 
not, Mr Howard said. In typically robust style, Mr Blunkett responded by 
challenging Mr Howard to say whether he had ever smoked cannabis.

Downing Street, however, distanced itself last night from the Home 
Secretary's challenge.

Officials refused to state whether Tony Blair - who played in a rock group 
at university - had ever used drugs.

Mr Blair's official spokesman said Mr Blunkett's comments were "political 
knockabout", but made clear the Prime Minister believed the debate about 
drugs should be conducted at a more serious level.

Mr Blunkett issued his challenge on the BBC Today programme when he was 
being interviewed about the Government campaign. Defending the Government's 
proposals, he said: "Let's ask him (Mr Howard) 'Did you ever smoke it?'."

Mr Blunkett was then asked whether he ever smoked cannabis. He replied: "No 
I never smoked cannabis. But if I had, I would be quite transparent about 
it because 40-odd per cent of under 30-year-olds have."

Mr Howard refused to say if he had used cannabis. "I take exactly the same 
view on it as the Government took in October 2000 when every Cabinet 
minister was asked. They all said it was not an appropriate question to 
answer."

Mr Blunkett insisted that the Government was not sending out a confused 
message on cannabis, and that the reclassification policy made sound sense.

There are around 70,000 offences of illegal drugs possession each year in 
England and Wales, around three quarters for cannabis. Andy Hayman, the 
chief constable of Norfolk and spokesman for the Association of Chief 
Police Officers (ACPO) on drugs, said that, in practice, the 
re-classification only "formalised" a trend, under way over the past three 
years, in which police were concentrating on Class A drugs, including 
heroin and cocaine.

"Is it still illegal, going from B to C? Yes. So no change. Can you arrest 
when it goes from B to C? Yes, no change."

Under Class B, police normally only considered prosecution after four or 
five warnings or cautions, he said. Under Class C, arrest and prosecution 
was also only likely after repeated warnings, meaning little change.
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