Pubdate: Thu, 16 Jun 2005
Source: Yorkshire Evening Post (UK)
Copyright: 2005 Johnston Press New Media
Contact:  http://thisisleeds.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2279
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

DAMAGING DIVISION ON CANNABIS

IT would be a great shame if clashing personalities and differences of 
ministerial opinion, rooted in a macho reluctance to back down, were to be 
set ahead of the welfare of children and young people.

But that's the danger if Home Secretary Charles Clarke and his predecessor 
David Blunkett can't settle their arguments over cannabis soon.

A restored 'B' classification for this, an undoubted gateway drug to harder 
substances, is only a small hope of protection for thousands of youngsters 
now receiving a false safety message. But it is the only hope they have.

Clarke and Blunkett are in conflict over the legal status of cannabis 
Blunkett insisting he was right to downgrade it, Clarke anxious to restore 
its stricter classification, in light of expert opinion.

It's right that government should have the sense to change its mind when it 
knows it might have been wrong. It is not right and is most irresponsibly 
improper for law impacting on the physical, mental and emotional health of 
a generation to depend on who has the Prime Minister's ear and the most 
clout in the circles of greatest power.

The new Home Secretary looks set to re classify the so-called "soft" drug 
to restore its B grading following concerns about the effects of a 
particularly strong form of cannabis known as skunk.

Mr Clarke ordered a review on the downgrading following a report from the 
Netherlands, which linked it with psychosis and the advisory council on the 
misuse of drugs is due to report back to him later this year.

Tony Blair has also indicated that reclassification is on the cards, 
promising to go back to class B if the experts recommend it.

But David Blunkett, now Work and Pensions Minister, is proving to be a fly 
in this salving ointment. He insists he was absolutely right to downgrade 
the drug in 2002.

He told the Yorkshire Evening Post he would be warning Mr Clarke that 
reclassifying the drugs would put back added pressure on the police whose 
time had been freed up by the reclassification.

That's really not much of an argument at all. He appears to be saying that 
if police resources are insufficient to meet the demands of necessary law, 
the law should be scrapped to accommodate the shortfall.

Surely the opposite should be true. And surely it is for government to 
ensure, in the interests of public safety and order, the police forces are 
resourced adequately to fulfil all known duties of law enforcement.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom