Pubdate: Tue, 06 Feb 2007
Source: Yorkshire Evening Press (UK)
Copyright: 2007 Newsquest Media Group
Contact:  http://www.thisisyork.co.uk
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2146
Author: Steve Clements

ARRESTING FACTS

CONSIDERING that cannabis possession is supposed to be a
non-arrestable offence for adults, in the absence of certain
circumstances (smoking in public, near a school, etcetera) is it
possible to find out under the Freedom of Information Act how many
arrests there have been for cannabis as opposed to class A drugs?

My point is that despite the reclassification of cannabis, users are
still being targeted more than class A drug users. This is a
soft-target approach, which is not what was intended by the change in
the law.

Class A drugs are rife and it seems little is being done, whilst
cannabis use is being disproportionately targeted, because it's an
easy target to make the police arrest figures look good.

Most cannabis users commit no other offence and are usually otherwise
law-abiding.

Is it really in the public interest to drag people through the courts
for using a plant and doing no harm to others?

Steve Clements, The Legalise Cannabis Alliance 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake