Revelations that seven members of the British Tory shadow cabinet had used cannabis threw the British Conservative Party's policy on drugs into disarray yesterday. Among those who admitted to using cannabis in their youth were shadow foreign secretary Francis Maude, shadow environment secretary Archie Norman, and leader in the Lords, Lord Strathclyde. The disclosure, published in a British newspaper, came hot on the heels of a controversial ``zero tolerance'' policy on drugs announced by shadow home secretary Ann Widdecombe at last week's Tory conference. [continues 149 words]
A Labour MP is to introduce a Bill to Parliament that would decriminalise the use of cannabis. Paul Flynn's Bill follows a Police Foundation report backing relaxation of drug laws and the end of prison terms to punish cannabis offences. Mr Flynn, Member for Newport West, said yesterday he believed there had been a sea change in public attitudes towards drug use, and Britons now understood tough laws were causing more problems than they were solving. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The point of this Bill is to make sure the splendid report from the Police Foundation is not kicked aside and ignored. They made the point very strongly that those countries in Europe with the most repressive laws on drugs - and we are by far the worst - have the greatest problems. [continues 133 words]
