THE Home Office is giving more than UKP4million to districts in the East of England as part of a nationwide campaign to reclaim the streets from criminal drug dealers. The cash, invested under the Communities Against Drugs Initiative (CAD), will be targeted at disrupting Class A illicit drugs markets, offering treatment and support for offenders, and driving drug dealers out of neighbourhoods. Money will go to finance more high visibility policing in drug hot spots, recruiting additional housing managers, criminal justice workers, CCTV, and better security lighting. [continues 239 words]
THE Liberal Democrats have become the first main party to back the legalisation of cannabis - despite the opposition of their MP for Colchester. At its spring conference in Manchester at the weekend, the party adopted as official policy decriminalising and legalising the drug, scrapping jail sentences for possession of any drug for personal use and the downgrading of Ecstasy. Colchester MP Bob Russell was the only MP who spoke against the policy and he said: "I disagree with the conference decision. It will allow our opponents to portray the Lib Dems as soft on drugs. [continues 247 words]
THE Liberal Democrats have become the first main party to back the legalisation of cannabis -- despite the opposition of their MP for Colchester. At its spring conference in Manchester at the weekend, the party adopted as official policy decriminalising and legalising the drug, scrapping jail sentences for possession of any drug for personal use and the downgrading of Ecstasy. Colchester MP Bob Russell was the only MP who spoke against the policy and he said: "I disagree with the conference decision. It will allow our opponents to portray the Lib Dems as soft on drugs. [continues 247 words]
