18/07/2007 00:00:00
UK: Brown announces fresh review into cannabis classification
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Gordon Brown today announced the second review in two years into whether
cannabis should be reclassified, in response to concerns that its
current status does not reflect the drug's dangers.
Mr Brown announced the review, which will look at whether cannabis
should be reclassified as class B again - rather than its present class
C - at prime minister's questions.
It was his second major policy announcement at PMQs in seven days, after
last week announcing a U-turn on supercasinos.
While the Guardian revealed yesterday that a statement on crime
reduction would be among a flurry of policy statements before parliament
goes into recess next week, the announcement of another look at
marijuana came as a surprise.
Mr Brown said that the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, would publish a
consultation document next week to review drugs strategy.
"She will be asking the public to comment on new ways in which we can
improve drugs education in the country, give support to people
undergoing treatment ... and give support for communities who want to
chase out drug dealers from their communities.
"As part of the consultation - and the cabinet discussed this yesterday
- the home secretary will also consult on whether it is now right that
cannabis should be moved from class C to class B."
Mr Brown was responding to Labour's Martin Salter, who wanted to see
more prescriptions of cannabis-extract Savitex to people with multiple
scelorsis.
Cannabis was class B before being downgraded to class C after a change
in the law in 2004 under the then-home secretary, David Blunkett.
As a class B drug it would carry much more severe penalties for
possession and imprisonment.
Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader, called for cannabis to be
reclassified in his Breakthrough Britain report published last week.
There have been particular concerns about skunk, a very potent form of
cannabis which has been linked to mental health disorders.
In 2005, 10,000 11- to 17-year-olds were treated for cannabis use - 10
times the number a decade ago.
Plants are increasingly cultivated to include high levels of the active
ingredient of cannabis, THC, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, which
encourages addiction and can cause a range of symptoms, from short-term
memory loss, anxiety and panic attacks to triggering schizophrenia.
Charles Clarke, the former home secretary, launched a review last year
but concluded that there was no need to change the classification
despite the changing medical advice.
Danny Kushlik, director of drug policy foundation Transform, said
cannabis would be better controlled and moderated if its use was not
prohibited, and accused Gordon Brown of playing to the gallery.
"It's got nothing to do with science and everything to do with a Dutch
auction over who can be the toughest on drugs, sadly," he said.
"There's no new evidence. As Gordon Brown's first Commons statement on
drug policy, it's shameful."
Paul Corry, director of public affairs at mental health charity Rethink,
which has warned of the dangers of cannabis, said the government was
exerting its energies in the wrong place.
"Any movement to reclassify cannabis would be a waste of time and
resource," he said.
"All the evidence shows the risk of mental illness and that the criminal
justice system is not able to deal with that. A long-term and sustained
public health campaign is needed.
"What's not good is criminalising a group of people at risk of
developing mental illness."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/drugs/Story/0,,2129181,00.html
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12700
Author:
Guardian Unlimited via UKCIA
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