20/07/2007 01:00:00
UK: MP John Denham - I smoked dope
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SOUTHAMPTON MP John Denham has admitted smoking cannabis when he was a
student.
Mr Denham made the dramatic confession to the Daily Echo just hours
after the Home Secretary revealed she too had used the drug in her youth.
His announcement yesterday brought the total number of British ministers
who have now admitted taking the drug to eight, including new Chancellor
Alistair Darling and transport secretary Ruth Kelly.
Mr Denham's admission is likely to be received with special interest
because of his involvement in the Government's initial decision to
reclassify cannabis when he was a Home Office Minister.
In 2004 the drug was downgraded from Class B, which includes drugs like
amphetamines, to Class C alongside substances like anabolic steroids,
making it a largely non-arrestable offence.
The admissions came after Prime Minister Gordon Brown's announcement on
Wednesday of a review of the classification of cannabis, which may
reverse the 2004 decision to downgrade it from a class B drug to the
less serious class C.
Mr Brown's spokesman said the Prime Minister - who has denied ever using
illicit substances - was ''quite relaxed'' about his Cabinet colleagues'
admissions of past indiscretions.
A spokesman said: "There is no No 10 edict on this one way or another.
The Prime Minister thinks this is a matter for individual ministers to
decide how to answer these questions.
''He has no issue with how (Ms Smith) dealt with this question.'' The
review launched by Mr Brown will be the second rethink of the
controversial decision to make cannabis possession a largely
non-arrestable offence, signalling the possible reintroduction of
tougher penalties for cannabis smokers.
http://www.thisishampshire.net/
The drug's downgrading placed it alongside certain prescription
tranquillisers and body-building steroids.
Just two years after it last looked at the issue, the Advisory Council
on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) will now review reports the danger from
cannabis is increasing because stronger strains such as ''skunk'' are
more widely available.
There are fears that more potent forms of cannabis have harsher
side-effects, particularly on mental health.
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12717
Author:
Daily Echo via UKCIA
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