Pubdate: Thu, 11 Jul 2002
Source: Yorkshire Post (UK)
Copyright: 2002 Yorkshire Post Newspapers Ltd
Contact:  http://yorkshirepost.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2239
Author: Brendan Carlin
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom)

BLUNKETT SAVAGED ON DRUGS 'DISASTER'

David Blunkett last night faced criticism from all sides after ignoring the 
Government's own former Drugs Tsar, and pressing ahead with relaxing the 
law on cannabis.

The Home Secretary came under savage fire from across the political divide 
after announcing that by July next year, cannabis would be reclassified 
from Class B to Class C - the same as anabolic steroids and some 
anti-depressants.

He was attacked from Labour's own benches, amid concern that Government 
spin was leaving parents and youngsters without clear advice, while the 
Tories warned of "social disaster" .

Despite withering criticism from former Drugs Tsar Keith Hellawell - who 
resigned in protest at the announcement - Mr Blunkett confirmed that, in 
most cases of cannabis possession, police officers would no longer arrest 
people but simply "issue a warning and seize the drugs".

Mr Blunkett, backed by the Association of Chief Police Officers and the 
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, insisted that the top priority now 
was tackling the Class A drugs, such as heroin and crack cocaine, which 
fuelled crime.

He also signalled that in order to be credible to young people, the 
Government had to distinguish between those potential killer drugs and the 
less harmful cannabis.

"All controlled drugs are harmful, and will remain illegal.

"We must concentrate our efforts on the drugs that cause the most harm, 
while sending a credible message to young people," said Mr Blunkett told MPs.

He announced UKP183m of extra investment over the next three years, on 
treating drug abuse, and said the so-called "softly, softly" approach by 
police to cannabis use in Lambeth would be rolled out across the capital.

He ruled out downgrading Ecstasy.

He also unveiled plans to boost the maximum penalty for supplying and 
dealing in Class C drugs from five to 14 years, with a new focus on 
targeting regional drug barons.

However, in response to a question from Colne Valley MP Kali Mountford, 
about local multiple sclerosis sufferers growing or buying cannabis to ease 
their condition, the Home Secretary raised hopes that the Medicines Control 
Agency would soon approve the drug for medicinal use.

But even before Sheffield Brightside MP Mr Blunkett had made his statement, 
Mr Hellawell yesterday revealed he had quit in protest at the move, and 
condemned the new policy as just a "re-packaging, a re-spinning of the 
issue, to appear as if something has been done".

The former West Yorkshire Chief Constable - appointed Drugs Tsar in a blaze 
of publicity by Tony Blair in 1997 - accused the Home Secretary of pushing 
through a policy which was "moving further towards decriminalisation than 
any other country in the world".

And Mr Hellawell, once reputed to have earned UKP106,000 in his advisory 
role, but sidelined into an unpaid two-day-a-week job by Mr Blunkett last 
year, warned: "It is a softening of the law and it's giving the wrong 
message. It's a personal initiative of David Blunkett. I don't know where 
he got his advice from - he certainly didn't get it from me."

He also insisted that there was a link between hard and soft drugs, saying: 
"Why on earth, when there are these problems, we change our message and 
give a softer message, I don't know."

Government spin over the issue was "causing a great deal of problems for 
parents, who just don't know where they are", he added.

The Government yesterday mounted a concerted bid to discredit Mr Hellawell, 
with Mr Blunkett himself telling MPs that Mr Hellawell had originally 
backed his proposal to refer the cannabis proposal to the Advisory Council.

"He changed his stand three times...I changed my mind once," said Mr 
Blunkett, explaining that he had dropped his opposition to reclassifying 
cannabis because he had been persuaded by the evidence.

Mr Hellawell insisted he had never backed the idea of relaxing the law on 
cannabis.

A spokesman for Mr Blunkett claimed Mr Hellawell had tendered his 
resignation as an unpaid advisor last month, to take effect in August, but 
had asked the Home Office to keep the move private.

The Tories seized on Mr Hellawell's remarks to portray Mr Blunkett's 
proposals as a political stratagem which could end in "social disaster".

Shadow Home Secretary Oliver Letwin accused the Home Secretary of a 
"muddled and dangerous policy" which would give control over cannabis to 
the drug dealers "but with the police turning away".

And Labour MP and former minister Kate Hoey - whose Vauxhall constituency 
is covered by the Lambeth experiment - accused Mr Blunkett of sending out 
the message that "cannabis is OK".
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