Pubdate: Thu, 11 Jul 2002
Source: Indianapolis Star (IN)
Copyright: 2002 Indianapolis Newspapers Inc.
Contact:  http://www.starnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/210
Author: Beth Gardiner, The Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom)

BRITAIN SEEKS TO LOWER MARIJUANA-USE PENALTIES

Proposal Would Let Police Confiscate Drug And Issue A Warning; Opponents 
Blast Idea.

LONDON -- Prime Minister Tony Blair's government moved Wednesday to relax 
its laws on marijuana, stopping short of legalization but guaranteeing most 
users would get off with just a warning while police focus their 
enforcement efforts on harder drugs.

Under the proposal, marijuana would be downgraded from a Class B to a Class 
C drug, making its use and possession less serious crimes, Home Secretary 
David Blunkett said in outlining the plan to the House of Commons. Police 
would retain the authority to arrest those caught with marijuana, but in 
most cases would simply confiscate the drug and issue a warning.

"The message to young people and families must be open, honest and 
believable," Blunkett said. "Cannabis is a potentially harmful drug and 
should remain illegal. However, it is not comparable with crack, heroin and 
Ecstasy."

The proposed downgrade would put marijuana on par with anabolic steroids 
instead of amphetamines and barbiturates, the drugs it is grouped with now. 
Blair's Labor Party has a large majority in Parliament and the proposal is 
virtually certain to pass.

Blair said the proposal did not amount to decriminalization and had wide 
support among the police because it would allow them to spend more time 
fighting more serious drugs.

"The power to arrest remains, but what reclassification does is allow the 
police, where they think it right, to focus on hard drug dealing and drug 
dealing of any description, including cannabis, and that is why the 
proposals are supported by the chief police officers and the Metropolitan 
Police," he told the House of Commons.

The opposition Conservative Party criticized the proposal.

Oliver Letwin, the Conservative Party spokesman on law and order issues, 
called the proposal "muddled and dangerous," saying Blunkett had failed to 
choose between legalizing marijuana and getting serious about arresting 
those who use it.

Possession of a Class B drug currently carries a maximum penalty of five 
years in jail.

Possession of a Class C drug carries a maximum sentence of two years, but 
the Home Office said that penalty is rarely invoked for first-time 
offenders, who normally receive only a ticket.

Blunkett said he hoped to have the reclassification in place by July 2003.

In the United States, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana 
Laws praised the British policy shift, saying it would be similar to 
changes made in 12 U.S. states.

"Great Britain's reclassification of cannabis is an honest and common sense 
approach to refocus drug policy on those substances that cause the most 
harm," said the group's leader, Keith Stroup.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager