Pubdate: Thu, 13 May 2004 Source: Daily Telegraph (Australia) Page: 23 Copyright: 2004 News Limited Contact: http://www.mapinc.org/media/113 Website: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ Author: Martin Wallace Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?420 (Cannabis - Popular) 12,000 LET OFF AS LAW GOES TO POT THOUSANDS of pot smokers are being let off without criminal charges every year because the law is too soft, The Daily Telegraph can reveal. NSW Police have been instructed to dole out caution notices to offenders rather than charging them - and now 12,266 people have escaped punishment. In addition, its traffic services department charges more than 1000 motorists with driving while under the influence of illegal drugs every year. Last night the Government was accused of legalising cannabis through the back door. Shadow Attorney-General Andrew Tink said: "This is all about decriminalising cannabis by stealth. Too many people are getting away with using cannabis without so much as a slap on the wrist." Cannabis is now by far the most commonly used drug in Australia. Figures released by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre show that one third of Australians have tried it. About 34 per cent of youngsters 14-19 have smoked pot and 59 per cent of people aged 20-29 regularly have a joint. However, the NSW Government denies it has gone soft on pot. A spokesman for Special Minister of State John Della Bosca said last night: "The cannabis caution scheme is about education. It's trying to find an effective way of influencing people's behaviour." Under the cannabis caution trial, police can issue on-the-spot cautions to adults caught with less than 15g of cannabis. It works on a three strikes and you're out basis, with repeat offenders charged and taken to court. Research reveals that drugs, or a combination of alcohol and drugs, is a factor in more than 15 per cent of driver fatalities. "Drug driving is a menace and police won't tolerate it," Police Minister John Watkins said. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake