Pubdate: Tue, 22 Feb 2005
Source: Scotsman (UK)
Copyright: The Scotsman Publications Ltd 2005
Contact:  http://www.scotsman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/406
Authors: Nick Mead and Jane Kirby
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom)

TORIES SEEK TO TIGHTEN CANNABIS LAW

The Tories today launched a Commons bid to reclassify cannabis as a class B
drug.

Cannabis was downgraded to class C by former Home Secretary David Blunkett
last year, leading to claims that the Government was going soft on drugs.

The move came in report stage debate of the Drugs Bill, which is due to pass
its final Commons stages tonight.

The Bill will create an offence of the "aggravated supply" of drugs, meaning
longer sentences for drug dealers who operate near schools or who use
under-18s to transport drugs or drug money.

It also strengthens the law on the possession and supply of magic mushrooms
and gives police new powers to test people suspected of drug misuse on
arrest rather than on charge.

Police will be able to keep people suspected of swallowing drugs to conceal
them so packages have time to pass through their bodies and judges will be
able to direct a jury to draw an inference from the fact that a suspect has
refused permission for a body cavity search or an x-ray.

The Tories said in tonight's debate aggravated supply should apply to people
dealing drugs near anywhere children congregate rather than just in the
vicinity of school buildings.

Their concerns were echoed by Labour backbencher John Robertson (Glasgow
Anniesland) who said children attending sports centres or sports clubs could
become "easy prey" for dealers.

Home Office minister Caroline Flint replied that the Government had
considered extending the areas where someone could be guilty of aggravated
supply but that had led to problems with definitions.
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