Pubdate: Fri, 11 Jan 2008
Source: Times, The (UK)
Copyright: 2008 Times Newspapers Ltd
Contact:  http://www.the-times.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/454
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n028/a02.html
Author: Andrew Holt

IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO RECLASSIFY CANNABIS

Sir, According to your figures, about 8.25 per cent of the country's
37 million 16-59 year-olds use cannabis. This is more than three
million people. If cannabis were reclassified as a class B drug and
these people were all imprisoned for up to five years for possession --
as the law would require -- the Home Office would have to build more
than 700 maximum size prisons to accommodate them.

It is hardly joined-up thinking to criminalise such a large proportion
of the population. Cannabis use clearly has some risks but prohibition
has never worked.

Andrew Holt

London N10
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake