Pubdate: Thu, 06 Mar 2014
Source: Dominion Post, The (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2014 The Dominion Post
Contact:  http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2550
Page: B2

LEGALISING CANNABIS A BAD MOVE AND THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, SAYS UN

MOVES to liberalise drug laws around the world, including
decriminalising cannabis use, posed a grave danger to public health,
the United Nations said yesterday.

It attacked "misguided initiatives" on cannabis legalisation in the
United States and Uruguay, saying they would not end underground markets.

The UN's defence of drug laws comes after Britain's Deputy Prime
Minister Nick Clegg said the UK should be at the heart of the debate
about alternatives to prohibition.

In its annual report, the International Narcotics Control Board, the
UN body monitoring drug treaties, said that the commercial sale of
cannabis for medical reasons in Colorado had led to an increase in car
accidents involving "drug drivers", and adolescent cannabis-related
hospital admissions.

Board president Raymond Yans said: "Drug traffickers will choose the
path of least resistance, so it is essential that global efforts to
tackle the drug problem are unified.

"When governments consider their future policies on this, the primary
consideration should be the long-term health and welfare of the
population."

The warning comes after Uruguay's Parliament voted last year to
approve a bill to legalise and regulate the sale and production of
marijuana.

In January the sale of cannabis by licensed suppliers to people over
21 became legal in Colorado. A similar law is due to come into effect
this year in Washington state.

The board said legalising drugs might lead to criminals being involved
in both the legal and illegal market. The costs of policing could rise
because of higher crime rates.

The board said the world was awash with so-called legal highs. There
were more than 350 substances across the globe, including 73 new ones
identified in the EU in 2012 compared with 49 in the previous year.

In the UK, the report said seizures of ketamine, possibly diverted
from India by post, had increased. There had also been seizures from
sea containers.

The number of cannabis factories discovered in the UK had stabilised,
but organised criminals are moving to multiple small sites to grow the
plants.

The amount of cannabis resin seized in England and Wales rose by 4 per
cent to 19.5 tonnes in 2011-12, down from 64 tonnes in 2004, the
board's report said. The amount of cocaine seized rose from 2.4 tonnes
to 3.5 tonnes.

The International Drug Policy Consortium accused the board of burying
its head in the sand as more people questioned the war on drugs.
Executive director Ann Fordham called for a meaningful debate on the
subject.

"The board is apparently oblivious to the growing number of member
states questioning the status quo and exploring alternative policies,"
she said.

The Times
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