A bit of info for UK & N.Ireland members

[Strain Hunter]

Cannabis reclassification in the UK is the transfer of cannabis to a different Class of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Former Home Secretary David Blunkett announced in 2001 that cannabis would be transferred from Class B of the Act to Class C, removing the threat of arrest for possession. Arrest would still be possible for distribution, however. The transfer was carried out in January 2004, after Class C penalties for distribution had been stiffened.

The change was designed to enable police forces to concentrate resources on more serious offences, including those involving harder drugs. When the change was introduced there were several attempts to establish Dutch-style coffeeshops. Most of these have failed as The new law creates no real protection or respectabilty for such establishments, and police action has forced their closure.

The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, which was enacted on 1 January 2006, abolished the concept of an 'Arrestable Offence' by making all offences arrestable. This means that people may once again be arrested for possesion of cannabis.

During the 2005 general election, Tony Blair announced that the reclassification of cannabis would be reviewed in light of new scientific research, and the issue was referred to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. Early in January 2006 Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, said that, on the basis of advice from the Advisory Council, a decision has been made not to reclassify Cannabis to Class B.

Criticism
The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the independent control organ for the implementation of UN drug conventions, criticised the United Kingdom in 2003 for considering reclassification of cannabis. The INCB chairman said that "it is important that consensus prevails in international drug control. No government should take unilateral measures without considering the impact of its actions and ultimately the consequences for an entire system that took governments almost a century to establish."
Asshole.