Decision On Cannabis Reclassificaition Expected

Herb Fellow

New Member
A decision on the possible reclassification of cannabis to a class B drug is expected today. The Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is expected to go against the advice of the independent expert body The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), which is understood to want to keep it a Class C drug. Last week Prime Minister Gordon Brown said that the Government needed to issue a warning to young people of the dangers of using cannabis.

In February, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) recommended cannabis reclassification to the ACMD. Simon Byrne, Assistant Chief Constable of Merseyside Police and ACPO lead on policing cannabis said: "The world has changed markedly since cannabis was classified as a Class C drug four years ago. The two main changes we see are a rise in cannabis farms and an undercurrent in the market which suggest more harmful health effects. Restoring cannabis to a Class B would reinforce the message to the public and to criminals that tough action will be taken to deal with criminality." However, a ACPO spokesman told the Guardian Newspaper last week that chief constables do not want to "criminalise young people who are experimenting".

If the decision is made to reclassify cannabis it could prove controversial, as it will mean overruling the Governments own expert panel.

Under The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, ministers are legally required to consult the ACMD before any changes to legislation are made. The council has not been overruled for 30 years. The ACMD in their report which will be published later, are asking for stricter penalties for dealing in schools, mental health hospitals and prisons.

Deborah Cameron from Addaction, a leading specialist drug and alcohol treatment charity, says that changing the classification of cannabis will not deter people from smoking it. It is understood that the Tories want Cannabis to be Class B while the Lib Dems want the Government to take advice from experts.

Mr Brown is said to be concerned about the growing use of 'skunk cannabis' that is a more dangerous form of the drug.

Cannabis was originally downgraded from a Class B to Class C drug by former Home Secretary David Blunkett to give police more of a chance to tackle 'hard' drugs such as heroin and cocaine.

Source: 4NI - Northern Ireland On The Internet (News and Web Directory)
Copyright: 2008, 4NI - Northern Ireland On The Internet (News and Web Directory)
Contact: 4NI - Northern Ireland On The Internet (News and Web Directory)
Website: UK National News - Decision On Cannabis Reclassificaition Expected
 
Todays little governmental outburst has really got me fired up.....

It's very simple we British are fucking hypocrites, and I hate my own country for how it treats its 'majority' common as muck toker, its gone beyond a joke GB fuck off and die in a pair of thatchers knickers. Your swinging dangerously close to her mentality, I'm off to nether nether land-s:ganjamon: In a bit people.....
 
'U-Turn' As Cannabis Reclassified To Class B

Cannabis has been reclassified as a Class B drug, it has been announced today.


In making her decision The Home Secretary Jacqui Smith went against the advice of The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), which wanted to keep it a Class C drug.

The council has not been overruled for 30 years.

Ms Smith said in Parliament today: "Cannabis use is falling significantly across all age ranges, and this is a testament to the success of the Government's drug strategy.

"However, I am concerned to ensure that the classification of cannabis reflects the alarming fact that a much stronger drug, known as skunk, now dominates the cannabis market. I want it to be clearly understood that this powerful form of cannabis is an illegal and harmful drug."

"My decision to reclassify cannabis is part of the relentless drive to tackle drugs and the harm they bring to families and communities, and I will seek to do that by the end of the year."

In the ACMD report published today, it stated that the Council was "still very concerned about the widespread use of cannabis among young people" and "although the numbers of users decreased over the past few years, cannabis still poses a threat to the health of those who use it".

However, one of the recommendations was that cannabis should remain a Class C drug and that there is little evidence that cannabis is a significant cause of "acquisitive crime or anti-social behaviour".

Other recommendations were that a "concerted public health response was needed to drastically reduce its use".

Last week Prime Minister Gordon Brown said that the Government needed to issue a warning to young people of the dangers of using cannabis.

In February, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) recommended cannabis reclassification to the ACMD.

Tim Hollis, Chief Constable of Humberside Police and ACPO lead on drugs, welcomed the Government's announcement.

"Cannabis today is much stronger than it was previously and the UK market is dominated by 'skunk'.

"We want those criminals who are investing extensively in cannabis factories to realise that the UK is not a soft touch - a message backed by police raids on over 2,000 cannabis farms in the last 12 months.

"Reclassification to Class B will not, in itself, solve the problems that our communities are experiencing in connection with cannabis use - but it does send a clear message to young people that this is a dangerous drug," he said.

However, a ACPO spokesman told the Guardian Newspaper last week that chief constables do not want to "criminalise young people who are experimenting".

Deborah Cameron from Addaction, a leading specialist drug and alcohol treatment charity, says that changing the classification of cannabis will not deter people from smoking it.

Cannabis was originally downgraded from a Class B to Class C drug by former Home Secretary David Blunkett to give police more of a chance to tackle 'hard' drugs such as heroin and cocaine.
 
I think one of the main reasons here in Britain we're struggling with the justification put forth on this subject by our government is that for the last four years we've had a very softly softly approach to general 'useage'. That i think, at large in the pot community, we were finally getting the feeling of becoming less of a taboo 'drugy' 'waster' movement. Which can only be a good thing for Cannabis awareness, education even rehabilitation, for those who just aern't meant to smoke, etc. Not to mention Police spending on insignificant busts (go for the ass hole dealers man) It all seams a little to like deja vu to the end of the thatcher - Majour conservative legacy and what a great idea that was, and how ultimately disarterous it was for all. On top of all the financial difficulty's of recent months, we've also been hit by a big tax shake up affecting mainly lower paid workers (ahhh the humble British pot smokers demographic). Poor GB it's he's like putting a nail in his own coffin, what a retard, sad really I was hoping for more from Labour's drug reforms something real and useful, something that would actually 'HELP' people instead of hinder them.....classic british 'Dictocracy'


ust had to try and clarify my first outburst a little better i hate being mis construed

Cheers I'm here to learn i love to read this stuff cheers for keeping my knowledge up, just like my head right now,:smokin: cheers Boss!!
 
Quote: Cannabis today is much stronger than it was previously and the UK market is dominated by 'skunk

here in the uk there so backwards. Anything thats not block weed but looks bright green or smelly they call skunk. do they not know there is only a few skunk strains, guest not.
 
i wonder hgow much fun the press will have when some iraq mess vet goes off
on a violent rampage and it comes out that they used to smoke pot but the mental health pros put them on psych meds and sent them to drug rehab ......
 
Back
Top Bottom