The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs are expected to recommend that cannabis remain a class C drug. The BBC reported it this morning, but Drug Education News picked up some other sources that are carrying it.
Steve Rolles, of the Transform Drugs Policy Foundation, said increasing jail sentences from two years to five through reclassification was not the best way to send a strong signal to teenagers about the dangers of the drug.
“Rather than mass criminalisation of millions of young people, the best way would be to invest in effective, targeted public health education”
However, a spokesman for Gordon Brown indicated that the Prime Minister was keen to reclassify the drug despite any potential recommendation to the contrary. From the Independent:
Mr Brown, he said, stood by his comments at his Downing Street press conference on Tuesday when he said that the Government needed to send out a signal that cannabis use was not just illegal but also unacceptable.
“With regard to the Prime Minister’s position, I think he made that fairly clear at his press conference,” the spokesman said.
So once again we have our leaders doing what he wants regardless of advice to the contrary. Hardly surprising really, given he wants to deny us a referendum on the EU constitution. But I guess Gordo knows what’s best for all of us, right?
Thanks again to Drugs Education News from the Drugs Education Forum for the links.