Blair hints at cannabis U-turn

[Tom]

Tony Blair gave a strong indication today that his government's decision to downgrade the classification of cannabis 15 months ago will be reversed if Labour is re-elected.

"We have asked for advice on it. What we did was perfectly sensible but I think it sent out the wrong message," the prime minister said in an interview on GMTV.

 

In another interview ahead of tomorrow's general election, Mr Blair told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that there was emerging medical evidence that cannabis was potentially more harmful than had been previously thought.

 

It was put to him that it was clear he was going to reverse the reclassification and Mr Blair said: "My basic hunch about this is that this is an area where it is so important that the signals are strong that you just don't want to take any risks with it."

An inquiry launched by the home secretary, Charles Clarke, into links between cannabis use and mental health problems is ongoing, and Mr Blair said he was waiting for its results.

 

Mr Clarke's predecessor, David Blunkett, reclassified cannabis from a class B to a class C drug, the same level as anabolic steroids and prescription antibiotics. Previously, cannabis was classified at the same level as amphetamines.

 

The reclassification was choreographed with police being given new guidance that possession of the drug in small quantities for personal use should no longer necessarily lead to an arrest.

 

Mr Blair's comments today echoed his remarks yesterday during an election event in Lancashire, where he was confronted on the issue by concerned parents and said cannabis was "not quite as harmless as people make out".

 

He told voters he favoured a strong line on the issue, particularly on people dealing near schools, and that it was important not to send out "mixed messages". Mr Blair said cannabis was different to some other drugs but could lead to harder substance use and added that he was worried about the dangers that drugs posed to his own children.

 

The government's decision to reclassify the drug was made after advice from the advisory council on the misuse of drugs and after a controversial pilot scheme by police in Lambeth, south London. Some leading police officers and drugs charities said it allowed police to better target resources at fighting against harder drugs.

 

The Conservative leader, Michael Howard, has promised to reverse the government's "absurd" reclassification of cannabis. He has said the changes had introduced a "muddle" that sent a signal to young people that cannabis was legal and safe when it was not.

 

The Liberal Democrats, however, backed the reclassification and have said that in the long term they would seek "to put the supply of cannabis on a legal, regulated basis".

 

Patricia Tabram, a 66-year-old pensioner who received a six-month suspended jail sentence last month for cooking cakes containing cannabis at her home in rural Northumberland, is standing in the general election for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance against the secretary of state for Wales, Peter Hain in his Neath constituency. Ms Tabram has been defiant about using cannabis, which she says alleviates her health problems.

 

Author:Mark Oliver

Date:Wednesday May 4, 2005

Source:Guardian Unlimited

Copyright:© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005

 

[WantDaChronic]

FUCK BLAIR !

 

i wish that american ass kisser would get stoned atleast 3 times before making up his mind on the matter....

 

what does he know? that it can lead to depression? only when u run out because the prices are too high due to a government making the plant material illegal that it can lead on to other drugs? the government destroys thousands of plants a year, if they left them alone, the supply of marijuana would be alot better not causing the much feared "weed drought" which in turn, has people looking at other sources to get high...

 

fucking politicians, say one thing and then do the other and to make matters worse, they make major decisions based on public opinion, not scientific fact

[Tom]

He's probably just trying to distract the voters from the WMD lies. :angry:

 

[WantDaChronic]

i think we should go back to the amazon empire days...

 

their politicians had to give blood in order to gain power at a special ceremony....big deal? it is considering the blood is drained from the testicles....

 

why on earth would someone endure such pain? because they truely have the countries interests at heart or they are insane

 

either way, put those rules into action right now making every leader take the test or they are forced out of power, i bet 99.999999999999% drop out of politics the very same day

[fsagertyaef]

haha im not gay but i would love to see bush's balls bleding bastard and im not really sure who Tony Blair is but then again i dont keep up on internations news that much but its my opinion that he should eat a few really good brownies

[quizywig]

the problem in our society is that the people who are in charge, are the people who should Not be in charge,

that is a problem of democracy and capitalism just like communism or a dictatorship, what we as a world need to do is find a better way to run our society, probably a system where 10% of the population dosent hold 90% of the wealth, and rules are made for a practical purpose and not for the wealth and benifit of a few.

[everest]

that cock sucker Blair darn't change it back now .

it's been too long , all those stoner folk in the uk would simply have no respect for the fuckwit law anyways . it's just an election wrap .

blairs own son has been done for mj if my memory serves me right . :scratchin