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| Police urge regrading of cannabis | |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Senior police officers are urging the government to reclassify cannabis as a Class B drug, reversing a decision four years ago to downgrade it to Class C. | |
| The call follows concerns about possible links between cannabis and mental illness in some users. | |
| The police are among several bodies giving evidence to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. | |
| The Association of Chief Police Officers said reclassification would end confusion over the drug's status. | The Association of Chief Police Officers said reclassification would end confusion over the drug's status. |
| "We do support a re-classification back to B, and there's three reasons for that", Assistant Chief Constable Simon Byrne told BBC News. | |
| Cannabis farms | |
| "Firstly, we are worried about the rise in the number of cannabis farms we're discovering, which is frankly fuelling a more home-grown market in the more potent type of cannabis. | |
| "That then links in to... our professional concerns about the potency of some of that cannabis, and the effect on some people's mental health." | |
| "And thirdly... I think there's confusion on the streets about whether this drug is legal or not, and that's causing problems for officers who are trying to enforce the law." | |
| Tougher penalties | Tougher penalties |
| Police said the reclassification would help them target organised crime gangs who are profiting from the booming trade in herbal cannabis cultivated in the UK. | Police said the reclassification would help them target organised crime gangs who are profiting from the booming trade in herbal cannabis cultivated in the UK. |
| The reclassification would be accompanied by stiffer penalties, something that Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith are believed to support. | The reclassification would be accompanied by stiffer penalties, something that Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith are believed to support. |
| But David Blunkett, who downgraded the drug when he was home secretary, said a reversal of his decision would create confusion. | But David Blunkett, who downgraded the drug when he was home secretary, said a reversal of his decision would create confusion. |
| I'm not talking about it just being a gateway drug. It is dangerous in itself Debra Bell, Talking About Cannabis Parental Action Group | I'm not talking about it just being a gateway drug. It is dangerous in itself Debra Bell, Talking About Cannabis Parental Action Group |
| Speaking at the weekend, he said: "Rather than affecting practice on the ground, classifying cannabis back to class B now would simply cause confusion." | Speaking at the weekend, he said: "Rather than affecting practice on the ground, classifying cannabis back to class B now would simply cause confusion." |
| And the mental health charity Rethink said cannabis use could be reduced without reclassification, if warnings about the risks were placed on packs of cigarette papers, which are used to roll joints. | And the mental health charity Rethink said cannabis use could be reduced without reclassification, if warnings about the risks were placed on packs of cigarette papers, which are used to roll joints. |
| Debra Bell, of the Talking About Cannabis Parental Action Group, said: "Skunk cannabis is one of the evils of our time. | Debra Bell, of the Talking About Cannabis Parental Action Group, said: "Skunk cannabis is one of the evils of our time. |
| "I'm not talking about it just being a gateway drug. It is dangerous in itself." | "I'm not talking about it just being a gateway drug. It is dangerous in itself." |
| Cannabis use has been falling Harry Shapiro, Drugscope | |
| The mental health charity, Sane, will also give evidence to the review. Its chief executive, Marjorie Wallace, said there was a significant risk for people who smoke the drug who are under 15 years old. | The mental health charity, Sane, will also give evidence to the review. Its chief executive, Marjorie Wallace, said there was a significant risk for people who smoke the drug who are under 15 years old. |
| She said: "Their chances of developing a later illness like schizophrenia can be between two and four times higher - that means there may be about 1,500 people who are developing schizophrenia who, without taking cannabis, might not otherwise have had this long sentence of mental illness." | She said: "Their chances of developing a later illness like schizophrenia can be between two and four times higher - that means there may be about 1,500 people who are developing schizophrenia who, without taking cannabis, might not otherwise have had this long sentence of mental illness." |
| But the charity Drugscope said it saw no good reason for reclassifying cannabis, so soon after the government decided to make it Class C four years ago. | |
| Harry Shapiro, of Drugscope, told BBC News: "In 2004 it was predicted that there would be a huge increase in the amount of cannabis use as a result of the fact that it was downgraded from a Class B to a C. | |
| "Not only has that not happened, but the government figures suggest that, actually, cannabis use has been falling since then." | |
| The Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, has said she will maintain an open mind on the subject of re-classification until the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs presents its recommendations. |