cannabisnews.com: Softly, Softly Cannabis Laws 'Do Not Cut Demand' 





Softly, Softly Cannabis Laws 'Do Not Cut Demand' 
Posted by FoM on February 27, 2002 at 14:11:28 PT
Staff and Agencies
Source: Guardian Unlimited
The United Nations has cast doubt on the effectiveness of the government's proposed softer stance towards cannabis possession in reducing hard drug use.There is no evidence from western European countries that have adopted a more relaxed legal stance towards cannabis that such a policy cuts the demand for illicit drugs, according to the UN's international narcotics control board (INCB).
The warning follows an announcement by the home secretary, David Blunkett, last October that cannabis should be reclassified from a class B to a class C drug so that the police lose the power to arrest people for simple possession.But the INCB's report was criticised by the charity Drugscope, which said the findings ignored the fact that demand for illegal drugs had soared over the past 30 years, despite the vast majority of countries adhering to drugs treaties.Mr Blunkett denied the move amounted to decriminalisation, arguing it would mean drugs laws "make more sense on the street". In practice, cannabis users would be unlikely to face any consequences if they were caught with small amounts of the drug. The UN general assembly has set a target for all member states to significantly reduce drug abuse by the year 2008.But the INCB's annual report calls on the governments of those European countries that have decriminalised offences related to the possession and abuse of controlled drugs and "openly tolerate the abuse of drugs, particularly cannabis and ecstasy" to consider whether this is the "proper strategy" for achieving that goal. Possession of cannabis for personal consumption is not a criminal offence in Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain. In the Netherlands the prosecution of possession of cannabis for personal use has been assigned the "lowest judicial priority", while the sale of small amounts (up to 5g) of the drug is allowed in authorised coffee shops."So far, none of the governments concerned have been able to prove to the board information showing that the application of such measures reduces the demand for illicit drugs," states the report. The board expressed hope that the UK would continue to treat the possession of cannabis as a "punishable offence".A Home Office spokeswoman said the government agreed with the INCB's view that regulating cannabis in the same way as alcohol or tobacco would be a "historical mistake". "We have no proposals to legalise or decriminalise cannabis," she said. "If cannabis is reclassified it will remain a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment."Roger Howard, chief executive of Drugscope, said there was evidence that differentiating between cannabis and other substances reduces the number of people who go on to try more harmful drugs. The INCB report also criticises the establishment of a legal heroin injecting room - dubbed a "shooting gallery" - in the red-light district of Sydney, Australia. But Mr Howard said injecting rooms could be an important way of attempting to prevent overdoses and encouraging users into treatment. "The INCB should consider adopting a more pragmatic approach," he said. Source: Guardian Unlimited, The (UK)Published: Wednesday, February 27, 2002Copyright: 2001 Guardian Newspapers LimitedContact: letters guardian.co.ukWebsite: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Related Articles & Web Site:Drugscopehttp://www.drugscope.org.uk/U.N. Rebuts Arguments for Legalizing Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12110.shtmlUN Challenges Blunkett Cannabis Plan http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12105.shtmlMet Plan To Extend Softly, Softly Drug Scheme http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11957.shtml
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Comment #7 posted by Jen420 on February 28, 2002 at 09:50:16 PT:
Marajuana, make it legal
Its in no way worst than alcohol, which is legal or tobacco,which is also legal. There is no proof at all that says it shouldnt be legal except that they say it leads to stronger drugs.They dont need to worry about that because 1.)some people choose to break the law and try cannabis so they are already at risk of liking it and moving on to another stronger drug.2.) Others who would rather not break the law and try cannabis, should still remain that way if it was legalized and not try stronger illegal drugs.
    
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Comment #6 posted by goneposthole on February 28, 2002 at 06:04:33 PT
kricket
Please read on.No one here is here to hurt you.If you do read what is here, you will help yourself.You are blind, your will see.
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Comment #5 posted by freedom fighter on February 27, 2002 at 22:00:37 PT
Kricket, Things your DARE
Police officers did not told you.Over the last 10 years, 10 million Americans were arrested for pot smoking.
Your government stole 500 billion dollars from these people. They are your neighbors, your doctors, your lawyers, your friends, and families.At the same time your government stole another 250 billion dollars from taxpayers so they can tell you that Marijewanna is a drug.Well, chocolate is a drug with no known medicinal benefit as well as alcohol and sugar. Too bad your DARE police officers did not tell you that in fact salt was once even banned in India.I am daring you to find out the Truth."It is not what goes in man's mouth that defiles him, it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles him."ff
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Comment #4 posted by JSM on February 27, 2002 at 18:03:46 PT
kricket16
Just exactly why do you feel that recreational users should be incarcerated kricket? There must be some profound reasoning behind your statement and many of us here would like to understand your point of view. So please, take a few moments and enlighten us.
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Comment #3 posted by mayan on February 27, 2002 at 16:52:37 PT
Kricket16...
So you think that recreational users of cannabis should be caged? Hang around here for a while...maybe you'll learn something about freedom.
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Comment #2 posted by kricket16 on February 27, 2002 at 15:44:54 PT:
Marijuana
Marijuana is a drug and sould be treated like a drug but if this drug can be used to help some people let them use but to the people that use for the fun of it lock the up and put them in jail. but don't punish the one's that may need the use of Marijuana 
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Comment #1 posted by null on February 27, 2002 at 15:11:36 PT
same old refrain
There is no evidence from western European countries that have adopted a more relaxed legal stance towards cannabis that such a policy cuts the demand for illicit drugs, according to the UN's international narcotics control board (INCB). There is no evidence that 30 years of the War on Some Drugs reduces demand for illicit materials. There is only evidence that it makes illicit drugs a more profitable industry.
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