cannabisnews.com: Police Will Let Cannabis Users Off With Warning Police Will Let Cannabis Users Off With Warning Posted by CN Staff on September 11, 2003 at 18:16:04 PT By John Steele, Crime Correspondent Source: Daily Telegraph UK Police should no longer arrest the majority of people found in possession of small amounts of cannabis for personal use, according to new guidelines issued yesterday by the Association of Chief Police Officers.Instead, offenders should receive a verbal warning on the street after giving their details and admitting possession of the drug, which would then be confiscated. Such a warning will not constitute a criminal record. However, the power of arrest for cannabis possession will remain. Officers can use their discretion to arrest if: the drug is consumed in public; the person is a repeat user; the possession is deemed to create public order difficulties, or cause a "locally identified policing problem"; or it is found around young people in places such as schools or youth clubs.Those arrested may still face prosecution or conviction, or a formal caution, both of which leave a criminal record.People under 18 found in possession of cannabis will receive a formal warning at a police station. Under-tens caught with the drug will be considered "at risk".The Government has decided to re-classify cannabis from a Class B drug to a Class C substance to reduce the police time spent on arresting or formally cautioning people found in possession. The aim is to focus on Class A hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine.David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, stressed that cannabis "will not be legalised or decriminalised".Under existing law, police can arrest for Class B drug possession, but not for possession of Class C substances.However, police did not want to lose the power of arrest in relation to cannabis. Therefore, as well as ordering the downgrading of cannabis, the Home Office has introduced a measure into the Criminal Justice Bill to retain the power of arrest. Both measures are scheduled to come into law next January, when ACPO will activate its guidelines.Andy Hayman, the chairman of the ACPO drugs sub-committee and Chief Constable of Norfolk, said: "In the spirit of the Home Secretary's decision to reclassify cannabis, the new guidance recommends that there should be a presumption against arrest."In practice, this means that in the majority of cases officers will issue a warning and confiscate the drug. Police officers will be expected to use their discretion."The reclassification of cannabis will allow police to focus more time and resources on Class A drugs. That said, despite reclassification, it remains illegal to possess cannabis."The guidelines do not specify the quantity of cannabis defined as for simple personal possession, as this could encourage dealers to carry around only amounts smaller than the prescribed limit. Police would also face difficulties in judging amounts.ACPO advises that street interviews "should be short but sufficient to prove the offence or identify a defence. This could be as little as two questions, such as 'What is this?' and 'Whose is it?'. This should be recorded contemporaneously in an officer's pocketbook."This would reduce paperwork and bureaucracy for patrol officers."Incidents of possession dealt with by warnings will still be recorded as "cleared up" crimes.Complete Title: Police Will Let Most Cannabis Users Off With Verbal WarningSource: Daily Telegraph (UK)Author: John Steele, Crime CorrespondentPublished: September 12, 2003Copyright: 2003 Telegraph Group LimitedContact: dtletters telegraph.co.ukWebsite: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/Related Articles:Police Criticised for Ignoring Changes in Lawshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17274.shtmlHome-Grown Cannabis 'is Lesser Crime'http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15951.shtmlHome-Grown Cannabis Outstrips Imports http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15739.shtmlDowngrade Cannabis, Says Official Reporthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12230.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by FoM on September 11, 2003 at 23:21:40 PT Related News Articles from The U.K. Discretion for Police Over Cannabis: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17282.shtmlPolice Set New Cannabis Guidelines: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17281.shtmlPolice Will Let Cannabis Users Off With Warning: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17277.shtmlPolice Criticised for Ignoring Changes in Laws: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17274.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on September 11, 2003 at 22:48:09 PT Headline News from Sky News NO LIMIT SET ON CANNABIS New guidelines telling police officers how to deal with cannabis users do not include a maximum "personal use" limit, it has emerged.The guidelines, issued by police chiefs, are a response to the reclassification of cannabis by Home Secretary David Blunkett. A separate document stated that setting a limit for personal use would lead to dealers carrying an amount just under the limit.It also mentioned the difficulties for officers estimating weights or quantities on the street.But the latest guidance by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) does set out when officers should arrest people using the drug.ACPO says possession of cannabis would "ordinarily not be an arrestable offence".Nonetheless it says there are instances when an arrest should be made such as when people smoke cannabis in public.Those caught using the drug in front of children or creating a "fear of public disorder" should also be detained, say the guidelines.Mr Blunkett decided to downgrade the drug from Class B to Class C to free police time in the war against Class A drugs, including heroin and crack. The reclassification was welcomed by those campaigning for a more liberal attitude to cannabis use. Updated: 06:22 UK, Friday September 12, 2003 http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-12772629,00.html [ Post Comment ] Post Comment