cannabisnews.com: UN Condemns UK Cannabis Laws 





UN Condemns UK Cannabis Laws 
Posted by CN Staff on March 13, 2005 at 08:19:20 PT
By Jason Burke, Chief Reporter
Source: Observer UK
The government's relaxation of the law on cannabis use was attacked by the United Nations last night. Koli Kouame, secretary of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the UN agency dedicated to monitoring legal regimes of member states, said the downgrading of cannabis from Class B to C could send the wrong signal and damage the global fight against drug abuse.
'Whenever a government gives a sign which can be interpreted as indicating that a lower danger is associated with the use of a drug, that can cause problems,' said Kouame. 'It is too early to judge the impact [of the downgrading], but often the signal sent is as important as the act itself.' His comments came days after Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, hinted that the reclassification of cannabis, under which users are only given a warning unless there are 'aggravating factors', might have to be reconsidered. Straw broke ranks last week by dropping a heavy hint that there should be a review of the downgrading of the drug. 'It was done for good reasons, but we may need to review it in the light of experience,' he said. His words fuelled speculation that the government is still divided over the much-criticised decision. However, the Home Office denied there were any moves to reverse the change, which went through in January last year. But concern has grown after findings suggested smoking it frequently can cause serious mental health problems. Cannabis is the third most popular drug after alcohol and tobacco in the UK, where 40 per cent of 15-year-olds are believed to have used it. Possession can lead to two years in jail, with a maximum of 14 years for dealing. Danny Kushlick, of Transform, a drugs policy campaign group, said that, though flawed, the reclassification recognised that cannabis was less harmful than street cocaine or heroin and that the INCB was living in the past: 'We are talking about a legal framework that dates back to the 1950s. There is a culture clash with the reality of the 21st century.' The UK also came in for criticism from INCB president Hamid Ghodse, who warned in the agency's annual report that the UK had the largest rate of heroin seizures and the third-highest number of addicts in Europe in 2004. Source: Observer, The (UK)Author: Jason Burke, Chief ReporterPublished: Sunday, March 13, 2005Copyright: 2005 The ObserverContact: letters observer.co.ukWebsite: http://www.observer.co.uk/Related Articles & Web Site: Advisory Council On The Misuse of Drugshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/reschedule.pdf Cannabis Arrests Fall By a Third http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20173.shtmlBig Shake-Up of Britains Drug Laws in 30 Yearshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18261.shtmlThe Case for Small Home Growers http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18249.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #12 posted by FoM on March 14, 2005 at 10:18:40 PT
94.49% Hash or Marijuana
The war on drugs is a war on this plant.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #11 posted by afterburner on March 14, 2005 at 10:14:40 PT
Wise Up, Governments, Serve Your Constituents! 
{"A number of states have recorded surprising consumption levels - Israelis are said to use 100 tonnes of marijuana, 20 tonnes of hashish, 20 million tablets of ecstasy, four tonnes of heroin, three tonnes of cocaine, and hundreds of thousands of LSD blotters annually." --Illegal drug trade hits new high as users total 200m {"Runaway demand around the globe puts more money into the hands of traffickers despite action to curb supply" {Jason Burke
Sunday March 13, 2005
The Observer 
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1436471,00.html?=rss }psychoactive^	tonnes^	percentage^============	======	===========		
mj/hash:^^^^^	120^^^^	94.49%^^^^^heroin:^^^^^^	4^^^^^^	3.15%^^^^^^cocaine:^^^^^	3^^^^^^	2.36%^^^^^^====================================*cannabis (mj = marijuana, hash = hashish)*ecstacy/LSD left out of totals due to inconsistent measurement standardsGovernment officials, law enforcement leaders, and various NGO lobby groups consistently trumpet the link between hard drugs and crime, like theft and violence. Undoubtedly, heroin and cocaine (or associates, like oxycontin and crack) fit this characterization. Cannabis ("marijuana" and hashish) does not. If these reported figures are typical of other countries, the people have spoken. They want cannabis as an alternative relaxant, medicine and spiritual aid. Re-legalization, regulation and taxation would ensure a safe supply, positive cashflow for governments, and freed-up police and court resources to deal with the relatively small, but dangerous, market for hard drugs, like heroin and cocaine.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #10 posted by Hope on March 14, 2005 at 09:18:21 PT
Check this out
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1436471,00.html?=rss
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #9 posted by afterburner on March 14, 2005 at 09:06:38 PT
The un-United Nations
Commenting on February 11, 2003, that if the U.N. did not enforce its resolution on Iraq, the U.N. would become “an ineffective, irrelevant, debating society.” --US Pres. George W. BushWell, they didn't, and they are. So, all those "sacrosanct" U.N. treaties that the prohibitionists love to serve are nothing but paper tigers! Irrelevant! Countries, you control your own destinies: adopt medical and health policies that are in the best interests of your own people. Stop listening to the US and UN bullies!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #8 posted by unkat27 on March 14, 2005 at 06:48:06 PT
UN profitting off Prohibition?
Geez, looks like someone in the UN is making profit off of prohibition. This reeks of stink in the UN. If they really are this stupid, could they also be into the illegal arms trade? Looks like the CIA has taken the UN and is using it as a front for secret imperial activities. I used to think these people were smarter than the Bushies and Reaganites, now I can see that they're both making up in the bar and the bedroom.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #7 posted by FoM on March 13, 2005 at 18:02:46 PT
Rainbow
It's good to see you. It's been a long time. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #6 posted by Rainbow on March 13, 2005 at 17:49:27 PT
Sorry UN
This is like calling thekettle black.The UN let people die of genocide and now they are condeming a government for relaxing laws against prohibition.These are the US words not the UN's. The whole ofthe earth can not think prohibition is right except as a controller of people.Thisis hogwash. My respect for the UN is at an all time low.Rainbow
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by global_warming on March 13, 2005 at 14:48:59 PT
some thoughts
Luk 10:30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Luk 10:31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Luk 10:32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. Luk 10:33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, Luk 10:34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. Luk 10:35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Luk 10:36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves? Thieves and those old cops in Missouri, best not to enter a lions den, and when those captive folks can find their way out, they will leave this rat infested hole, like rats that abandon a sinking ship.
gw
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by cloud7 on March 13, 2005 at 14:17:54 PT
...
"the downgrading of cannabis from Class B to C could send the wrong signal and damage the global fight against drug abuse"We can only hope.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by ekim on March 13, 2005 at 09:47:53 PT
how many gals per arce does Hemp make?
last nite on Art Bell --Willey Nelson called in and was talking about biodiesel and said his tour bus runs on it and he has a truck stop which sells it.
 Some trucker called in and said yes he liked to use it and wanted to know were to buy it while on the road. So a listener called in and gave a web site to find a map to see where you can get it. 
www.biodiesel.org now we need more research on how many gals of Hemp oil per acre. As now most biodiesel is made from soy at 65 gals per acre. Wood Herrolson has a biofuels bus too.
http://www.leap.cc/events/
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by MikeEEEEE on March 13, 2005 at 09:16:59 PT
sending the wrong signal 
Hello! It's been a failure decades in the making.The only thing at risk is prohibition. There were people in the streets protesting the relaxation of alcohol laws after prohibition part one failed. Nothing new, fear mongers still exist.Prohibition part II is in a slow steady decline.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by potpal on March 13, 2005 at 08:29:46 PT
Living in the past...
Indeed. 'It is too early to judge the impact [of the downgrading], but often the signal sent is as important as the act itself.' But it's not too early to judge the impact of the prohibition of cannabis...anyone care to remind them of the specifics of that?
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment