cannabisnews.com: Campaign To Legalize Marijuana Use in Britain 





Campaign To Legalize Marijuana Use in Britain 
Posted by FoM on October 10, 2000 at 07:42:39 PT
By T.R. Reid, Washington Post Foreign Service
Source: Washington Post
The campaign to legalize marijuana in Britain gained a burst of new momentum this weekend as politicians, pundits and even some police officers called for repeal of the prohibition on use of the drug. And it all came about as a backlash against a tough new proposal calling for "zero tolerance" of marijuana.The idea of legalizing marijuana for general use has been a non-starter in the United States for years, but in most of Western Europe it is increasingly popular.
Even before the latest surge of interest in Britain, decriminalization had been supported here by several members of Parliament and major news organizations. A report by the Police Foundation, a law enforcement charity, said the prohibition of marijuana "produces more harm than it prevents."Then along came Ann Widdecombe, a tough law-and-order advocate who is the spokeswoman on crime issues for the Conservative Party. At the party's national convention last week, Widdecombe gave a fiery anti-marijuana speech, calling for the immediate arrest and prosecution of anyone suspected of having used the drug. She said police on the beat should perform on-the-spot blood tests to identify pot users.Of the scores of policy proposals floated at that convention, Widdecombe's war on the drug known here as cannabis was the one that caught the imagination of the press and the people. The result, hardly the one she intended, has been to give a big push to the decriminalization side.First, police leaders said marijuana use is so widespread in Britain that thousands of new officers would be needed just to arrest people spotted with a spliff, slang for a marijuana cigarette. Then the feisty London papers turned up at least seven top officials in Widdecombe's own party who admitted to smoking the drug in the past; all would have criminal records under the Widdecombe plan.Even more striking, leading newspapers and several prominent politicians argued that the better approach to cannabis would be legalization. Among those now backing decriminalization is Charles Kennedy, leader of Britain's third-largest party, the Liberal Democrats. The reaction here reflects the growing divide between the United States and most European countries on "soft drugs."As the United States has been tightening drug laws, Europe has been loosening them. The Netherlands has effectively legalized possession of small amounts of marijuana; France and Germany have stopped enforcing their laws. Britain still fines a few hundred cannabis users each year, but thousands more are let off with a warning. It would be difficult for Britain's government to step up enforcement, because the teenage son of the cabinet's chief law enforcement official received nothing more than a warning when he was caught dealing the drug three years ago.Ann Widdecombe's call for a crackdown has been a political embarrassment for the Conservatives, just as they were starting to make progress in the polls. Conservative leader William Hague--who toasted Widdecombe with champagne after her convention speech--said today he now believes her idea needs "some reconsideration." Hague said he is "150 percent confident" in his law enforcement spokeswoman.Complete Title: Campaign To Legalize Marijuana Use in Britain Picks Up Steam Source: Washington Post (DC) Author: T.R. Reid, Washington Post Foreign ServicePublished: Tuesday , October 10, 2000 ; Page A26 Contact: letterstoed washpost.comAddress: 1150 15th Street NorthwestWashington, DC 20071© 2000 The Washington Post Company Website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/Feedback: http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/edit/letters/letterform.htm Related Articles:Tories Fail Tough Test on Drugshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7302.shtmlTop British Tories Admit Soft Drug Use http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7290.shtmlNo Clash Over Cannabis - Governmenthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread4443.shtmlHague's Wacky Curb on Cannabishttp://cannabisnews.com/news/4/thread4640.shtmlBritain's Anti-Drug Chief Mowlam Smoked Cannabis http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread4335.shtml 
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Comment #2 posted by max on October 10, 2000 at 20:50:40 PT:
this is foolish
after reading about and watching the history on how marijuana became illegal, this whole thing is absolutely ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!! does anyone in the government see the irony in outlawing a weed?
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Comment #1 posted by observer on October 10, 2000 at 15:23:34 PT
came about as a backlash ...
And it all came about as a backlash against a tough new proposal calling for "zero tolerance" of marijuana.Interesting to see this. I bet Widdecombe & Co. had wished she kept her trap shut now. So refreshingly ironic to see how she helped the cause of freedom, despite herself.We'd see this sort of backlash here too, except for the mainstream press in the US, which reports the word of "officials" and "authorities" as if they were pronouncements from on high. With respect to the "war on drugs" no government statement is considered too outrageous or contradictory, especially when it comes to taking more traditional freedoms away from Americans. The propaganda "press" here would have rushed out to police and prison unions, "concerned parents" groups and D.A.s to get support for more repression. The concept of "vested interest" is somehow overlooked here, when it comes to "drugs." All For the Children, you know. 
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