Cannabis set to be re-classified

Cannabis looks set to be re-classified again with the Government expected to go against expert advice and move it back up to class B.The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is thought to have urged ministers to keep cannabis as a class C substance, to which it was downgraded under Tony Blair.But Prime Minister Gordon Brown is understood to want the drug moved back to class B amid particular concerns about the prevalence of the stronger "skunk" variety.Mr Brown wants youngsters to be in no doubt the Government does not approve of cannabis use, after protests that its class C status sent out mixed messages.The ACMD publishes its report - which was passed to ministers last week - as Home Secretary Jacqui Smith makes a statement to MPs on the Government's stance.The report has been compiled by a group of experts, including doctors, police, judges and drug counsellors, who are thought to have concluded that cannabis should remain class C.Jane Harris, of the mental health charity Rethink, said reclassifying cannabis would make little difference and education is what is really needed.She said the charity wants the Government to make it compulsory for warnings about cannabis to be put on packets of rolling paper."We have written to every single rolling paper company we can think of, asking them to do this as a voluntary measure and they have all said no," she said."What we really want is health education. The Government promised a massive public education campaign three years ago. We have seen none of that."When you look at smoking, they have put millions into that and it's made a difference."

ITN | May 7, 2008

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