By: skip<\/p>\n
Once again, the British are reevaluating their stance on illegal drugs, including cannabis. Having reviewed the laws and effects of decriminalization in other countries like Portugal, where all personal use of drugs has been decriminalized, the British gov’t is ready to take a look at changing their own classification system for illegal drugs.<\/p>\n
With a new government in power, and both parties in the coalition willing to reconsider the draconian approach the gov’t now has, wherein cannabis is still classified along other more dangerous drugs, the Brits are finally ready to admit failure in their drug war. Hollis said budget cuts had forced police to "prioritise" resources towards tackling organised criminal networks rather than individuals carrying drugs for personal use. He also backed calls for the current drug classification system into class A, B and C to be re-examined following concerns that bracketing substances such as heroin and ecstasy in the same class is confusing."<\/em><\/p>\n Cannabis had been decriminalized under Tony Blair, but politics interfered and a campaign of FEAR was launched in the U.K. with article after article of propaganda against cannabis leading to the recriminalization that still stands.<\/p>\n Some leading British scientists are calling for the legalization of cannabis for recreational use as well as the end of enforcement of laws against the personal use of illegal drugs. They say it’s not only a waste of precious resources to arrest and imprison individuals for their drug use, while there are not enough resources to bring down the drug kingpins.<\/p>\n Let’s hope the Brits can follow the lead of California and other US states in legalizing cannabis for medical and recreational use.<\/p>\n
"Hollis, chairman of the Association of Chief Police Officers’ drugs committee, said he did not want to criminalise young people caught with minor amounts of substances such as cannabis. A criminal record that could ruin their career before it began was disproportionate, he said.<\/em><\/p>\n