Cannabis Reclassification to go Ahead

Image courtesy of splifr

The home secretary Jacqui Smith is set to go ahead with the reclassification cannabis in the new year.

But the government appointed Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) has advised against the decision.

The council suggested that the drug should remain class C. The drug has been class C since David Blunkett, then the home secretary, downgraded it in 2004.

But new figures show that cautions for the possession of cannabis in Lancashire have risen by 150% in the last 12 months.

The Home Office said that the new laws will help to clamp down on the mass production of the drug:

"Reclassifying cannabis will help to drive enforcement priorities to shut the 'cannabis farms' down."


Jacqui Smith admitting to cannabis use on BBC Breakfast (video courtesy of lukethechemist)

PRESTON

Many cannabis farms have been found in and around Preston in recent years.

Lancashire Police spokesman Andy Bradbury believes that the increase in use may be down to confusion over the drugs legality.

He said: “There has been a significant increase in the number of people caught in possession of cannabis.

“That may stem from the confusion as to whether it is an illegal drug following some of the experimentation with legislation around London.”

But he said that the position of Lancashire police was very clear.

“We would like to send out a message that cannabis is an illegal drug and if you are caught in possession of it you could be arrested.”


CONFUSION

Cannabis laws around London became clouded when the drug was downgraded in 2004.

A pilot scheme in Brixton meant that officers were instructed not to arrest those caught in possession.

Don Barnard from the Legalise Cannabis Alliance feels the reclassification is unjustified.

“We think it is a complete waste of time. It is just an example of political manoeuvering.”

He continued: “The law is neither fair nor just and we see no justification for the changes.”

Debra Bell, director of Talking about Cannabis, an anti-cannabis group, went to school in Preston.

“When I was at school you never saw anyone using drugs. It makes me very sad to see that it isn’t like that anymore.

“Skunk is one of the evils of our time and the government’s Talk to Frank campaign is woefully insufficient in dealing with it.”

Cannabis Confusion

It is very difficult to decide what is true and what is spin when it comes to the reclassification of cannabis.

The home secretary Jacqui Smith is determined to push ahead with the upgrade of the drug from class C to class B. But many see this determination as flying in the face of statistics and expert opinion.

Others welcome the move as being better late than never.

PRESTON

Several large cannabis farms were found in Preston in 2007 during a major crackdown by Lancashire Police. In June this year 100 cannabis plants were found by police in a house in Plungington.

And eight people are due at Preston Crown Court in January charged with incitement to produce cannabis.

While government statistics suggest that cannabis use is falling, the large-scale production of cannabis clearly takes place in the area.

With public opinion divided, what information is available, and how much of it can be trusted?

STATISTICS

In late October, British Crime Survey figures showed Cannabis use to be at its lowest in 10 years. This follows the government’s move to downgrade the drug to class C in 2004.

In a letter to the Guardian on 1^st December, the Chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, Professor David Nutt points out that the National Centre for Social Research suggested a fall in cannabis use in 16-24 year-olds since its peak in 1998 – from 28.2% to 20.9%.

But not all sources found cannabis use to be on the decline.

Professor Nutt was responding to a letter from Mrs Debra Bell, director of Talking Cannabis, an anti-cannabis pressure group. Mrs Bell suggests that its use is on the rise in teens.

And figures from Westminster released in November show that Cannabis cautions in Preston have shot up by 150% in the last 12 months.

So, while cannabis use has fallen across the country in the last 10 years, it seems to have risen, in Lancashire at least, in the last year.

But it may be that all of these confusing statistics have no bearing at all on the government’s decision.

SKUNK

Jacqui Smith has stated that the reclassification of cannabis reflects the increase in the use of skunk, a more potent herbal strain of the drug.

So all of the debate over the figures is skilfully sidestepped. While pro-cannabis campaigners point to falling usage, and anti-cannabis campaigners cite rising numbers of cautions, the government can ignore both sides and do as it pleases.

Preston People Speak Out Against Cannabis Law Changes

Preston people have spoken out against new laws to reclassify Cannabis.

The drug was downgraded to class C in 2004, but home secretary Jacqui Smith plans to take the drug back to class B.

Andy Wilson, 22, a plasterer from Fulwood, said: “I know people who smoke weed and they’re not hurting anyone. I don’t see the point. It won’t stop people wanting to smoke. It’ll just make it worse for people who get caught.”

Deborah Headen, 31, a hairdresser from Ashton, agreed that the new laws would not stop people using Cannabis: “I don’t see what good it would do. People aren’t going to stop smoking it and this just makes them into more of a criminal when they do.”

Confusion

Other people felt confused by the proposed reclassification.

Riswan Desail, a 23 year old student said: “I don’t understand why they changed it in the first place then. And a study said Cannabis use was going down didn’t it? So why are they backtracking now?”

Support

But not everyone in Preston thinks that the change is a bad idea.

Terry Sweeney, from Blackpool, said: “I think it should be class A. It’s the only way to stop these druggies. It’s about time that the government did something to be honest. Cannabis gets people hooked on worse drugs so they should nip it in the bud.”

Maureen Conlon, a 63 year old retired teacher from Sharoe Green said: “I think class B is about right really. Not as bad as heroin or whatever, but you should do enough to try and deter it.”

The Mafia Comes to Preston

I realise this reaction is a little late, i've been ridiculously busy.

BUT...this story was too interesting not to comment on.

Basically, there was a Mafia affiliate living in Lancashire. Giuseppe Persico lived and worked in Chorley for two years while he was on the run from Italian authorities. He was wanted for drug-trafficking and was a known associate of the "Camorra", the notorious Naples mafia.

Frankly, this is all a little strange. While it is undoubtedly a fantastic story - the Lancashire Evening Post must have been over the moon when they heard it - it is odd to think that a Mafia associate was living in the county.

It turned out that Persico was an associate of Gennaro Panzuto - the Mafia "godfather" who was arrested at his home in Garstang in 2007 for four murders .

So the Mafia like to hang out in Lancashire? Bizarre.

Hi and welcome to the blog.

This blog is mainly supposed to be about crime in Preston and about issues affecting the Deepdale area but I also want to discuss things happening in Preston more generally.

The blog is part of my post graduate journalism course at UCLan, but hopefully it won't be boring like coursework or anything.