POTTY POLICIES: ISOLATED UK'S PUNITIVE APPROACH IGNORED.

Belgium approved the social reform last week. Portugal made the same move
last year and Spain and Italy even earlier. The Swiss are preparing to make
the change. The EU estimates about 40m people in the 15 member states are
users of the product. What are we talking about?

Decriminalisation of cannabis.

The Belgium cabinet approved the decriminalisation of personal consumption
last Friday. Under the plan, it will no longer be illegal to grow, import
or consume cannabis for personal consumption. The health secretary
explained: "Any possession of cannabis for personal consumption will no
longer provoke a reaction from the justice system unless its use is
considered to be problematic or creates a social nuisance."

Once upon a time only the Netherlands was ready to recognise reality - the
widespread use of cannabis by young people. Cannabis was not legalised but
the Dutch police were under instruction not to arrest or pursue any
individual just for possession. Now even traditional conservative states
are beginning to follow suit, recognising the much feared "drugs ladder"
does not operate in Holland, where even though there is decriminalisation,
fewer young people use the drug than in punitive Britain.

The Dutch have successfully separated soft from hard drugs. But in Britain,
by imprudently insisting on keeping cannabis in a serious harm category,
ministers make it much more likely that soft drug users can find themselves
buying cannabis from dealers who push hard drugs as well.

The drugs tsar defends this indefensible approach because of the wide use
of police cautions in the UK. There is, by some forces, but not by others.
The variations are wide. Worse still, the home secretary has still not
responded to the sensible proposals from the national commission on drug
laws save rejecting downgrading cannabis from class B to C. Parliament has
asked for a response. It should insist on getting one.