DEGLAMORISING CANNABIS: THE UK SHOULD FOLLOW THE DUTCH LEAD

Forget the acute embarrassment of the Conservative party over an internal
revolt against its new hardline policy on cannabis - enjoyable though its
squirming might be. Forget the increasingly shrill responses of the
Conservative leader, who descended yesterday to issuing the emptiest
political response on the issue: "We have to step up the war against drugs."
Britain already has the toughest laws in Europe, which is one reason why its
policies are so ineffective. The Police Foundation's national commission on
drug legislation - on which two chief constables served - rightly concluded
in March that our current laws do more harm than good. Forget the disarray
in the Conservative party, because it is Labour which is in power.

When parliament reassembles, ministers will be summoned before the home
affairs select committee to give their considered response to the 81
recommendations in the Police Foundation's report.

Never has there been a better chance to reform our current system. Ministers
should reflect on three fundamental shifts in attitudes - by politicians,
public and police - that have occurred in the last week. In a mature
society, the readiness of seven Tory shadow ministers to admit they have
taken cannabis, should not cause a ripple.

But until now, immature debate has predominated. An earlier admission by Mo
Mowlam over taking pot, produced shock and horror on both front benches.

Similarly, the public backlash against Ann Widdecombe's proposed abolition
of the police caution for cannabis, breaks a long trend.

Public backlashes are supposed to be associated with over-permissive
policies, not the shamelessly regressive. Finally this week has not just
seen the police superintendents, who would have to manage Miss Widdecombe's
policy, openly declare it was unworkable, but a former chief constable,
Francis Wilkinson, became the first to have held his rank to call for the
legalisation of cannabis.

If ministers are surprised by these responses, they should not be. A Mori
poll, commissioned by the Police Foundation, found Middle England at odds
with the government's hardline stance on drugs.

Some 80% wanted a more relaxed approach to cannabis.

Media attitudes have also shifted. The tabloids - not just the Mirror and
Express, but the Mail too - said the Foundation's report deserved a serious
debate.

The Telegraph even played with a legalisation experiment. Ministers should
seize the opportunity these shifts in attitude create.

The foundation's report was too cautious, but its proposals - which would
reclassify drugs according to the harm they cause - would be a logical first
step to decriminalisation. So would its proposal to make cannabis an
unimprisonable offence.

These columns have long preferred decriminalisation to legalisation.
Decriminalisation retains the offence but does not pursue prosecution. It
has been supremely successful in Holland in separating soft drugs from hard
drugs.

It still has fewer young people than the UK taking cannabis despite its
availability. And, unlike the UK, has stabilised or even reduced heroin use.
Legalisation would either let the tobacco barons take part, or at least
(because pot is mixed with tobacco) revive sales.

The Dutch are no longer alone. Portugal and Switzerland are preparing to
liberalise. A war against drugs is a war against our children.

Seven shadow cabinet ministers recognise this truth.

Surely Labour can follow suit. They should stop issuing the most dangerous
message of all: that all drugs are equally harmful. They are not and young
people already know it.