TORIES' POLICY ON DRUGS IS `MAD', SAYS STRAW

BRITAIN: The British Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, said yesterday the
Tories' proposed zero tolerance drugs policy was "mad" but he insisted
political programmes should never be led by whether or not politicians had
indulged in youthful high-jinks.

Speaking on the BBC R4's Today programme, Mr Straw said the row within the
Conservative Party over pounds 100 fines for the use of cannabis had shown
they were "unfit to govern". Mr Straw said the zero tolerance proposal
announced by the shadow home secretary, Ms Ann Widdecombe, at the
Conservative party conference last week then dropped by the party leader, Mr
William Hague, on Monday, was "mad" because it did not recognise the
proportionate damage caused by different illegal drugs.

"I agree that we should focus our efforts overall on drugs that kill and are
addictive," he said. "But it is extremely important to be led by the
scientists. Pharmacologists and psychiatrists tell us that cannabis can have
very severe short-term and long-term effects. The long-term effects include
a very severe exacerbation of mental illness and also include cancer. It is
reckoned that cannabis is between two and four times as carcinogenic as
tobacco."

The medical use of cannabis compounds to alleviate symptoms of conditions
such as multiple sclerosis, however, could be permitted if medical trials
currently underway proved they were beneficial.

As the Tory agricultural spokesman, Mr Tim Yeo, became the eight shadow
frontbencher in three days to admit to using cannabis, Mr Straw said drug
policy should not be informed by youthful indiscretions.