NOW MORE THAN EVER MR STRAW MUST SEE THE NEED FOR CHANGE

JACK STRAW yesterday gave a very different radio interview on the issue of
cannabis to those we are accustomed to hearing from the Home Secretary.

For one thing, humility had replaced conviction in his voice now the debate
had come literally to his doorstep.

Mr Straw has nothing to be ashamed of. He has brought up his children in a
loving family environment and his son William is an intelligent and polite
young man. He has acted throughout this matter as he would expect other
parents to act, by taking his son to the police station and making it clear
he wanted to be named, despite the legal restrictions.

If he is now seeing the decriminalisation issue in a different light, this
is not a sign of weakness. He himself makes the point that "the only people
available to be home secretaries are human beings" and the truth is we
would rather be ruled by a government of occasionally flawed and
compassionate individuals than by automatons.

We do not argue that William should be treated any differently under the
law than anyone else, but we would hope to see the courts deal leniently
with all cannabis offenders, most of whom, like William, are law-abiding in
every other way.

We are sorry that it has taken what could amount to a personal tragedy for
a 17-year-old boy and his family to finally bring this debate home to the
Government.

But then we are also sorry for other teenagers caught with cannabis and for
other families torn apart by this anachronistic law - and for every MS and
cancer patient who is denied a drug which could bring them relief.

The events of the past fortnight have brought sharply into focus the
reasons why the Government should finally commit itself to a Royal
Commission on cannabis.

Mr Straw has asked for more information and we are happy to provide it.

As we have been saying repeatedly for the past three months to growing
public support, it is now time cannabis was decriminalised.