CANNABIS CAMPAIGN I WILL LISTEN TO ALL POSITIVE IDEAS, SAYS DRUGS TSAR

Keith Hellawell Wants An Open Debate And Refutes Charges That His Line Has
Hardened.

By Graham Ball and Matt Rodda

THE Government's new drug tsar, Chief Constable Keith Hellawell, does not
smoke, rarely takes a drink and has never been offered any illegal substance.

But Britain's antidrugs co ordinator insists that he is not the
narrowminded puritan his critics have made him out to be. "I like to think
of myself as a liberal and fairminded individual," said Mr Hellawell, who
takes up his post as the top drugspolicy adviser in the New Year.

And last week, to demonstrate the openhanded approach he intends to bring
to his new job, Mr Hellawell went as far as praising his deputy, Mike
Trace, for admitting he once smoked cannabis. "I think it was noble of him,
when asked a question in an interview, he gave an honest answer, and I was
not at all embarrassed by his reply. I have talked about it with him and he
explained he experimented with cannabis as a student. He did not like it
and does not endorse any form of drugtaking now.

"For those who grew up in the late 1940s and 1950s drugs were just not an
issue. But I am not a puritan: I have tried cigarettes, I started work as a
coal miner, for goodness's sake", said Mr Hella well, who abstained from
alcohol for five years, and whose wife is a teetotaller.

Some drug reform campaigners have accused the new tsar of hardening his
attitude towards cannabis since news of his appointment was announced last
month.

They point to an interview in which he is alleged to have said he could
envisage the day when cannabis was legalised.

"There were a number of erroneous headlines four or five years ago that
said I stood for legalising cannabis. I never said that; I said there
should be a debate on the subject.

"Over the intervening years I have thought a lot about the subject, and in
1995 I initiated a debate at the Association of Chief Police Officers. The
vote at that meeting was approximately 70 per cent against and 30 per cent
in favour. I want to see an open debate but I cannot see that legalising
cannabis would be anything other than a risk. I cannot justify that risk,
especially where young people are concerned."

Mr Hellawell has a more open mind about legalising cannabis for medical
reasons, but he stresses there are no short cuts, and official approval
could take years. Despite pressure for a debate on law reform from
Britain's two most most senior judges the Lord Chief Justice and The
Master of the Rolls Mr Hellawell is against a Royal Commission of Inquiry
into the law.

"Royal Commissions are not for single issues, but are held on the state of
the nation. To my mind, the Police Foundation inquiry will cover this
territory just as efficiently."

Although Mr Hellawell is still officially the Chief Constable of South
Yorkshire, he has already begun to take soundings on how better to deal
with drugs from key agencies.

In the New Year readers will have their chance to make their views on
cannabis known to the drugs tsar when we publish his email and postal
address.

"Anyone who wishes to offer their views will be able to do so," said Mr
Hellawell. "Mike Trace and I will listen seriously to anyone who has a
positive contribution to tackling this serious problem."