EU commissioner Emma Bonino backs our cannabis campaign

EMMA BONINO, the European Union's Consumer Affairs Commissioner, has joined
the Independent on Sunday campaign to decriminalise cannabis for personal
and medicinal use.

Ms Bonino, an Italian, is the most senior European politician to back our
call for a change in the law. "I have thought for many years that we need
to legalise drugs, in particular marijuana," said Ms Bonino, whose
portfolio includes fisheries, food safety and humanitarian aid.

Her intervention comes as other EU states confront cannabis legalisation.
Next month the Danish parliament is to consider decriminalisation and Greek
MPs are lobbying for a debate. Said Ms Bonino: "If you legalise you can
better control production, processing and trade."

Tomorrow in London George Howarth, the Home Affairs Minister, will be urged
by one of his backbenchers to "look afresh" at the problem of drugs with an
open eye towards decriminalisation of cannabis.

Brian Iddon, Labour MP for Bolton South East, is to meet Mr Howarth to
argue that ministers need to take the lead, if not with a Royal Commission,
then by at least listening to all those involved. The MP will propose a
shift of resources from enforcement to more positive action. "It's cheaper
to treat and rehabilitate than incarcerate," he argues. "The use of street
drugs should be regarded more as a health problem and less as a crime
problem. When help is sought, it should be available." Mr Iddon will
recommend to the Home Office: "There is a strong argument for allowing the
use of cannabis, especially for medical purposes."

A quarter of disabled people questioned are taking cannabis with their
doctors' approval, a study revealed yesterday.