BLAIR AT ODDS WITH CHURCH OVER DRUGS;KIRK'S SOFT LINE ON CANNABIS
By Carlos Alba;And Robbie Dinwoodie;Scottish Political Correspondent;
Copyright (c) 1997, Caledonian Newspapers Ltd.

A CHURCH of Scotland report has called for a more liberal
approach to cannabis smoking.

The report, which followed a twoyear study into soft
drug use, concluded that using cannabis was no more sinful
than drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco or overeating. Its
publication yesterday threw open the debate over the
legalisation of soft drugs, coming on the same day as
Labour leader Tony Blair announced plans for a USstyle
antidrugs "supremo". Mr Blair and his Shadow Scottish
Secretary George Robertson disagreed with the report's
conclusions and considered them dangerous.

The man tipped as the likely candidate for Mr Blair's
drugs fighter, Grampian chief constable Dr Ian Oliver, gave
a broad hint he would like the job if offered, and also
responded sharply to the Kirk report, saying there was "no
justification whatsoever" for its view.

It called for the creation of a Royal Commission to
highlight anomalies in the courts' treatment of soft drug
offenders and a Department of Health review on the medical
uses of cannabis.

While advocating the decriminalisation of cannabis, the
Kirk report stopped short of calling for legalisation which
would mean the drug was on open sale.

It claims the law unjustly targets social users and
that the punishment often does not fit the crime. It
suggests there should be standardised strategies to replace
fines and prison sentences such as warning letters and
social work counselling. The Rev Jim Cowie, who led the
study, said: "We do not believe that the consumption of
cannabis is unduly detrimental to people's health or to
society.

"Indeed the cost to society if people choose cannabis
instead of alcohol and tobacco, to both legal and health
services, would be greatly reduced."

The report was given a mixed reaction. Roman Catholic
priest Father William Slavin, who spent 10 years working
with drug addicts in Barlinnie Prison, said: "If you take
cannabis out of the legal equation it leaves you a clear
field to deal with the really serious things."

Rev Richard Holloway, the leader of the Episcopalian
church in Scotland, said: "The report seems eminently
sensible."

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Jim Wallace said his
was the only party to have a long standing commitment to a
Royal Commission on drugs.

The Kirk study, conducted by the board of social
responsibility, will be presented to the General Assembly
in May.

It followed a survey of 2581 13 to 17 yearolds from
secondary schools across Scotland. Some 50% of the pupils
questioned admitted they had experimented with drugs,
including cannabis, by the age of 14 and 25% claimed to be
still using. Of the total responses, 56% were in favour of
decriminalisation on the grounds that the drugs they used
were "harmless" or had "no ill effects".

Rev Bill Wallace, convener of the board of social
responsibility, said the Kirk was not encouraging people to
smoke cannabis.

He said: "Since there are increasingly vocal groups
advocating the decriminalisation and legalisation of
cannabis we recommend that a Royal Commission should be set
up to look at all aspects of such a step. We are , in
effect, saying look before you ever consider leaping into
the unknown. The experience of legalising alcohol and
tobacco would indicate that such a change would be well
nigh irreversible."

Rev Cowie added: "Medical use of cannabis, which the
Government recently voted against, is recommended."

However, the father of teenage ecstasy victim Leah
Betts criticised the Kirk. Mr Paul Betts said. "I am not
convinced that it is the harmless little weed everyone
would have us believe." Mr Betts, visiting Scotland with
his wife Jan to promote a Drugs Awareness Seminar, reacted
favourably to Mr Blair's plan to appoint a national co
ordinator to lead the war against drugs, and admitted
he would consider putting himself forward for the post.

Dr Oliver, another supporter of Mr Blair's idea, said:
"It is an important post which coincides with my own
views."

On the Kirk report, he stated: "It is a nonstarter and
does not deserve public debate. All we would be doing is
legalising an addictive process."

While not against a public debate, or even the
possibility of a Royal Commission, he condemned any
"pandering to a liberal attitude."

Earlier Mr Blair told teachers and pupils at Dyce
Academy that the drugs "Czar" would have have clout, and
direct access to the Government.