GORDON BROWN'S TOUGH STANCE ON CANNABIS

Cannabis is expected to be reclassified as a class B drug as part of
Gordon Brown's drive to show Labour's softer line on some drug use is
over, it was reported.

This will mean people found in possession of the drug could face a
five-year jail term and an unlimited fine.

The Prime Minister signalled in July his intention to reverse the
former home secretary David Blunkett's decision to reclassify
cannabis as a class C drug in 2001 - a decision that came into force
three years later.

He ordered a review by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs
and let it be known he wanted a toughening of the drugs laws.

That move by Mr Blunkett was condemned by many and was seen as tacit
approval of some "soft" drug use. And medical studies have continued
to link cannabis with mental health problems, a key reason for
reclassification.

Whitehall sources have confirmed even if the advisory council's study
does not give him full support, he is likely to instruct Jacqui
Smith, the Home Secretary, to override the recommendation and go
ahead with reclassification to class B.

Miss Smith is not due to receive the report until March.

Mr Brown's surprise announcement of a review was one of several
attempts to reverse parts of the agenda pursued by Tony Blair.

He also scrapped plans for a controversial super-casino - at a stroke
stopping dead planned resort casinos in Britain.

The advisory council ruled out a previous attempt to reclassify
cannabis in 2006 ordered by then home secretary Charles Clarke.

But Miss Smith has ensured this time the review body takes into
account public attitudes to cannabis. And whereas Mr Clarke was happy
to act on the advice of the council, Miss Smith is expected to frown
on any findings that do not back up renewed concerns about the
seriousness of cannabis abuse.

In her letter to Professor Sir Michael Rawlins, the chairman of the
council, requesting a further review of evidence, Miss Smith said:
"Though statistics show cannabis use has fallen significantly, there
is real public concern about the potential mental health effects of
cannabis use, in particular the use of stronger forms of the drug,
commonly known as skunk.

"This is in addition to the longitudinal studies undertaken in New
Zealand and the Netherlands that link cannabis use to mental health problems."

Mr Brown said in July: "It is the message you send out. Why I want to
upgrade cannabis and make it more a drug that people worry about is
that we don't want to send out a message, just like with alcohol, to
teenagers that we accept these things."

Last night a Home Office spokesman said: "This is pure speculation.

"We are awaiting the outcome of the review by the advisory council,
which hasn't been completed yet."

The Home Secretary is also likely to reject any suggestions that
there should be different levels of cannabis offence depending on the
strength of the substance.