REVIEW HERALDS U-TURN ON CLASSIFICATION OF CANNABIS AS 'SOFT' DRUG

Gordon Brown signalled a tougher approach to "soft" drugs yesterday
with a surprise announcement of the second review in two years of the
classification of cannabis.

Concern has been raised over the increased use of more potent "skunk"
forms of the drug. There have been fears that its use is linked to
psychotic illness, depression and suicide among young people.

It is the second time in a week that the Prime Minister has revealed
plans to reverse policies of Tony Blair's Government. Last week Mr
Brown effectively abandoned plans for a supercasino in Manchester and
it is understood that the Home Office became aware of the proposed
review of cannabis classification only in the past two days.

Next week, Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, will publish a
consultation paper on the next steps for the Government's drug
strategy, focusing on education and enforcement.

Mr Brown told MPs at Prime Minister's Questions: "As part of the
consultation, and the Cabinet discussed this yesterday, the Home
Secretary will also consult on whether it is now right that cannabis
should be moved from Class C to Class B."

The Home Office said that it would ask the Advisory Council on the
Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) to review the classification. A spokesman
added: "It would be wrong to prejudge that review, which shows how
seriously we take our priority of reducing drug-related harm."

Cannabis was a Class B drug until it was downgraded in January 2004
by David Blunkett, the former Home Secretary. In January 2005,
Charles Clarke, then the Home Secretary, asked the ACMD to review the
downgrading decision. The committee recommended that the original
decision to downgrade cannabis to a Class C drug should not be reversed.

The council said at the time that smoking cannabis may worsen asthma
and damage the respiratory tract and that its use during pregnancy
produced adverse effects on the child. It added that cannabis use may
worsen the symptoms of schizophrenia and lead to a relapse in some
patients. But it said: "For individuals, the current evidence
suggests, at worst, that using cannabis increases the lifetime risk
of developing schizophrenia by 1 per cent."

It added: "The evidence for the existence of an association between
frequency of cannabis use and the development of psychosis is, on the
available evidence, weak.

"In the last year, over three million people appear to have used
cannabis but very few will ever develop this distressing and
disabling condition.

"And many people who develop schizophrenia have never consumed
cannabis. Based on the available data the use of cannabis makes (at
worst) only a small contribution to an individual's risk for
developing schizophrenia."

In December 2005, the council reported that a slow decline in
cannabis use had been sustained after reclassification and that there
was "no evidence" of any short-term increase in consumption among young people.

In March, Vernon Coaker, the Home Office Minister, said that the
Government had "no intention of reviewing the drug classification
system". He said: "Our priority is harm reduction, and we focus on
enforcement, education and treatment."

But in April, scientists showed for the first time how cannabis users
can become paranoid and lose their grip on reality. A study led by
Professor Philip McGuire, at the Institute of Psychiatry in London,
looked at 15 male volunteers who were not regular users of cannabis.

It revealed that the drug's most powerful active ingredient,
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), reduced activity in a part of the brain
that helped to keep people sane. Brain scans carried out on the group
showed that THC dampened down activity in the interior frontal
cortex, which acted as a check on irrational thoughts and prevented
inappropriate behaviour.

Mr Blunkett said in a statement that he was "quite relaxed" about the
prospect of a review of his decision to downgrade the drug. The
statement said: "It is worth reflecting that cannabis use amongst
young people has fallen and the campaign to educate and inform young
people has been the most successful government information programme
in recent years."

David Davis, the Shadow Home Secretary, said: "We have long called
for the reclassification of cannabis based on the science and
evidence available." Tim Hollis, the chairman of the Association of
Chief Police Officers drugs committee and the Chief Constable of
Humberside, said: "We welcome a well-informed debate."

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DRUG PENALTIES

. As a Class C drug, the maximum penalty for possession of cannabis
is two years, an unlimited fine or both. Dealing in a Class C drug
can lead to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both

. A young offender in possession of cannabis can receive a police
reprimand, final warning or be charged, depending on the seriousness
of the offence

. It is unlikely that adults caught in possession of cannabis will be
arrested. Most offences of possession result in a warning and
confiscation of the drug, but they can be prosecuted if it is a repeat offence

. Possession of a Class B drug can lead to five years in jail, an
unlimited fine or both

. Dealing in Class B drugs can lead to up to 14 years in prison, an
unlimited fine or both