CLOUD OF CONFUSION OVER CANNABIS LAW

The Government yesterday launched an advertising campaign to remind the
public that possessing cannabis remains illegal, amid continuing confusion
over the effects of a legal downgrading of the status of the drug.

Police chiefs also stepped up their efforts to explain the legal position
of cannabis to their officers, who currently make tens of thousands of
arrests for cannabis possession each year.

The new advertising campaign clarifying the Government's position on cannabis

Sir John Stevens, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said junior
officers in his force had told him they were "muddled" about the drug,
adding: "We do need to clarify where we are in terms of drugs law."

The re-classification of cannabis - from a Class B to the less serious
Class C category - will come into force next week. Previously, possession
of Class C drugs has not been an arrestable offence but the downgrading has
been accompanied by new legislation retaining police arrest powers for
cannabis.

There will be a presumption in cases of adults caught in possession that
they will not be arrested, unless there are "aggravating factors", that the
drugs will be removed and that a warning will be given on the street.
Juveniles under 18, though, will still be arrested, so the series of
warnings and cautions for youngsters required under law can be implemented.

This policy has prompted accusations of confusion, particularly in the
minds of young people.

The issue caused political controversy when the Tory leader, Michael
Howard, pledged that a future Conservative Government would reverse the
re-classification. He said: "We have come to the view that the Government's
decision is misconceived."

Home Secretary David Blunkett's changes introduced a "muddle" which would
send a signal to young people that cannabis was legal and safe, when it was
not, Mr Howard said. In typically robust style, Mr Blunkett responded by
challenging Mr Howard to say whether he had ever smoked cannabis.

Downing Street, however, distanced itself last night from the Home
Secretary's challenge.

Officials refused to state whether Tony Blair - who played in a rock group
at university - had ever used drugs.

Mr Blair's official spokesman said Mr Blunkett's comments were "political
knockabout", but made clear the Prime Minister believed the debate about
drugs should be conducted at a more serious level.

Mr Blunkett issued his challenge on the BBC Today programme when he was
being interviewed about the Government campaign. Defending the Government's
proposals, he said: "Let's ask him (Mr Howard) 'Did you ever smoke it?'."

Mr Blunkett was then asked whether he ever smoked cannabis. He replied: "No
I never smoked cannabis. But if I had, I would be quite transparent about
it because 40-odd per cent of under 30-year-olds have."

Mr Howard refused to say if he had used cannabis. "I take exactly the same
view on it as the Government took in October 2000 when every Cabinet
minister was asked. They all said it was not an appropriate question to
answer."

Mr Blunkett insisted that the Government was not sending out a confused
message on cannabis, and that the reclassification policy made sound sense.

There are around 70,000 offences of illegal drugs possession each year in
England and Wales, around three quarters for cannabis. Andy Hayman, the
chief constable of Norfolk and spokesman for the Association of Chief
Police Officers (ACPO) on drugs, said that, in practice, the
re-classification only "formalised" a trend, under way over the past three
years, in which police were concentrating on Class A drugs, including
heroin and cocaine.

"Is it still illegal, going from B to C? Yes. So no change. Can you arrest
when it goes from B to C? Yes, no change."

Under Class B, police normally only considered prosecution after four or
five warnings or cautions, he said. Under Class C, arrest and prosecution
was also only likely after repeated warnings, meaning little change.