MET CHIEF MUDDLED BY CANNABIS LAW

Sir John Stephens says he made 'a big mistake' over a softly-softly
approach

Metropolitan police commissioner Sir John Stephens has admitted that
new cannabis laws had caused "a massive amount of muddle".

Sir John told LBC radio that police needed to give a clear message
that the drug was still illegal.

"The use and possession of cannabis is still against the law," he
said.

But from 29 January, cannabis is to be downgraded from class B to
class C, and fewer users will face arrest if caught in possession.

Police will be more likely to confiscate the drugs than make arrests,
and officers will stop targeting those using cannabis in their own
home.

Against the law

Sir John told listeners: "I think there is a massive amount of muddle
about where we are on cannabis."

"The position is that the use and possession of cannabis is still
against the law in this country," he said.

"I think that needs to be made absolutely clear."

He said he regretted elements of the "softly-softly" Brixton pilot
scheme, which he said had ignored "the nature of Brixton" and caused
the borough to become "a goldfish bowl".

"I think I made a big mistake," he said.

The police chief also said he was against the legalisation of
drugs.

"I have been against it ever since I went and saw the experiment in
Amsterdam in 1986 where there had been a legalisation of not just
cannabis but of hard drugs."

The Dutch trial had led to "a massive surge of vigilantism", murder
and arson, he warned.

"I could not stand by as a police officer and watch that
happen."

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NOT LEGAL YET

*Cannabis will become a class C drug from 29 January *Police will not
arrest most users, but may confiscate drugs *Under-18s and those using
near schools will still be arrested