CANNABIS SHOULD NOT BE SEMI-LEGAL

A MOTHER who believes her son's mental health problems and subsequent
suicide were triggered by smoking cannabis has criticised new police
guidelines for dealing with users of the drug.

Maureen Griffiths, whose son Shaun killed himself on the eve of his
17th birthday, said the move by the Government to downgrade cannabis
"sent out the wrong message".

She spoke out as Home Secretary David Blunkett defended the new police
guidelines, which will see most cannabis smokers let off with a verbal
warning.

The Association of Chief Police Officers issued the rules because Mr
Blunkett plans to downgrade cannabis from Class B to Class C on January 29.

Mrs Griffiths, from Bury St Edmunds, said: "My concern is that it will
give out the wrong message to people. My view is the Government are
not taking into consideration the mental health damage smoking
cannabis can do. That side of it is really overlooked."

She believes her son was left disturbed after smoking the drug, and
that it triggered the mental illness that resulted in Shaun hanging
himself at their home in Castle Hedingham 15 years ago.

She added: "I think it should have stayed at Class C. Maybe this is
the first step on the road towards legalising cannabis, which I think
will be a drastic mistake.

"There is a link with mental health problems, it's a proven fact and
this just makes me worry that others will suffer like our son did."

Once cannabis is downgraded, it will move into the "least harmful"
category under the Misuse of Drugs Act - alongside anabolic steroids
and some prescription anti-depressants.

Shadow home secretary Oliver Letwin said the proposals would cause
confusion because they made cannabis "semi-legal".

But Mr Blunkett said the Government's policy on cannabis simply
recognised what many police forces were already doing.

Asked if he thought the guidelines sent out the wrong message to young
people, he said: "The only wrong message that is being put out is
those proclaiming that we've been legalising cannabis, which we have
not, and those that have said that it isn't a long-term dangerous
drug, which it is.

"What we have said is that it is not the killer and not the danger to
the community that drugs like heroin and crack cocaine are.'

Acpo's new guidance said that possession of cannabis would "ordinarily
not be an arrestable offence'.

People could be arrested for smoking cannabis in public or smoking
cannabis after being found with the drug repeatedly. Possessing the
drug inside or near places where there are children. Using the drug in
areas where it is causing a "local policing problem", meaning a "fear
of public disorder'.

Mr Blunkett's decision to downgrade cannabis was designed to free
police time to target Class A drugs such as heroin and crack.

Acpo drugs spokesman and Chief Constable of Norfolk Andy Hayman said:
"Despite reclassification, it remains illegal to possess cannabis.

"In the majority of cases, officers will issue a warning and
confiscate the drug."

Chief executive of mental health charity Sane, Marjorie Wallace, said:
"Justification for these news laws seems to be on the basis that
cannabis is less harmful than other drugs.

"But for those prone to severe mental illness, particularly young
people, using cannabis can provide the fatal trigger to lifelong
illness and risk of suicide."