CANNABIS RULES ARE POTTY

Cops blasted new cannabis guidelines unveiled by David Blunkett as
completely unworkable.

The Home Secretary plans to downgrade cannabis from a Class B drug to
Class C next January.

But the change leaves police with a bewildering set of options about
whether to arrest pot users or let them off.

Guidelines issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers mean
most adults caught smoking cannabis will escape with a warning.

But officers will be able to confiscate the drug and issue warnings to
people using it in public, near schools or kids or caught with it
repeatedly.

Anyone using cannabis under the age of 17 still faces being
reprimanded or charged.

And selling the drug remains illegal. But cops have not been told how
much people must have to be accused of supplying - in a bid to trap
dealers.

Glen Smyth, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, insisted
the new rules will spark confusion for cops.

He said: "It is going to create a lot of problems - and officers will
come to the conclusion that the guidelines are completely impractical
and in turn it make it impossible to police. Officers are not going to
waste their time arresting people for cannabis because it simply will
not be worth the trouble.

"These rules are also being brought in at a time when there is still
no test widely available for seeing whether anyone is driving under
the influence of cannabis.

"The health of the nation will go to pot - and we won't be able to do
anything."

Shadow Home Secretary Oliver Letwin called the rules "the worst of
both worlds." He said: "There is a case for legalisation, and a case
for people getting off drugs. What there is not a case for is making
them semi-legal.

"These new guidelines are not clear, and will only cause further
confusion for the police and for the public."

Mr Blunkett said the rules recognised widespread police practice - and
would free cops to tackle dangerous harder drugs like cocaine and heroin.