'THREE SPLIFFS AND YOU'RE OUT' PROPOSAL

Cannabis users caught by the police more than twice in a 12-month period
will be arrested rather than cautioned under "three spliffs and you're out"
guidelines being considered by chief officers, it emerged last week.

Instead of repeatedly issuing formal warnings to people caught with small
amounts of the drug, officers may be given the discretion to arrest and
charge them.

People caught once or twice with cannabis for personal use will be allowed
to hand over the drug and go on their way after a formal warning. However,
a third offence in the space of one year would mean arrest and more serious
charges under the guidelines, which would be introduced by July next year.

The new advice on possession is contained in a policy document drawn up by
the Association of Chief Police Officers and revealed in part at the
association's drugs conference in Blackpool. Ignoring cautions would be
regarded as an one of the "aggravating factors" that would give police the
option of treating the offence more seriously.

The decision by the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, to reclassify cannabis
from class B to class C next year will strip police of the automatic power
of arrest for simple possession of the drug. But Mr Blunkett has said he
will introduce legislation that will allow police to continue to exercise
the power in certain limited circumstances. Among such provisions are the
cannabis user's being under the age of 17, or the drug being smoked near a
school.

The charity DrugScope claimed the move would lead to communities subject to
the most stop and searches being even more heavily targeted. Its chief
executive, Roger Howard, said: "This three strikes policy is likely to hit
those communities who are subject to the most stop and searches. Cannabis
law will therefore continue to be a source of friction with particular
communities."