'THREE STRIKES' RULE FOR CANNABIS SMOKERS

IT WILL soon be "three spliffs and you're out" for cannabis users stopped
on the streets by police.

By next July people caught once or twice with cannabis for personal use
will be allowed to hand over the drug, accept a formal warning on the
street and go on their way.

But if they are caught for a third time in 12 months they will be arrested
and will face heavier penalties, which may include a caution that could be
held against them if they go to court for other offences. Repeated arrests
would lead to a charge. This would mean a court appearance, a fine and a
criminal record.

The policy will be outlined in Blackpool today at a national conference on
drugs, organised by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

Under the plans, users who refuse to hand over drugs will also be arrested.
Chief constables are expected to ratify the guidelines next month. They
will come into force when the Home Office reclassifies cannabis from Class
B to Class C in the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Possession of Class C drugs is not normally an arrestable offence, but
David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, has agreed to give the police some
powers to detain cannabis users.

Anything up to 3g of cannabis -- enough for a dozen cigarette-sized spliffs
mixed with tobacco -- will be accepted as being for personal use. Anyone
openly smoking cannabis in front of a police officer will be arrested, as
would a user found near children.

Andy Hayman, a deputy assistant commissioner at Scotland Yard, said
yesterday that the guidelines would give the police sanctions that can be
increased to meet repeated use.