SCIENCE GUIDES BRITAIN'S NEW MARIJUANA LAW

The decision in Great Britain last week to change the laws on cannabis, or
marijuana, almost to the point of decriminalizing simple possession of the
plant by an adult is not as drastic as some news stories have suggested -
and might, in fact, be so modest as not to achieve some of the hoped-for
benefits of decriminalization.

Nonetheless, it is an important step that will create a record U.S.
officials should study.

Roger Howard, chief executive of DrugScope, Great Britain's leading
nonprofit organization dealing with drug policy issues, explained in a
newspaper interview that the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act includes three
categories: Class A includes heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and other "hard
drugs," Class B includes methamphetamines and (until now) cannabis, while
Class C includes benzodiazepine and other tranquilizers.

The policy change announced by Home Secretary David Blunkett will move
cannabis to Class C. While retaining the option of arrest in certain cases,
it will ensure that, for most adults, simple possession of cannabis will
not mean arrest, though they might face a fine or civil penalty.

In the United States, under the 1970 Controlled Substances Act, there are
five "schedules" for controlled drugs. Schedule I, which prohibits any use,
even under medical supervision, includes heroin, LSD and marijuana. Drugs
on the other schedules (methadone, morphine, methamphetamine and cocaine
are on Schedule II) can be prescribed under limited but increasingly
liberal circumstances.

Based on science and relative dangers, marijuana has no business being on
Schedule I (see the 1999 Institute of Medicine report, "Marijuana and
Medicine" for documentation), but for political reasons it remains there.

The main difference between Great Britain and the United States seems to be
that some British officials have paid attention to official scientific reports.

Maybe U.S. citizens should require politicians, DEA honcho Asa Hutchinson
and other officials to read and pass a test on the 1999 Institute of
Medicine report and the 1972 Shafer Commission Report before discussing
marijuana again in public.