BLAIR PROPOSAL WOULD RELAX BRITISH POT LAWS

LONDON - Prime Minister Tony Blair's government moved Wednesday to
relax laws on marijuana, stopping short of legalization but allowing
most users to get off with a warning while police focus enforcement
efforts on harder drugs.

Under the proposal, marijuana would be downgraded from a Class B to a
Class C drug, making its use and possession less serious crimes, Home
Secretary David Blunkett said in outlining the plan to the House of
Commons.

Police would retain the authority to arrest those caught with
marijuana, but in most cases simply would confiscate the drug and
issue a warning.

"The message to young people and families must be open, honest and
believable," Blunkett said. "Cannabis is a potentially harmful drug
and should remain illegal. However, it is not comparable with crack,
heroin and Ecstasy."

The proposed downgrade would put marijuana on a par with anabolic
steroids instead of amphetamines and barbiturates. Blair's Labor Party
has a large majority in Parliament, and the proposal is virtually
certain to pass.

Blair said the proposal doesn't amount to decriminalization and has
wide support among the police because it would allow them to spend
more time fighting more serious drugs.

"The power to arrest remains, but what reclassification does is allow
the police, where they think it right, to focus on hard drug dealing
and drug dealing of any description, including cannabis, and that is
why the proposals are supported by the chief police officers and the
Metropolitan Police," he told the House of Commons.