BRITAIN OKS POT SMOKING

LONDON -- Smoking pot in Britain without fear of arrest will be a reality
by next summer as the government virtually decriminalized cannabis
yesterday to give police more time to fight the use of hard drugs.

The decision by Home Secretary David Blunkett to reclassify cannabis is
risky. Critics fear it sends the wrong message and could encourage children
to take up marijuana.

The government has downgraded cannabis to a Class C drug, putting it at the
same level as anabolic steroids and anti-depressants.

And while that means it is still a criminal offence to possess pot, in most
cases police will be instructed not to charge people if they smoke it for
their own personal use.

"Cannabis is a potentially harmful drug and should remain illegal,"
Blunkett told the House of Commons. "However, it is not comparable with
crack, heroin and ecstasy."

By maintaining provisions of the law that make possession a criminal
offence, Blunkett argued the government is ensuring police can keep order
on Britain's streets.

"They will be able to arrest for possession where public order is
threatened or where children are at risk," he said.