BRITAIN: GOVERNMENT AIMS TO RELAX LAWS ON POT, FOCUS ON HARDER DRUGS

LONDON -- Prime Minister Tony Blair's government moved Wednesday to relax
its laws on marijuana, stopping short of legalization but guaranteeing most
users will get off with just a warning while police focus their 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 would 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."

Blair's Labor Party has a large majority in Parliament and the proposal is
virtually certain to pass.