A SLOW DESCENT INTO ANARCHY

Sir - Calling on my 26 years' experience as a police officer in
London, let me assure the Government report, July 10,
that downgrading cannabis will inevitably backfire. And
who will suffer the consequences? Inevitably, our children.

I recently did a two-year stint as a patrol sergeant in Brixton. The
extent of control on the streets, and on the lives of youngsters,
exercised by drug dealers was shocking; and that was before the
"Paddick experiment". Now, the decent and law-abiding residents of
Brixton tell us the situation is infinitely worse.

The rationale behind the experiment is to free resources to tackle
major crime. What nonsense! It is well known to front-line police
officers that cannabis dealers eventually move up to dealing in class
A drugs - crack and heroin. In taking a soft line against cannabis, we
are sowing the seeds for an explosion in the use of hard drugs. Where
will the resources be found to tackle that?

Extending the "experiment" nationwide, and reducing its criminality,
is a betrayal of our children's future.

Apart from the risk of exposure to hard drugs, cannabis users quickly
become a danger to themselves and to society. Their ability to
function properly - to drive, for instance - and to interact
appropriately with others diminishes. I know - I have seen it hundreds
of times.

The pro-cannabis lobby might just as well advocate the
decriminalisation of shoplifting to free police resources to tackle
burglary. The effect will be the same - a slow descent into anarchy.
Why won't anyone listen to the people who have the experience and the
expertise - front-line police officers, drug counsellors and parents?

I'm sorry Messrs Blunkett and Paddick - you are both
wrong.

From:

Bob Gould,

Chipstead, Surrey