ONE IN FOUR 'HAS TAKEN DRUGS'

Popularity Of Cannabis Could Pave Way To Legalisation

More than a quarter of adults in Britain have taken illegal drugs,
according to a survey. The study for the Observer newspaper, suggests 13
million adults - 28% of the adult population - have used drugs including
cannabis and ecstasy.

It also revealed two million people say they took drugs while under the age
of 14 and more than half of 16 to 24-year-olds have tried illegal substances.

Roger Howard, chief executive of Drugscope, said the findings did not
surprise him.

Reclassification

"The threat of criminal sanctions is simply not stopping large numbers of
young people experimenting with drugs," he told the paper.

The figures come as the government prepares to significantly relax the laws
on cannabis.

The paper claims Home Secretary David Blunkett plans to lay fresh
legislation before Parliament in June to allow the reclassification of
cannabis from Class B to Class C, a move widely seen as effective
decriminalisation.

Government officials are quoted as saying two of Mr Blunkett's three
"tests" for relaxing the laws have been met.

Lambeth experiment

One hurdle was passed when a report earlier this year from the Advisory
Council on the Misuse of Drugs came down in favour of the reclassification
of cannabis.

Another was the success of an experiment by police in Lambeth in London,
which was well received by the public, under which users have their
cannabis seized rather than face prosecution.

The third, as yet unmet test, is the long-awaited Home Affairs Select
Committee report on drugs, which the paper says is expected to back the
move when it is published next month.

The survey of 1,075 adults by ICM for the Observer also found that more
people now believe tobacco is a "greater risk" than ecstasy.