DUTCH OFFICIAL RECOMMENDS DRUG CAFES

A drug policy adviser from the Netherlands said yesterday that cafes which
sell cannabis should be opened in Britain. Bob Keizer, who works for the
ministry of health in the Netherlands, told the inaugural cannabis
conference in Liverpool there was no reason why cannabis cafes should not
work in the UK.

The conference brought together public health officials, drugs workers,
police and cannabis campaigners. It was organized after home secretary
David Blunkett's announcement that cannabis was to be reclassified from a
class B to a class C drug which opened debate about decriminalization.

"In the Netherlands... decriminalization has not led to an increase in
cannabis use," said Mr Keizer. "The fact that young people don't get a
criminal record for using the drug a few times is a very positive element
of our policy. Police are able to invest their capacity in more serious crimes.

"Cannabis cafes help to take dealers off the street. If we allow them in
this country there will be less street dealing. If the cafes close, the
dealers return."

The conference was organized by Mark Bellis, of the Northwest Public Health
Observatory. He said: "There are negative aspects because of its
association with tobacco use, but if it were decriminalized it would allow
police to concentrate on heroin."

Not all the delegates were in favour of decriminalization. John Witton, of
the National Addiction Centre in London, said cannabis has been linked to
increased risk of cancers.