THE GREAT CANNABIS DEBATE

LONDON -- The cannabis issue in Britain had been heatedly debated for years
before Home Secretary David Blunkett finally decided to relax the stringent
laws governing the drug last October.

Supporters claim it is no more harmful than alcohol or smoking, and can
give vital pain relief to people suffering from conditions such as multiple
sclerosis and epilepsy.

Opponents, including the British government, say the evidence shows that
cannabis is linked to crime and can lead to the taking of hard drugs such
as Ecstasy and cocaine.

Blunkett's proposals, which are set to come into effect this British
spring, mean cannabis possession should no longer be an arrestable offence
- - but it will not officially be decriminalised.

It would be reclassified as a Class C drug, putting it in the same category
as anti-depressants or steroids - a remarkable turnaround for Labour, which
came to power in 1997 pledging "zero tolerance" on drugs.

In practice, cannabis users will be unlikely to face any consequences if
they are caught with small amounts of the drug.

The minister said it would allow police to concentrate their resources on
targeting heroin and cocaine dealers.

But the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, which Blunkett will
consult over the plans, first recommended reclassifying cannabis as far
back as 1979.

The first hint that a relaxation of the law was on the cards came last July
when the Metropolitan Police started a pilot scheme in Brixton where people
found carrying cannabis were cautioned on the spot.

Police chiefs said the initiative was introduced because it was felt too
much time was spent on dealing with cannabis possession, despite the fact
it was treated as a minor offence.

But the strongest case for full legalisation appears to lie with those who
want cannabis legalised for medicinal purposes.

Earlier last year, a House of Lords select committee report recommended
that research into cannabis use should be speeded up.

The report said: "In the absence of a viable alternative medicine, and
though we would not encourage smoking of cannabis, we consider it
undesirable to prosecute genuine therapeutic users of cannabis who possess
or grow cannabis for their own use.

"This unsatisfactory situation underlines the need to legalise cannabis
preparations for therapeutic use."

The Government responded by saying it had no intention of legalising
cannabis for recreational purposes but would consider relaxing the laws for
its medicinal use.

It has been claimed that cannabis can prevent nausea caused by cancer
chemotherapy, alleviate muscle spasms from multiple sclerosis, relieve
chronic pain, and help in the treatment of anorexia, epilepsy, glaucoma,
and mood disorders.

UK pressure groups such as Release argue that cannabis should be either
decriminalised or legalised so it can be used recreationally.

But research has shown that smoking cannabis, apart from causing
smoking-related illnesses, can bring on nausea, depression and paranoia.