THE RIGHT MOVE

In a move he insists is no stepping stone towards a Dutch-style model or
decriminalisation by another name, the Home Secretary wants to reclassify
cannabis making it no more "criminal" than anti-depressants.

While this will trouble those convinced that cannabis is often the first
door to hard drug addiction, Mr Blunkett seems likely to get his way.

For cannabis as medical aid and acceptable leisure habit, its day is
coming. One persuasive statistic is that of 120,000 drug offences, 68 per
cent were cannabis related, each taking up to three hours for the police to
process. this looks like a hammer to shatter a nut, and Mr Blunkett wants
police time to be redepolyed towards hard drugs and their corrosive effects
on individuals and communities.

Decriminalisers will be disappointed that he has not gone far enough, but
Mr Blunkett surely has it right.