UKCIA opposes reclassification plans - this is not progress!

Blunkett - dangerous reforms

At first UKCIA saw Blunkett's plan to reclassify cannabis to class C as a positive first step on the inevitable route to the full legalisation and regulation, and congratulated Blunkett to some extent at making this baby-step change in the law. However, despite a year passing since his announcement, the process has yet again been put back, now until January 2004 at the earliest. Worse yet, amendments are being made to the Criminal Justice Bill which make the change almost entirely meaningless in any case.

Cannabis possession will still be a criminal offence, and still arrestable and imprisonable at the discretion of a police officer, leaving the door open to intimidation of individuals and "justice by postcode". The penalties for dealing/producing class C drugs will become 14 years, which is what they already are for cannabis. Ludicrous new laws such as allowing cannabis users houses' to be confiscated have been suggested. These laws will simply serve to clamp down on small-time dealers and growers and allow organised crime to continue to profit from the massive cannabis industry. Users, recreational or medical, will still suffer persecution from the law threatening criminal records and prison and there will be no controls on what is sold as cannabis or to whom. Where is the change?

It is with regret then that UKCIA must withdraw any support for the current plans. We will continue to campaign for the Government to change the laws to give us our rights back, and reduce any harm done to the individual or society by the use of cannabis.

We believe the laws against cannabis cause far more harm than the plant ever could and sadly they seem to be set to continue to do so.