EDITOR'S CHOICE NEWS 'I've been kicked in the teeth by Labour' Shoaib joins cricketing legends with six sixes Region’s latest work of art will honour the ‘often undervalued’ £300m film studio gets backing from authority NEWS IN VIDEO Undercover van to help catch benefit fraudsters Dogs do their bit for charity One man band School garden opens 'Great Escape' veteran visits region RACING PODCAST Racing tips and reports with Graham Orange of Go Racing FORMULA 1 News and Race Reports F1 Blog Circuit Guide Predictions THE HEADLINE GAME * Pit your wits against The Northern Echo and TFM in The Headline Game GET OUR NEWS BY E-MAIL Just register

Most read Comments 1 Pressure off as Gunners and Cats leave worrying to others 2 Moyes blueprint could be the way ahead for Keegan 3 Middlesbrough stun hapless City in 'nothing' game 4 Keane awaits blessing for spending spree 5 Celebrations as Laura wins Miss Durham competition 6 Academic warns of flooding not seen in living memory 7 Mixed reaction to face of North 8 Man dies after road accident 9 Nissan 'production switch of new Micra' 10 It's advantage Quakers, thanks to Miller Today | 7 Days 1 Election aftermath 2 Miss Durham - The Finalists 3 Wigan keen on Cattermole 4 Gordon Brown 5 Councillors line up for leadership challenge 6 'I've been kicked in the teeth by Labour' 7 Long lay-off for Viduka 8 Anger after women locked in car park 9 Keegan happy to talk 10 Henig elected to leadership role

IT is hard to know where to stand in the debate over the classification of cannabis.

With all the expertise at its disposal, the Government can't make up its mind, so how can the rest of us be expected to know which way to jump?

Tony Blair downgraded cannabis to a class C drug, but that decision has now been reversed in a mere four years by Gordon Brown. And that is despite the fact that the experts on the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs believe that it should remain class C.

Given the difficulties facing Mr Brown's administration, it is natural to wonder whether this is no more than an attempt to appear tough on drugs because that is what the public wants to see.

And that cynicism goes deeper in view of the fact that cannabis smokers are likely to go on escaping prosecution until the third time they are caught.

The theory is that people can go to jail for five years for possessing cannabis, but the reality is much different because the Government's "tougher" approach to drugs is not backed up by meaningful changes to the system of punishments.

We support any moves aimed at steering young people away from drugs. It is far better to be safe than sorry.

But the message has to be strong - not lost in a fog of confusion.

9:59am Thursday 8th May 2008

Print

Email this