british home secretary/cannabis

[Ted Jackson]

On 23 Oct 2001, at 19:06, M Holmes wrote:

> Mostly this is so they can legalise prescription cannabis if the
> evidence comes in from their research (and this move probably
> indicates that they know it will).  Note that it's still possibly 2
> years and a fine for posesssion and 5 years and a fine for supply
> (including passing a joint).  Of course they'd have to really want to
> get someone to do this, but it is still the law.;
>
Around here a lot has to do with the common sense of the user and
the policeman.  Most cops around here will issue you an
appearance ticket for amounts under an ounce.  But if you don't act
like an asshole, a lot of cops will just destroy the weed and send
you on your way with a warning...

> Sanity would be the actual abandonment of Prohibition II. It'd also do
> the most financial damage to terrorists, ever. Drugs are the second
> (to oil) biggest business in the world, and most of the profit is
> reaped by terrorists and criminal gangs.

Yep.  And here, most police officers realize that pot prohibition is a
joke, and most cops are in favor of decriminalization.  And a lot are
in favor of legalization...

Most of the profit is in the
> form of legal risk premium. If legalised, prices would collapse (even
> given tax at the alcohol level) and the source of such profits would
> disappear overnight. We'd also be able to take 5p off income tax or
> equivalent spend elsewhere.

Well, the Dutch learned that lesson, and, apparently, taught it to the
Belgians.   Wonder how long it will take for the rest of the world to
catch on?  Any idea what country will come to its senses next?  I'd
bet Canada...

> > What's the status of decriminalization in Scotland?
>
> I'm pretty sure it's a reserved power. We do have our own Drug Czar,
> but I expect him to toe the Party line.

I was under the impression that there was a big push to
decriminalize?

theo
> FoFP