U-turn on cannabis as it's made Class B again

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Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has made clear she wants to reverse her predecessor David Blunkett's 2004 decision to downgrade the drug to class C.

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is to report within months on whether cannabis should be reclassified but Ms Smith has signalled she could overrule the body.

The Home Secretary, whose stance is strongly backed by Gordon Brown, believes the downgrading of cannabis sent the message that it was harmless and legal to possess.

She is also concerned about the widespread availability of super-strength strains or "skunk", often produced in cannabis factories by organised criminals.

In a letter to the advisory council, Ms Smith said: "Though statistics show that cannabis use has fallen significantly, there is a real public concern about the potential mental health effects of cannabis use." Senior Whitehall figures intimated Ms Smith had made up her mind the drug should be returned to class B.

Police have taken a "softly, softly" approach since reclassification. Those caught with cannabis are often let off with a warning. But as a class B drug, cannabis possession could mean a five-year jail term and an unlimited fine.