Brown set to toughen cannabis laws

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The Prime Minister said he would look at a final report about cannabis from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) but his views on the subject are already well-known.

"I have always been worried about cannabis, with this new skunk, this more lethal part of cannabis," he told GMTV.

"I don't think that the previous studies took into account that so much of the cannabis on the streets is now of a lethal quality and we really have got to send out a message to young people - this is not acceptable."

He added: "I have always been very strongly of the view that cannabis is unacceptable and we have got to send a message.

"If people start with cannabis and then move on to other drugs that is also a big problem. But the report has just come to us, we will look at it and we will publish our results very soon.

"But I think people know my view about cannabis and particularly about this lethal version of it, skunk."

His remarks came as it was revealed on Monday that the Government is to reject recommendations from the ACMD who believe that cannabis should remain a "soft" drug.

A final report from the high-powered group of advisers was delivered to the Home Office although the Government's response will not be announced until next week at the earliest.

The experts - including doctors, police, judges and drug counsellors - are understood have concluded that cannabis should remain in the Class C category. But Whitehall sources indicated that Mr Brown was determined to push through reclassification to Class B.