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Cannabis U-turn by police
Justin Davenport, Evening Standard03.10.07
Police have launched a "zero tolerance" crackdown on cannabis users in a London borough.
In a major policy U-turn, police and lawyers have agreed the tough action is the only solution to drug dealing and anti-social behaviour on the streets.
The three-month operation has been ordered by senior officers in Battersea in Wandsworth.
It is aimed at cracking down on lawless gangs of youths openly smoking and dealing the drug on the street.
The move on a notorious Battersea estate is the latest twist in how police in London deal with cannabis users.
The area is only a few miles from where the first "softly softly" approach to cannabis was piloted by former police chief Brian Paddick in 2001.
The Lambeth trial led to the controversial change in the classification of the drug from B to C which allowed police to merely warn people caught in possession of small quantities.
However, the change led to increasing health worries over the use of strong cannabis varieties such as skunk.
Gordon Brown has recently announced a review of the "softly softly" laws which could see cannabis become a Class B drug again, attracting stiffer penalties for dealers.
The crackdown has been ordered in the Latchmere area which includes the Winstanley estate.
People living there say the area has become a focus for open drug dealing among youths visiting the area.
Now anyone caught with cannabis in a "drugs exclusion zone" faces prosecution or a criminal caution.
The Crown Prosecution Service has given police the authority to arrest anyone found in possession of any amount of cannabis. All offenders will be either charged or given a conditional caution.
Normally, possession of small amounts is dealt with by a warning.
Sergeant James Bullock said: "There will be no more cannabis warnings.
"We will look towards conditional cautions for those of previous good character and who admit possession, but those who do not fit that criteria will be charged and appear in court." And Borough Commander Chief Superintendent Stewart Low said the policy had been introduced because of concerns about drug dealing and anti-social behaviour.
He said: "Much of this anti-social behaviour has been committed by youths, many of whom don't even live in that area but visit it to buy drugs.
"As a result we agreed to introduce a positive arrest policy for anyone found with cannabis for a three month period.
The aim is to deter youngsters from engaging in drug abuse and to prevent crime, including drug dealing, being committed in the area."
He said the scheme would be evaluated at the end of the three months in November to see if it should be continued.
Offenders given a conditional caution must attend a local drugs project session and agree not to enter the Latchmere drugs exclusion zone.
The Latchmere area has been plagued with problems for years. In 2005 police imposed one of the first dispersal orders after residents complained of being too frightened to leave their homes at night because of intimidation and threats from gangs.
The order allowed police to move on gatherings of youths after 9pm at night and led to a significant reduction in crime.
Reader views (12)
I see lots of comments here which seem to point to no zero tolerance crackdown, but the poll shows those in favour to be about 45% (midnight, 7th Oct) and none of those seem to have left a comment.
Prohibition never works, However, we must also ask why youths are apparently openly dealing? I'll bet it's not ONLY Cannabis though.
- V, Glasgow, UK
Mr Brown, These comments are from voters please listen to them and take responsibility for this trade and regulate it so our children cannot get involved.
- David, Bromley, UK
Cannabis is the least likely drug to cause anti-social behaviour. Alcohol is the most likely drug to cause violent anti-social behaviour.
I cannot understand why a decision of zero tolerance on cannabis possesion is imposed when it is the youths hanging out in gangs and being anti-social and/or a 'perceived' threat to older people, this is the problem is it not!
Therefore, I ask why try to dictate to adults who do not hang about in gangs, that being in possesion of cannabis will be a 'zero tolerance' offence.
Expert papers have already been put before the European Parliament stating that 'Prohibition' is causing more suffering than the actual drugs themselves.
('The Catania Report' by Gustave Catania went before the Euro-parliament December 4th 2004; The Senlis Council a 'Think Tank' set-up to evaluate the 10 year Strategy on Drugs states similar findings, as do most other organisations.
It is a mystery to many of us who have researched and written about drugs, drug-policies etc; that the government should pick on cannabis, a herb, which has never killed anyone, has been used in a medicinal way since the beginning of time also as a recreational drug. Far better than a gin and tonic after work to un-wind.
This is imported Americanism.
- Ian Harris, Dagenham, Essex. UK
Another crackdown? The cynic in me expects the problems to get worse.
Regulate, tax and legalise for consumers over the age of 18, alongside the other popular drugs, tobacco and alcohol. All the drug dealers will be co-located, easier to police.
- Dr John, London
A complete waste of time, sort out some real issues crack down on people selling heroin and crack these are the people causing real crime not youths that just have nothing to do.
- Jamie Jordan, London
People will always smoke it, this sort of unsupervised unregulated outdoor-drugs-bazaar is the price our society pays for trying to pretend otherwise. Most police activities against 'retailers' actively promote outdoor selling. People like getting high...deal with it!
- A Hoffman, Sebel
Why don't they start cracking down on dealers first. I work in Camden and drug dealing is out in the open and I get asked every day by several young men on the way to the tube station if I want skunk, coke etc.
These guys do not try to cover their drug dealing and if I do go for a drink after work the numbers of dealers gathering around Camden Tube station are taking over the pavements and bus stops. I feel uncomfortable walking back to the station alone.
So let's look at these circumstances first.
- Roberta, Croydon
Well, because cannabis is an illegal drug, it's not a controlled drug.
The classification of cannabis is a red herring; the problem is caused by its illegality. In any case, the use of cannabis soared when it was a class B drug remember.
Also, returning to class B will have no effect on dealers; the penalty for dealing remained the same following the move to C.
- Derek, Norwich, UK
Ridiculous, absurd, a waste of resources. Categorisation has no effect on consumption, let alone heavy-handed policing, what a screaming waste of time!
- Susan Porter, London
The Dutch policy of tolerating soft drugs to some extent has been under scrutiny from countries as Belgium, Germany, UK and especially France. The numbers however don't lie. The main problem with soft drugs being sold by home or streetdealers is the chance that people get in contact with hard drugs too. If something is prohibited and people do want it you will attract organised criminals to it. Simple, there is a buck to be made.
Now the Dutch model is not ideal by far. For example, coffeeshops are allowed to sell, but they are still not allowed to buy.
- Ton, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
This is so silly and alienates the misfortunate children who are forced into dealing as a result of prohibition.
No prohibition means no illegal trade. No prohibition means less police needed, which is detrimental to their own organization. Hence we see the prohibition of drugs extended to tighten the control the Government has of us. It's such a shame to see politicians like Brown treat the public as ignorant fools, unless he is truly ignorant himself.
The Dutch model already proves decriminalisation works as fewer people consume drugs in the Netherlands to the UK, well done for the failed drug war that costs UK society schooling and a health service we deserve.
- Blatsby, London
Another knee-jerk blitz which will soon fade into memory.
- Philip, London, England
