Alison Hardie political correspondent
http://news.scotsman.com/headlines.cfm?id=287562002
GOVERNMENT scientists yesterday cleared the way for a softening of the law on cannabis, insisting that it was a less addictive and dangerous substance than alcohol.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, which was appointed by David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, to explore the potential of softer penalties for cannabis users, said the drug "is not associated with major health problems for the individual or society".
The expert group went further and claimed that while cannabis can pose a risk for people with heart problems, it is not as dangerous as other drugs which are also Class B, such as amphetamine.
Their findings will dismay some anti-drugs campaigners who believe cannabis is a "gateway" substance than can lead users on to abuse Class A drugs, such as heroin.
Mr Blunkett signalled his intention last October to downgrade cannabis from Class B - one grade down from cocaine and ecstasy - to Class C, the same as steroids and some sleeping pills.
The advisory council report published yesterday said: "The continuing juxtaposition of cannabis with these more harmful Class B drugs erroneously (and dangerously) suggests that their harmful effects are equivalent."
The report highlighted the dangers and damage done to society by the abuse of alcohol, which it said was a more serious problem than cannabis use.
The findings unveiled yesterday had been widely expected, despite opposition to any moves to reclassify cannabis by some anti-drugs campaigners.
There has been a marked softening of the government’s approach to the drugs over several months.
The report is certain to be the first step towards the biggest change in the drugs laws - which apply both north and south of the Border as drugs legislation is reserved to Westminster - in 30 years.
It would also be a remarkable change of heart for the Labour government which, in 1997, pledged "zero tolerance" on drugs.
Both the Houses of Commons and Lords will have to vote on the issue before the law can be changed, and the Home Secretary will have to wait until he has received two further reports before he can ask parliament to consider any review of the current legislation.
Mr Blunkett is waiting for the Metropolitan Police report of the Lambeth experiment, where people caught with cannabis have been let off with a warning and simply had the drug confiscated.
He is also due to receive a report on the government’s drugs policies by the Commons home affairs select committee.
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