The need for firm measures to ensure that children are aware of the dangers of drugs has been stressed by Edward Garnier, as MPs call for a reclassification exercise to reflect the harm narcotics cause.
And the Shadow Home Affairs Minister has also criticised the Government’s failure to produce a clear policy on drugs, and has warned that the decision to downgrade cannabis sent out the wrong signals to Britain’s young people.
In a report to Parliament, the cross-party Commons Science and Technology Committee said the system for classifying controlled drugs should be scrapped and replaced with a scale that rates substances on the basis of health and social risks. Pointing out that the present system of classifying drugs in classes A, B and C is based on historical assumptions, not scientific assessment, the MPs also suggests that a reformed system could include alcohol and tobacco, to give the public “a better sense of the relative harms involved”.
Responding to the report, Mr Garnier declared: "We will study the Select Committee Report in detail, but what is and has been apparent for some time is the lack of clarity in this Government's policy on illegal drugs.”
He stated: “The downgrading of cannabis sent out the message that it was pretty harmless and will have encouraged youngsters to take it up. It is vital that we have strong and effective measures warning children of the dangers of drugs devoid of any confusion.”