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That this House deplores the continuing criminalisation of thousands of otherwise law-abiding people who use medicinal cannabis to relieve chronic pain and distress caused by multiple sclerosis, AIDS and the side-effects of chemotherapy; and supports the simple change in the law recommended by the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and the Runciman Report to allow a limited number of doctors to prescribe cannabis to named patients in the same way that millions of other prescriptions are now dispensed. Signed by: Flynn/Paul, Gibson/Ian, Iddon/Brian, Cotter/Brian, Bradley/Peter, George/Andrew, Hancock/Mike, Jones/Lynne, Caton/Martin, Griffiths/Win, Wyatt/Derek, Taylor/David, Steinberg/Gerry, Thomas/Simon, Rapson/Syd, Barnes/Harry, Davey/Valerie, Jones/Nigel, Banks/Tony, Connarty/Michael, Doughty/Sue, Plaskitt/James, Campbell/Ronnie, Best/Harold, McNamara/Kevin, Stinchcombe/Paul, Prosser/Gwyn, Carmichael/Alistair, Jones/Jon Owen, Gerrard/Neil, Prentice/Gordon, Watson/Tom, Moffatt/Laura, Worthington/Tony, Dean/Janet, Baker/Norman, Corbyn/Jeremy, Wishart/Pete, Price/Adam, Clarke/Tony, Turner/Desmond, Williams/Alan, Brennan/Kevin, Davis/Terry, Breed/Colin, Salter/Martin, Clapham/Michael, Brake/Tom, Vis/Rudi, Cryer/Ann, McWalter/Tony, Davidson/Ian, Austin/John, Simpson/Alan On 04/07/01, an amendment was made, by Bottomley/Peter, to insert the word "medicines" after "cannabis". This amendment (59A1) was signed by: Bottomley/Peter, Tyler/Paul, Palmer/Nick, Lewis/Julian, Pike/Peter L, Harris/Evan
That this House welcomes the more efficient deployment of police time and resources that will result from the 'de facto' decriminalisation of cannabis possession in parts of London; believes that the police are doing the job that successive governments have dodged, but believes the 'decriminalisation' by postcode will create new injustices; and calls on the Government for a full review of drugs laws that have perversely made the UK the drug sink of Europe. Signed by: Flynn/Paul, Iddon/Brian, Jones/Lynne, Griffiths/Win, Thomas/Simon, Chaytor/David, Banks/Tony, Campbell/Ronnie, Stinchcombe/Paul, Jones/Jon Owen, Gerrard/Neil, Prentice/Gordon, Watson/Tom, Hancock/Mike, Baker/Norman, Corbyn/Jeremy, Price/Adam, Clarke/Tony, Brennan/Kevin, Mitchell/Austin, Salter/Martin, Clapham/Michael, Brake/Tom, Vis/Rudi, Cryer/Ann, Best/Harold, Davidson/Ian, Turner/Desmond, Austin/John, Simpson/Alan
That this House notes that the United Kingdom has one of the biggest drug problems in Europe; believes it is unhelpful and inaccurate to bracket all illegal drugs together as equally harmful; further notes that there is evidence to show that the availability of criminal sanctions does not deter small-scale possession of cannabis for personal use; further notes that there is no evidence to show that imprisonment prevents small-scale possession of other drugs or is an effective measure in stopping problematic drug use longer term; therefore calls for an end to imprisonment for possession of any drug for personal use; further notes that according to extensive research carried out by the leading charity, DrugScope, such changes would be compatible with current UN treaty obligations; further notes the National Treatment Outcome Research Study's estimate that for every £1 spent on treatment, £3 is saved on the criminal justice system; welcomes the Home Secretary's decision to review heroin prescribing; calls on the Government to allocate significant new resources, over and above current provision, directed towards treatment services and the training of professionals to deliver the Government's drugs strategy; further notes that 38 per cent. of injecting drug users are thought to have Hepatitis C; and further calls on the Government to consider providing safe injecting rooms such as those run in Switzerland and The Netherlands for intravenous drug users to reduce the risk of fatal overdoses, transmission of blood borne diseases, dangerous injecting practices and abandoned needles. Signed by: Jones/Lynne, Iddon/Brian, Harris/Evan, King/Oona, Jones/Jon Owen, Flynn/Paul, White/Brian, Gerrard/Neil, Gibson/Ian, McNamara/Kevin, Palmer/Nick, Chaytor/David, Hancock/Mike, Holmes/Paul, Tonge/Jenny, Campbell/Ronnie, McCafferty/Chris, Green/Matthew, Turner/Desmond, Illsley/Eric, Vis/Rudi, Lloyd/Tony, Cunningham/Jim, Jones/Nigel, Cryer/Ann, Morgan/Julie, Abbott/Diane, Simpson/Alan, McWalter/Tony, Austin/John
That this House notes that where a more lenient attitude towards cannabis possession has been taken by the police, street crime has fallen by 35 per cent. whilst arrests for hard drugs have risen by 65 per cent.; believes that this is in part because the more lenient attitude to recreational use of non-addictive drugs frees up police time and resources to tackle the infinitely more serious problems arising from dealing in, and addiction to, hard drugs; calls upon Her Majesty's Government to extend this approach to policing nationwide as part of its robberty reduction initiative; and looks forward to the day when taxes paid on the legalised purchase of cannabis from street shops help to fund more policing to combat dealers in hard drugs and more drugs rehabilitation for addicts. Signed by: Stinchcombe/Paul, George/Andrew, Flynn/Paul, Carmichael/Alistair, Jones/Lynne, Salter/Martin, Iddon/Brian, Davidson/Ian, Cryer/Ann, Tonge/Jenny, Illsley/Eric, Holmes/Paul, Etherington/Bill, Turner/Desmond, Lloyd/Tony, McDonnell/John, Green/Matthew, Vis/Rudi, Jones/Nigel, Gerrard/Neil, Price/Adam, Opik/Lembit, Doughty/Sue, Simpson/Alan, Baker/Norman, Calton/Patsy, Austin/John, Barrett/John, Harris/Evan, Singh/Marsha
That this House is of the opinion that cannabis should no longer be legally prohibited for adults, but should be subject to strict regulations over sales. Signed by: Winnick/David, Flynn/Paul, Jones/Jon Owen, Iddon/Brian, Singh/Marsha, Gibson/Ian, Cohen/Harry, Mahon/Alice, Best/Harold, Pound/Stephen, Cryer/Ann, Jones/Lynne, Turner/Desmond, Clapham/Michael, Chaytor/David, McCafferty/Chris, Prentice/Gordon, Griffiths/Jane, Stinchcombe/Paul, Vis/Rudi, Gerrard/Neil, Coleman/Iain, Tonge/Jenny, Simpson/Alan, Austin/John, Etherington/Bill, Burden/Richard, Green/Matthew
That this House congratulates the Home Secretary on his decision to accept the advice of the Police Foundation, the Advisory Committee on Drug Misuse, and the Home Affairs Select Committee to re-classify cannabis; and notes his statement that families convinced him the measure would be right because the present message, that all illegal drugs are equally dangerous, lacked credibility and increased the likelihood of the use of addictive killer drugs. Signed by: Flynn/Paul, Iddon/Brian, McWalter/Tony, Winnick/David, Jones/Jon Owen, Owen/Albert, Wright/David, Naysmith/Doug, Prentice/Gordon, Brennan/Kevin, Jones/Lynne, Meale/Alan, Gibson/Ian, Bradley/Peter, Austin/John, Simpson/Alan, Vis/Rudi, Best/Harold, Berry/Roger, Cryer/Ann, Hancock/Mike, Davis/Terry, Davidson/Ian, Caton/Martin, Lucas/Ian, Chaytor/David, Salter/Martin, Clapham/Michael, Harris/Evan, Turner/Desmond, Clwyd/Ann, Etherington/Bill, Cook/Frank, Tonge/Jenny, Cohen/Harry, Gerrard/Neil, Mahon/Alice, McDonnell/John, Sawford/Phil, Marshall-Andrews/Robert, Steinberg/Gerry, Griffiths/Jane, Jackson/Robert, Clarke/Tony
That this House congratulates the Daily Telegraph for its editorial comments 'They (the Conservatives) could win themselves broad support by allowing decriminalisation (of cannabis) for a trial period, a position we first advocated six months ago. It would begin to take power away from criminals' (9th October 2000); welcomes its view that decriminalisation is unlikely to succeed if applied only to one small area of London and that an experimental change in the law is needed everywhere (28th March 2001); and regrets the paper's recent descent into hysterical politically motivated reporting on the Home Secretary's courageous reform. Signed by: Flynn/Paul, Vis/Rudi, Iddon/Brian, Pound/Stephen, Jones/Jon Owen, Jones/Lynne, Cryer/Ann, Simpson/Alan, Caton/Martin, Salter/Martin, Lloyd/Tony, Wyatt/Derek, Turner/Desmond, Clwyd/Ann, Etherington/Bill, Cook/Frank, Wood/Mike, Tonge/Jenny, Cohen/Harry, Campbell/Ronnie, Gibson/Ian, Mahon/Alice, Palmer/Nick, McDonnell/John, Sawford/Phil, Marshall-Andrews/Robert, Steinberg/Gerry, Jackson/Robert, Clarke/Tony, Clapham/Michael On 31/10/02, an amendment was made, by Harris/Evan, to replace the word "courageous" with "half-hearted". This amendment (1678A1) was signed by: Harris/Evan
That this House congratulates the Evening Standard for its editorial comment of 6th August 2001 that 'Sooner or later Tony Blair will have to reconsider his absolute refusal to consider changes to the drugs laws'; welcomes comments by their writers on 25th October 2001 in support of 'a Home Secretary with the courage to make Whitehall's first sane announcement on cannabis in a generation, with the conclusion that the streets of London will be easier to police as a result', and on 24th October 2001 'recognises that the relaxation of cannabis laws were widely supported by those interviewed in Brixton'; and regrets the paper's recent descent into hysterical unbalanced politically motivated reporting on the Home Secretary's courageous reform. Signed by: Flynn/Paul, Vis/Rudi, Iddon/Brian, Pound/Stephen, Jones/Jon Owen, Jones/Lynne, Cryer/Ann, Simpson/Alan, Caton/Martin, Lloyd/Tony, Salter/Martin, Wyatt/Derek, Turner/Desmond, Clwyd/Ann, Etherington/Bill, Cook/Frank, Wood/Mike, Tonge/Jenny, Cohen/Harry, Campbell/Ronnie, Gibson/Ian, Mahon/Alice, Palmer/Nick, McDonnell/John, Sawford/Phil, Marshall-Andrews/Robert, Steinberg/Gerry, Jackson/Robert, Clapham/Michael On 31/10/02, an amendment was made, by Harris/Evan, to replace the word "courageous" with "half-hearted". This amendment (1679A1) was signed by: Harris/Evan
That this House congratulates the Daily Mail for its editorial comments that 'A debate is urgently needed, one that will have to examine the arguments of those including many with experience of fighting drugs, who want cannabis decriminalised' (October 2000); welcomes its recognition that the use of cannabis is an everyday fact of life and that making it illegal has failed to discourage its use (8th February 2000); further welcomes its belief that the case for a fundamental review is persuasive when millions of otherwise decent citizens routinely break the law (2nd July 2001); and regrets the paper's recent descent into hysterical politically motivated reporting on the Home Secretary's courageous reform. Signed by: Flynn/Paul, Vis/Rudi, Iddon/Brian, Pound/Stephen, Jones/Jon Owen, Jones/Lynne, Cryer/Ann, Simpson/Alan, Caton/Martin, Lloyd/Tony, Salter/Martin, Wyatt/Derek, Turner/Desmond, Clwyd/Ann, Etherington/Bill, Cook/Frank, Wood/Mike, Tonge/Jenny, Cohen/Harry, Campbell/Ronnie, Gibson/Ian, Mahon/Alice, Palmer/Nick, McDonnell/John, Sawford/Phil, Marshall-Andrews/Robert, Steinberg/Gerry, Jackson/Robert, Clapham/Michael |
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