gelatik
10.03.02, 04:53
The Liberal Democrats have voted in favour of the legalisation of cannabis -
the first main UK party to support such a radical move.
The party's leadership had recommended decriminalising the drug but delegates
went a step further and chose legalisation, at the spring conference in
Manchester.
They also voted for an end to imprisonment for the possession of any illegal
drug - including heroin and cocaine - and backed the downgrading of ecstasy
from a Class A to a Class B drug.
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Simon Hughes said the move
was "responsible, realistic and progressive".
Describing the prosecution of cannabis users as "a waste of time", he said his
party's approach stood for "help for the addict, punishment for the dealer".
The party's leader Charles Kennedy has previously backed legalisation but did
not take part in Saturday's discussion or vote.
Afterwards, Mr Kennedy said that taken as a whole, the package - which calls
for more rehabilitation facilities and tougher sentences for those caught
selling drugs near schools - was an appropriate response to the problem.
But the Labour party denounced the move, saying the Liberal Democrats had "lost
touch with the real world" where drugs policy is concerned.
"Ecstasy is a dangerous drug that kills and grading it from Class A to Class B
would be foolhardy and irresponsible," a spokeswoman said.
"Abolishing jail sentences for drugs like cocaine and heroin would lead to more
drug use and more drug-related crime."
