Drugs: Youth Courts Committee requests cannabis reclassification talks

The Youth Courts Committee of the Magistrates Association is seeking a meeting with the home secretary to discuss the possible reclassification of cannabis.The associations chair John Fassenfelt wrote to home secretary Jacqui Smith last week requesting a meeting. The association has long been calling for a rethink over legislation around cannabis, which it believes it should be reclassified from Class C to a Class B drug.Fassenfelt said the association had held a series of meetings with MPs including crime reduction minister, Vernon Coaker and planned to speak to Smith.Weve noticed the number of young people coming into the court with an addiction to cannabis and some of them are 12 and 13 year olds who have a greater use of skunk, he said. They need to fund this greater use with criminal activity.Fassenfelt said he felt that the downgrading of cannabis from Class B to a Class C drug in 2004 gave the green light to young people who were unaware of the health risks and said the association would also be responding to the Home Offices drugs strategy.