---<br /> Britain's most senior police officer has spoken out against plans to <br /> toughen the laws on the possession of cannabis.<br /> <br /> But Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said if the <br /> Government does intend to reclassify the drug, then fixed fines should be <br /> introduced for those caught in possession of a small amount.<br /> <br /> His comments come a fortnight after Tony Blair said it had been a mistake <br /> to liberalise the cannabis law last year so that possession of small <br /> quantities did not result in an arrest.<br /> <br /> The legislation on cannabis is currently being reviewed and is widely <br /> expected to be reversed.<br /> <br /> Sir Ian urged the Government to keep the existing regime,saying arresting <br /> people for having small amounts of the drug was a "waste of time" because <br /> the courts usually gave people a caution or fine. He said: "In London, in <br /> my view, we should stay where we are."<br /> <br /> Commenting on arresting people for small quantities of cannabis, he argued: <br /> "It's a waste of time, in terms of policing, to deal with small amounts (of <br /> cannabis) because the courts and the CPS have consistently failed to do <br /> anything about it. There is no point in a police officer spending hours <br /> dealing with something the courts and the CPS don't do anything about."<br /> <br /> If there was a change, his force would push "very hard" for fixed penalties <br /> for those caught with the drug. He rejected suggestions that there should <br /> be a double classification of cannabis based on different strengths of the <br /> drug, saying it would be too difficult for officers to distinguish between <br /> powerful and weak varieties.<br /> <br /> Since February 2004 most people caught with a small amount of cannabis have <br /> been let off with a warning and the drug confiscated. The plan was to allow <br /> the police tofocus on hard drugs, such as crack and heroin. Arrests for <br /> cannabis possession in London halved over the first year of the relaxed regime.<br /> <br /> But the changes have been criticised for sending the wrong message to young <br /> people, a significant number of whom think cannabis has been legalised.<br /> <br /> Earlier this year, Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, asked the Advisory <br /> Council on the Misuse of Drugs to investigate the implication of new <br /> medical evidence linking cannabis to long-term mental problems.<br /> <br /> The Prime Minister hint ed at a possible U-turn when he said on 3 May that <br /> the reclassification "was a classic example in politics of having a very <br /> good intellectual case but I think practically on the ground you have got <br /> to be so careful of the signals you send out." <br />Aurora Indica |  B52 |  Big Bud |  California Orange Bud |  Citral |  Four Way |  Haze |  Hindu Kush |  Indoor Mix |  Jock Horror |  K2 |  Maroc x Afghan |  Northern Light x Big Bud |  Northern Light x Haze |  Northern Light x Shiva |  Shiva |  Skunk #1 |  Skunk Red Hair |  Skunk Special |  Papaya |  White Rhino |  Haze 19 x Skunk |  Afghan |  Master Kush |  Northern Light |  Super Skunk |  Top 44 |  Durban Poison |  Early Bud |  Early Girl |  Early Misty |  Early Special |  Hawaii x Maui Waui |  Hawaii x Skunk #1 |  Hollands Hope |  KC 33 x Master Kush |  Mixed Sativa |  New Purple Power |  Swazi |  Swiss Miss |  Northern Bright |  Snow White (fem.) |  Supergirl |  Venus |  Wonder Woman |  Kaya |  PPP (fem.) |  Medusa |  Blue Mystic |  Chrystal |  Ice |  Misty |  PPP |  White Widow |  Nirvana Special |  White Rhino |  Snow White |  AK-48 |  Bubblelicious |  Silver Pearl |  Haze |  Jock Horror |  Northern Light x Haze |  White Rhino |  Haze 19 x Skunk |