England is following the lead of many European countries and
becoming more tolerant of marijuana users, reports Rolling
Stone (July 4, 2002). Home Secretary David Blunkett recently
announced plans that would keep casual users of the drug out of
prison, echoing recent policies in Switzerland, Portugal, the
Netherlands, and Spain. ‘Recent research shows that cannabis is
much less harmful than nicotine, so it’s impossible to defend
banning cannabis and allowing tobacco,’ says North Wales chief
constable Richard Brunstrom, one of the country’s first law
enforcement officials to come out for decriminalization.
