UK: Britain refuses to get tough on cannabis law
published: Friday | January 20, 2006

LONDON, (REUTERS):

Britain has rejected calls to toughen the law on cannabis, despite new evidence of its links with mental illness.

The government ruled in 2004 that possessing small amounts should generally no longer lead to arrest, downgrading the drug to Class C, putting it in the same legal category as tranquillisers and anabolic steroids.

Some mental health professionals had called on Home Secretary Charles Clarke to reverse that decision.