Experts Criticize Police And Crime Commissioners in West England to Reclassify Cannabis

Mark Shelford, PCC for Avon and Somerset, wants to crack down on people using the so-called recreational drugs. But his own force uses other measures, prosecuting few for possession and educating people instead. Drug expert Prof David Nutt said making such a call was a "failure to learn the lessons of history". The calls are echoed by some in government, but criticized by many experts and health professionals.

Prof Nutt, a neuropsychopharmacologist specializing in the research of drugs, said the call to reclassify cannabis was a "complete failure to learn lessons of history".

A Home Office spokesperson said tackling drug use was a priority for the government. "Our White Paper on New Consequences for Drug Possession sets out proposals for tackling demand and we have welcomed views on this," they added."We will be publishing our response in due course."