Class A drugs are the real danger

Chief Superintendent Paul Pearce spoke out after the decision, saying the debate over cannabis was distracting attention from the huge issues presented by heroin and crack cocaine. Today Brighton and Hove's senior officer explains why he believes the classification of cannabis will make no difference to the real problems caused by Class A drugs on the streets of Sussex.

It is really disappointing that once again the debate about controlled drugs has descended into the detail of whether cannabis should be classed B or C under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

The number of people who have died from the use of Class A drugs has already reached double figures in Brighton and Hove this year and we know that many of our most prolific criminals commit crime solely to finance their use of heroin or crack cocaine.

Compared with the harm that is being done, both to individuals and communities, by the use of those drugs, the classification of cannabis is largely an irrelevant side issue.

I am fully aware of the arguments that are put forward for and against cannabis being in one class or the other, including the assertion that it will send a "message", but in practical terms the decision will make little or no difference.

The way the police deal with cannabis use is unlikely to change as a result of this decision.

People caught in possession of cannabis which we have confirmed is for personal use receive a formal cannabis warning. We then seize the drugs.

We investigate cannabis dealing or people growing the drug in the same way as we always did, treating both as serious crimes.

We seek to bring dealers and cannabis before the courts.

We do no less now with it being a Class C than we did when it was a Class B in terms of cannabis factories or people who are supplying cannabis.

That isn't going to change and it never has changed.

In terms of users, the guidelines police work by are likely to stay the same.

We will do what we have done since cannabis became a Class C drug and issue warnings where appropriate.

People think when cannabis is a Class C drug we can't arrest someone.

But that is not true. The power of arrest doesn't change because it is made a Class B drug.

We do not and will not ignore possession of cannabis. It is illegal and we will deal with offenders using our full range of powers from warning to arrest as appropriate in the circumstances.

I'm not expressing an opinion about the classification of cannabis because it is not relevant to the debate about controlled drugs. I understand all the arguments around how serious the use of cannabis can be for users but I am firmly of the view that if there has to be a debate about classification it should concentrate on the wider effect on communities, not the health impact on users.

What I can say unequivocally is that a huge proportion of acquisitive crime, such as theft, burglary or car crime, in the city of Brighton and Hove is committed by people who take crack and heroin.

Cannabis is something people often blame their criminality on but criminals will rely on any excuse that they or their solicitors can think of.

They tend to rely on medical evidence that suggests if you take cannabis you might do this or you might do that.

The thing about Class A drugs is there is no might': we know people are more likely to commit crime if they take heroin or crack because many simply cannot fund their habit legally.

There have been some tragic cases of murders among teenagers in Sussex where cannabis has been involved.

But the number of homicides linked to alcohol is greater - and we are not even having a debate about whether we should criminalise alcohol.

I'm not saying there aren't health risks associated with cannabis.

But when you compare them with what we know happens around Class A drugs, in my view we have to prioritise.

Since 2005, police in Brighton and Hove, in partnership with other agencies, have been running Operation Reduction to fight the crimes associated with heroin and crack cocaine.

The combination of effective Class A drug treatment and relentless enforcement against those who deal in heroin and crack has reduced crime and got many of those in treatment away from heroin and crack cocaine.

But the fact that people are still dying shows we must keep up the pressure.

We target Class A dealers and work with outreach groups to get addicts into treatment.

But Operation Reduction isn't the solution to the drug problem. It doesn't get to people before they take drugs.

If we were to broaden out the debate to questions like offering Class A drugs on prescription under controlled circumstances, you might find the police wouldn't have to have operations like Reduction.

If we were to take all the political brakes off that stop people talking about controversial things like decriminalisation we might get an even better solution.

I'm not saying I support decriminalisation.

It is a very complex issue.

I want the public to know that in relation to controlled drugs we will continue to concentrate on harm reduction for users and those who may become victims of drug-related criminality.

But we have got to look at the bigger picture of what is going on.

My comments are made from the city's point of view. I'm trying to ensure people know what the real issues are around drugs.

The debate around decriminalisation should be had but it is a shame that the debate is being subsumed by trivia.