London, United Kingdom: A powerful House of Commons committee is poised to begin a formal inquiry into the decriminalization of marijuana. The move comes amid growing political pressure from several high-ranking government officials and law enforcement agencies, including Scotland Yard, to liberalize England's pot laws.

    "There is a big debate [regarding marijuana policy] going on outside Parliament among serious people in the criminal justice system," announced House Affairs Committee Chairman Chris Mullin, who will oversee the inquiry. "Until now, politicians have tended to shy away from it but we think the time has come for a serious assessment of the way we deal with drugs."
    According to the results of a July 15 Guardian Unlimited - ICM opinion poll, 65 percent of Britons believe prosecuting pot offenders should be law enforcement's lowest priority.
    The committee will commence in October to debate the pros and cons of decriminalization and other "practical alternatives" to marijuana prohibition. Legislators are expected to strongly consider the recommendations of Britain's Police Foundation - an independent criminal justice research organization - which last year endorsed removing criminal penalties for pot possession. Last month, newly appointed British Home Office Secretary David Blunkett called on Parliament to begin an "adult, intelligent debate" on Britain's marijuana policies. Since then, several prominent legislators, including former Tory deputy leader Peter Lilley have spoken out in favor of legalizing marijuana.
    "Nothing could more vividly dramatize [the] reaffirmation of our belief in freedom and personal responsibility than to move clearly in favor of liberalizing the law on cannabis," said Lilley, who supports legalizing pot sales to citizens 18-years-old and over.
    This week's announcement is the latest in a series of sweeping drug policy reforms taking place in England. Recently, government officials ordered police and custom officers to cease targeting marijuana violators - including smugglers and dealers - and instead focus their efforts on Class A (hard) drugs. The move followed a decision by Scotland Yard to issue verbal warnings to pot offenders in southern London in lieu of fines or arrest. In addition, MP Jon Owens Jones (Cardiff Central), a former Labour and Welsh Health Minister, introduced legislation last week in the House of Commons to "legalize and regulate the sale, supply and use of cannabis for recreational and therapeutic purposes."
    Jones said he backs legalization because "the U.K. has the most coercive laws in Europe on cannabis, yet the highest usage. It's time to acknowledge the war on drugs is just not winnable."
    The Home Affairs Committee is not expected to complete its inquiry until fall 2002.

Source: US-NORML