Smith set to reclassify cannabis

The downgrading of cannabis is today expected to be reversed by the home secretary.

Jacqui Smith is set to reject the recommendations of a review and say that the drug will again be classified as class 'B'.

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs that carried out the review will say that cannabis should remains at class 'C', to which it was downgraded under Tony Blair.

But Gordon Brown is understood to be keen that the drug is reclassified to class 'B' amid particular concerns about the prevalence of the stronger "skunk" variety.

The prime minister is said to want to send a signal to youngsters that the government does not approve of cannabis use, after protests that its class 'C' status sent out mixed messages.

The advisory council today publishes its report - which was passed to ministers last week - as Smith makes a statement to MPs on the government's stance.

The report has been compiled by a group of experts, including doctors, police, judges and drug counsellors, who are thought to have concluded that cannabis should remain at class 'C'.

Jane Harris, of the mental health charity Rethink, said reclassifying cannabis would make little difference and education is what is really needed.

She said the charity wants the government to make it compulsory for warnings about cannabis to be put on packets of rolling paper.

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