May 7, 2008 11:31

Government expected to reclassify cannabis to Class B

Gordon Brown accused of ignoring expert drug advice

The Government is expected to move to reclassify cannabis as a Class B drug.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is expected to make a statement to the House Of Commons today (May 7) outlining the Government's stance on the drug.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown is known to favour the reclassification.

Brown's stance contradicts the view of the Advisory Council Of The Misuse Of Drugs (ACMD), who, after looking into the issue, have recommended that cannabis should remain a Class C drug.

It is the ACMD's job to provide expertise on classification to the Government.

The ACMD's stance is partly based on a report compiled by judges, doctors, police and drug counsellors, reports BBC News.

The body argues that cannabis does less harm to users than Class B drugs.

However Gordon Brown is being accused of disregarding the advice of the experts.

Martin Barnes from drug charity Drugscope said: "The advisory council will be saying, as they did in their previous report, that rather than base policy on speculation or anxiety, it needs to be based on evidence."