After Sir Richard Branson said we should end the war on drugs yesterday, new sentencing guidance came out today. Is the farce over? Nope, but it could be showing signs of seeing some sense albeit due to the prisons being unable to take in any more people.
"Continue reading" for quotes from the usual suspects...
The Guardian says “Recreational drug users who naively buy small quantities to share with their friends could avoid jail under sentencing guidelines for drug offences published on Tuesday. The sentencing council also spells out explicitly, for the first time, that the medical use of cannabis for serious conditions should be recognised by the courts as a mitigating factor when sentencing offenders.”
Meanwhile the Telegraph focuses on serious drug mules. It says "Sentencing guidelines issued today say that offenders who play a “limited” role in gangs could face community orders for intent to supply Class A drugs. One of the changes is to reduce the sentences of drug mules, which would mean a dealer with £17,000 worth of cannabis could avoid jail."
However, later on they reprot that "Low-level operatives caught with 6kg of cannabis, 20 Ecstasy tablets, valued at £80, or five grams of heroin, valued at £300, or five grams of cocaine, valued at £250, are likely to receive a community sentence."
Interesting.
