Brown set to ignore drug advice

Updated 13.36 Mon Apr 28 2008

Keywords: Advisory Council of the Misuse of Drugs, Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown is likely to have the classification of cannabis upgraded despite drug experts recommending it should remain at Class C.

Mr Brown has hinted heavily he will be ignoring the expert advice from The Advisory Council of the Misuse of Drugs and have it changed to Class B status.

Mr Brown prefers a more hardline stance to send a message that drugs are dangerous to young people's health and heavily linked to serious crime

The Prime Minister is reportedly planning to change the law as early as next week because of concerns about the link with mental illness.

He prefers a more hardline stance to send a message that drugs are dangerous to young people's health and heavily linked to serious crime.

The Advisory Council is supposed to be the most senior authority on drugs policy and was asked by Mr Brown to review the law amid concerns over stronger forms of cannabis that are linked to mental illness in long-term abusers.

With 23 experts in drugs on its staff, the advisory council has never before been ignored by the Government.