Free Republic

The D.C. Council is considering legislation that would prevent vendors such as gas stations and liquor stores from buying and selling items that could enable illegal drug use. The proposed legislation, which amends drug-paraphernalia legislation passed in 1982, would make it illegal to sell cigarette rolling papers or cigar leaf wrappers in stores that make less than 5 percent of their revenue from the sale of tobacco. "There are some things that are normally only used for illegal drugs," said council member Phil Mendelson, an at-large Democrat who is running for re-election. "We want to make it illegal for users...

Cannabis poses a greater threat to health than tobacco, lung experts have warned. The warning comes on the day that Home Secretary David Blunkett is due to make a Commons statement about the future of government drug policy. Many young people are simply not aware that smoking cannabis may put them at increased risk of respiratory cancers and infections . Dame Helena Shovelton: The Home Affairs Select Committee has recommended that cannabis is downgraded from a class B drug to class C. This would mean that possession would lead to a caution, rather than arrest. The British Lung Foundation is...