Working with Weed
The British conservative classes are in uproar, it’s what they do best. They have found themselves in a rear guard battle against their most favourite of institutions, not marriage but the Constabulary. The Association of Police Commanders, has issued guidelines for the local bobby across the nation on ganja, and it violates the logic of a generation, go for the dealers, not the casual smoker, target heroin addicts with rehab referrals in their bail conditions. Denial is no longer possible in British society.
This need for denial at the centre of public morality is a curious demand, one of a short term concern to be seen to do the right thing, rather than solve the problem of drug related crime, Higgins sees this as the main issue for York, "people that come through the door need help", and so referral to organizations that can help the addict has become one of the main priorities allied to new drugs policy in Britain. The problem is, that on the local scale it works a little too well, there has been a "significant reduction on offences and victims in York", Higgins commented. But at what price? Hasn’t something been lost, the binding principles of this green and pleasant land, the battle against those smelly hippies, come the cries of hallowed mythical Middle England, wherever that may be.
But this is no longer an issue of lentil chewers at Glastonbury. In short, as the private school lovelies of the Home Counties pass the bong in dorms, the demand for munchies echoes throughout the British youth, as well as in the halls of York. Reclassification to Class C, is not an open invitation to have a public joint with your pint on a Sunday afternoon, Higgins suggests the outcome will rather be to "allow people to possess it, but appropriately". In targeting dealers, this new policy is not the liberal sop portrayed, but in fact "policing of the drug won’t necessarily change that much".
Suburbia can sit back comfortably in their favourite armchair once more, Titchmarsh won’t be recommending how to grow your very own batch, and nor will there be skunk gardening competitions alongside oversized leeks and marrows, just a few students attempting to turn their economy room into a walk in bong.
Will the University keep in step with these new times? Higgins admits that the Police have little contact with the University on this issue, for it isn’t a massive one on campus, she does recommend that "all organisations will have to update their strategy". And York appears to be a bastion of liberalism, or at least a minor fort of discretion, Hilary Layton, our dear communications officer remarked to nouse "the University takes disciplinary action in the light of any police actions". So the Uni won’t be outraged from Tunbridge Wells, bothering police over the actions of a sociology student, because a little resin will, after January 29th carry the penalty of confiscation, not arrest, and there have been few unequivocal cases in recent years, "every year the Provosts deal informally with suspected ie. not proven, cannabis use by speaking to those concerned and putting out warning notices".
The scaremongering that a change in policy will "only cause further confusion for the police and the public", as Oliver Letwin screamed at the announcement by the government, may be the death throes of denial in the British consciousness, as Higgins appeared to be fairly unconfused as to the reality. Problematic drug use is the cause of crime, and only with the help of the community can policing of pushers be most effectively engaged in society, "policing with consent" are the buzz words of North Yorkshire Police. This is more than merely curtain twitching and gossiping at the garden gate, community liason is part of the new policing, local campaigns on the new laws as well as contacts within the areas most blighted by crack and heroin in York are being coordinated if this policy is to work, hence why Higgins admits that contacts with the campus community are "a little bit sketchy" but intended to be improved as the confusion that Letwin predicts is cleared up.
Is York in a state of denial? Does it demand the upholding of archaism and the uncoordinated use of police time in the name of the right thing? Higgins reveals that York, in the very heart of Middle England is a conscientious place, "People are very proud of their city". The roots of this pride are as much in the possibly not so altruistic concerns for business and tourism, as well as for the protection of the city’s community, a recreational toke doesn’t damage this, heroin fuelled mugging does.
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