Euro MP arrested for cannabis possession

Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies says his deliberate act was to support the imprisoned owner of Britain's first Dutch-style "coffee shop".

But senior Force officers say they are merely enforcing the law, and it's up to people like Mr Davies to change them if he doesn't agree with them.

The MEP was arrested at a Stockport police station on Saturday (Dec 15) for possession of a tiny quantity of cannabis resin on a postage stamp. He was charged, and will appear in court on Thursday, (Dec 20).

Mr Davies said he was "glad" to have been arrested, and says the law urgently needs to be reformed.

"Last year nearly 800 young people in Britain died of alcohol-induced cirrhosis of the liver," he said. "Not one person died from the health effects of cannabis, yet 50,000 people were arrested for possession of the drug. "It is not surprising that many police officers admit that they have better things to do with their time than arrest people for a supposed offence which causes no harm to anyone else."

However, Mr Med Hughes, assistant chief constable, said Mr Davies had wasted the time of hard-working police officers.

"Greater Manchester Police will continue to enforce drugs laws until changes are made in our democratic institutions," he said.

"We do not believe any force could tolerate the sale of drugs openly in their area.

"It would be better if MEPs occupied themselves in the law-making institutions for which they are paid, rather than distracting police officers from their important work.

"I suggest politicians who have the privilege of access to

those institutions focus on changing such laws if that is their aim."

Mr Hughes added: "Those who seek to protest at Britain's drug laws should remember that the implications of receiving a caution or conviction for possession can have a significant employment or international travel consequences. While privileged MPs need not worry about such things, other people will."