FROM Downing Street's outright rejection and the Tories' immediate hostility, it can be seen how big was the risk that the Liberal Democrats' new leader, Charles Kennedy, took in calling for a rethink of the country's drugs laws.

It is the first time that a leader of a mainstream party has gone so far - chancing, in the process, the prospect of voters believing that he and his party are in favour of the legalisation of cannabis.

Mr Kennedy is brave to risk the wrath of those who are horrified by the notion of accommodating drug users.

But all he is actually doing is calling for a Royal Commission to look at the existing laws and for a debate to be prompted into one of the greatest problems facing our society.

There is no harm in that.

But young Mr Kennedy may have harmed his party already simply by seeming to be pro-pot.

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