I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with your correspondent Andy Grade, when he states that we should not attempt to 'make a joke' out of drug use (Your Views, Thursday, October, 19).

I am sorry that he has perhaps misconstrued my recent confession to having twice tried cannabis in my late teens as an endorsement of the drugs culture, this was certainly not my intention.

In fact, in the article to which your correspondent referred, I did not condone my youthful experimentation, I simply answered a straightforward question with a straightforward and honest answer.

Unfortunately, I do not agree with the proposal that those arrested for the possession of small amounts of cannabis should be hit with a fixed penalty fine, sadly cannabis use is now so widespread that the police were the first to condemn the proposal as unworkable and unenforceable.

I do not believe it is in the public's best interest to introduce unenforceable new legislation, which would divert police resources from the far more important task of targeting those who profit from the supply of illegal drugs whether cannabis, cocaine, heroin or the so-called designer drugs.

The proposed crackdown on cannabis users also singularly failed to address the issue of those who utilise the drug for relief from medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis.

Under the proposals outlined by the Shadow Home Secretary, the police would potentially be issuing fines to every MS sufferer caught possessing cannabis, with which they seek to gain temporary relief from their debilitating condition, is this really what we want?

There are strong arguments both for the continued prohibition and the legalisation of the drugs trade, but until we have a mature, calm and educated public debate, I think we must be realistic in our approach.

I do not believe that we can afford to direct already scarce police resources towards a crackdown on the many millions of citizens who use cannabis, on either a regular or occasional basis.

As your correspondent rightly pointed out, drugs are no laughing matter, and I certainly would not condone illegal drug use, but perhaps the time has now arrived when we can have a mature and reflective debate about the whole issue.

James Stevens

Prospective Parliamentary Candidate

New Hall Lane

Heaton

Bolton