Police to use discretion on cannabis.

MERSEYSIDE police will continue to let many cannabis smokers off with a warning, despite the government's U-turn yesterday, which will upgrade the drug back to class B.

The force, which will play a key role in drawing up a new sliding scale of punishments, is insisting on the "discretion" only to prosecute repeat offenders to ease the burden on its officers.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith defied the advice of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), whose report concluded the health dangers from cannabis did not justify moving it back to class B.

Merseyside police declined to say how it would get tougher with cannabis users ahead of proposals to go to the Home Office from the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo).

However, assistant chief constable Simon Byrne for Acpo said: "Acpo believes the service should retain ... this flexibility in dealing with instances of possession on the street, including the discretion to issue warnings in appropriate circumstances."