Howard attacks cannabis downgrade

TORY leader Michael Howard yesterday refused to say whether he had ever smoked cannabis, after denouncing the Government’s decision to downgrade the drug as “absurd”.

Mr Howard, who has pledged that a future Conservative government would reverse the policy, was challenged by Home Secretary David Blunkett to reveal whether he had used cannabis in the past.

The row intensified as a £1 million Government advertising campaign was launched to remind the public that the drug will be reclassified from Class B to Class C next week.