Durham PCC Ron Hogg relaxes prosecutions for cannabis users Published duration 21 July 2015

image copyright Labour Party image caption Mr Hogg said going looking for somebody smoking drugs was not a "key priority" for the force

Durham's police and crime commissioner Ron Hogg is offering cannabis users the chance to avoid prosecution in a bid to stop a "cycle of reoffending".

Mr Hogg wants to see users of the class B drug in County Durham and Darlington entered onto a course to deal with their habit rather than being arrested.

The Checkpoint programme aims to stop reoffending by diverting addicts away from their habit.

A spokesman for Addiction UK said it sent a message that "drugs are OK".

Those who are caught with cannabis will swap a conviction for a Checkpoint contract where users will work with Durham Constabulary to tackle their drug habit.

Mr Hogg said: "Traditionally what would have happened is people would have been arrested for using cannabis, sometimes imprisoned and it just maintained a cycle of reoffending in and out of prison.

"We want to try and break that cycle whilst also having a sensible debate around cannabis.

"If they fail to engage then we will prosecute."

'Mental health'

Simon Stephens, director of casework for Addiction UK, said: "Essentially, I'm coming at this from a health perspective - I think that his comments aren't particularly helpful.

"It does send a message that drugs are OK - there can be no doubt that there a significant amount of people with mental health problems brought on by cannabis."

Mr Hogg said going looking for somebody smoking drugs was not a "key priority" for the force.

He said: "If communities complain about people using cannabis, we will deal with that, we will deal with that proactively."