Christopher Chope (Con, Christchurch) introduced a the Drug (Reclassification and Roadside Testing Bill under a ten minute rule motion.

The Bill would reclassify cannabis as a class B drug and make provision for the roadside testing of illegal drugs. 

Speaking about need to reclassify cannabis, Chope stated that for too long, the "Government have been pandering to the misconception that cannabis is a harmless, soft, recreational substance." Chope sought to link the use of cannabis with mental illness, pointing to a recent research study carried out by the Society for the Study of Addiction which showed that "that it will not be long before 25 per cent of new cases of schizophrenia are cannabis induced."  

The second part of the Bill deals with roadside drug testing. Chope stated that "the link between cannabis use and dangerous driving is well established," and pointed to recent studies carried out in France which found that "8.8 per cent of drivers responsible for fatal road crashes tested positive for cannabis." Chope called for the introduction of a "drugalyser" to test drivers.  

Brian Iddon (Lab, Bolton, South-East) defended the government's decision to reclassify cannabis, stated that the "reclassification of cannabis was done by the Government on the advice of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, chaired by Sir Michael Rawlins," and that "since the reclassification was established, there has been no increase in the misuse of cannabis." The problem was more complicated warned Iddon, stating “what is important here is the harm that different species of cannabis cause."  

Iddon also felt that it "early to introduce drug testing at the roadside."