PARENTS in west Wiltshire have slammed government plans to downgrade cannabis saying it will encourage young people to take up the drug.

Their fears come as Wiltshire policeplan to scrap its drugs squad despite promises to clamp-down on dealers targeting the county's streets.

Many police officers are appalled by the proposals and have said they fear for the future of fighting drugs in towns. The threat comes as the force carries out a review of services in light of recent government legislation.

One Wiltshire police officer, who did not want to be named, said: "Nobody in the job is happy about this. We all want the drugs unit.

"Nicking somebody for drugs is one really positive thing you can do.

"Everyone knows that so much other crime is related to it. To close it down would be a travesty."

The drugs unit, based at Melksham and covering the whole of north and west Wiltshire, is made up of three highly specialised officers.

Parents who want to protect their children from the dangers of drugs believe the reclassification of cannabis coupled with the drugs unit threat will cause massive problems in the county.

Helen Meikle, from Warminster based group Parents Against Drugs, said: "Young people have already got the perception that there is no problem with cannabis. They say there is no harm in it and it causes no more problems than alcohol.

"But to get it they are going to a drug dealer so they are coming into contact with a criminal element, and this is where they can be offered harder drugs.

Wiltshire Police spokesman, Pc Andy Fortune, said it was common knowledge most people with Class A drug habits started off smoking cannabis.

Government proposals allowing people caught in possession of cannabis to be cautioned, instead of arrested, is aimed at freeing up more officers to concentrate on dealers. Ministers hope this will cut out the supply of drugs into Britain's cities, towns and villages.

If the proposals go ahead Cannabis could be a Class C drug by next July.

Crime figures released by the Home Office last week revealed a direct link between drugs and a rise in burglaries across Wiltshire.

With news leaking of the proposed drug unit closure along with the softening of cannabis laws, many officers fear the figures will dramatically increase next year.