Has cannabis reclassification worked?

Thursday, 29 July 2004 12:00 AM

Today is the six-month anniversary of the formal reclassification of cannabis to a Class C drug.

Cannabis is still illegal and users can be arrested if they smoke in public, or near children, but individuals will no longer be automatically arrested for possessing a small amount of the drug.

At the time of the reclassification the Government argued that it would give greater credibility to their drugs message, and allow police to concentrate on Class A drugs such as heroin, which pose the greatest danger to both society and peoples' health.

The Conservatives though have promised to reverse the downgrading immediately if they come to power. Shadow Home Secretary, David Davis, said: "Six months after cannabis was downgraded, it is time to remind people why this move was wrong.

"It is wrong because it sent out the message to millions of young people that smoking cannabis is harmless. It is not. It causes several health problems which are often physical as well as mental. People who use cannabis in their teens are up to seven times more likely to develop psychosis or manic depression.

"The reclassification of cannabis was also wrong because it made the streets more difficult to police. Police are left bewildered by the changes and confusion is rife as to how to treat blatant smokers who break the law in public. It is linked to anti-social behaviour with over half of young people excluded from school having tried the drug.

"The excuse that downgrading cannabis was necessary to let police focus on hard drugs is simply not true. Policing is all about priorities. According to the police, it did not need to be reclassified to be reprioritised. The Government will say that less people have been arrested as a result. What spin! Of course the number of arrests will fall if police are told not to arrest cannabis users!

"How can parents be expected to tell their children cannabis is bad when the Government treats it as harmless?"

The Government have always denied that they treat cannabis as harmless and today the Home Office launched a new leaflet aimed at young people explaining the health problems associated with cannabis.

It warns that as cannabis is often smoked with tobacco all of the tobacco associated risks apply, and that the drug is known to contribute to problems such as anxiety and paranoia and can worsen existing mental health conditions such as schizophrenia.

Home Office Minister Caroline Flint said: "Mentor's leaflet will complement the wider information that the FRANK campaign will be disseminating throughout the year to alert young people to the health risks that are associated with cannabis use.

"All controlled drugs are harmful and young people and their families need credible and realistic information about the dangers of drug misuse. The Government is committed to highlighting the health risks associated with cannabis use and ensuring information is widely distributed to young people, their parents and teachers."

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