13/12/2007 00:00:00
Letter: Never Forget the Influence of This Devastating Drug
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As A retired Detective Inspector with Staffordshire Police, a huge
amount of my lengthy service was spent in involvement with drugs. I
worked for three years as a frontline detective in the 1980s with the
Staffordshire Police drugs squad, involved with nothing other than drug
abuse, drug dealing and numerous drug-related deaths. I can honestly say
with my hand on my heart that every single drug user who I dealt with,
for whatever kind of illegal drug, who cared to tell me of his or her
background, always claimed that their very first experience of illegal
drugs had been by smoking cannabis. Even the amphetamine users from the
old Northern Soul music scene would tell me that had it not been for
cannabis they would not have had the courage to try 'speed'. LSD users
were, without exception, found to have had a prior drug experience with
cannabis, as were the 'users' of the Class-A drugs that were available
years ago. Had it not been for cannabis they would not have progressed
to the use of these other drugs. Cannabis undoubtedly poisons the mind,
and very often will lead to some form of psychological problems, if not
schizophrenia. If it were possible to establish just how many people are
currently in mental hospitals as a direct result of cannabis it would be
astonishing. Not everyone, of course, is affected by cannabis in the
ways I have described, but very few will be able to formulate an
objective and sincere opinion on the subject when confronted with a
sensible opposing view. The debate will more often than not turn into a
tirade of examples of what a mind-expanding experience it is, which
should be enjoyed by everyone, and that you cannot form an opinion
unless you have tried it. Dilys Wood's eloquent letter (The Sentinel,
December 3
http://ccguide.org.uk/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=13055),
contains facts, figures, statistics and quotes which she writes in an
effort to convert the 'un-poisoned' minds of people who have never used
cannabis, into her way of thinking. I have yet to find a person who
holds strong views supporting the legalisation of cannabis, who have not
themselves used the drug.I feel that the situation is so serious that no
person who has used the drug should be allowed to vote in any way on the
subject, as their view point will possibly be biased in favour of
cannabis as a result of their use of the substance. If cannabis were to
be reclassified again I would be happy for it to placed where it should
be - in the category of the very dangerous drug that it is - A.
Unfortunately, people do often need to be protected from themselves in
some circumstances, and this is one reason why we must have laws telling
us what we can and cannot do. Some people take a long time to grow up
and formulate sensible, intelligent and caring views. Often in the case
of cannabis users, their objective judgment is permanently clouded at an
early age. Cannabis is not the 'relatively harmless' drug that Dilys
Wood suggests is the case 'when used in moderation'. If she suggests
that it is 'relatively' harmless then, by her own admission, it is
harmful. Moderation is the only unknown in the equation; how you can
moderate a person's use once they have started? I would ask Dilys if she
believes she could 'convert' two friends of mine, both mothers living in
Newcastle, whose children's lives have been ruined by cannabis since my
retirement. One whose child committed suicide after years of mental
illness, and the other whose son has had his life shattered with
schizophrenia. Maybe she would like to know of a very dear friend of
mine who suffered terrible mental illness due to cannabis use. Apathy
seems to have engulfed the police service in general about drug law
enforcement, and many senior police officers are heard with wild and
outlandish ideas. The Chief Constable of North Wales, Richard Brunstrom,
is no exception, with his utterly crazy suggestions that all classified
drugs should be legalised. Perhaps Dilys should join forces with
Brunstrom, I think they'd get on well.
JOHN PYE Newcastle
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=13074
Author:
The Sentinel via UKCIA
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