10/01/2008 00:00:00
Letters: It may be too late to reclassify cannabis
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The effect on young people of this drug is enormous
Sir, Although it was frustrating to read of yet another government
U-turn on the classification of cannabis (report, Jan 9), it is
comforting to learn that it understands that drug classification is not
simply about terms of punishment and crime figures, but has an impact on
the general public and particularly young people.
Teenagers must not be led to believe that cannabis abuse is acceptable.
Sadly, conflicting messages have lured many into a false, and
potentially lethal, sense of security. A terrifying proportion of the
31,000 young people Drugsline visited last academic year believed that
smoking and possessing cannabis was legal. The possible damage such
misconceptions can cause is immeasurable and coupled with the growing
social acceptance of drug abuse, young people are being led towards a
dangerously blasé attitude towards addiction.
Drugsline maintains that prevention is better than cure — and, alongside
the reclassification, the Government’s focus must now be to ensure
effective, comprehensive drugs education is provided for every school pupil.
Rabbi Aryeh Sufrin
Executive Director, Drugsline
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Sir, According to your figures, about 8.25 per cent of the country’s 37
million 16-59 year-olds use cannabis. This is more than three million
people. If cannabis were reclassified as a class B drug and these people
were all imprisoned for up to five years for possession — as the law
would require — the Home Office would have to build more than 700
maximum size prisons to accommodate them.
It is hardly joined-up thinking to criminalise such a large proportion
of the population. Cannabis use clearly has some risks but prohibition
has never worked.
Andrew Holt
London N10
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Sir, Gordon Brown is not known for his recklessness, but his reported
views on cannabis fly in the face of all the mental health evidence. Why
reclassify cannabis when use is going down among the groups most at risk
from it? Mr Brown should be conserving scarce government resources for
the one thing that would make a difference to use: health education.
Next month we will release research findings which show that only 3 per
cent of users quit for legal reasons. Does he really think that average
users are going to change their habits because of a change of
classification?
Paul Jenkins
Chief Executive, Rethink
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Sir, I can’t help thinking that Gordon Brown is reclassifying cannabis
not because of new evidence but because it is a vote winner among
concerned parents.
I visit schools, hospitals, drug rehab centres and counselling services,
and listen to teachers, parents, children, counsellors, addicts and
ex-addicts, and am told by the police that the worst piece of
legislation passed by this Government was the downgrading of cannabis.
They tell me that their hands are tied and that the users believe it is
now legal and that the police will not touch them.
I have seen the devastating effects skunk has on teenagers and their
parents. This drug is mind altering and I have witnessed too many boys
who are flunking exams, giving up sport and stealing to get money for
the next fix, which is readily available in sleepy villages as well as
town centres.
Too little, too late, Mr Brown, for a number of our children.
Janice Small
Platt, Kent
Have your say:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article3167441.ece
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=13134
Author:
The Times via UKCIA
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