04/02/2008 00:00:00
UK: Cannabis re-classification failed
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Two reviews of the decision to re-classify cannabis in 2004 have found
that it hasn't freed up police time and that there's been a huge rise in
the number of under-18s with cannabis-related mental illness.
This comes as the government's advisory council on the misuse of drugs
prepares hold its one and only public meeting tomorrow.
Channel 4 News understands that another body, the UK Drug Policy
Commission, hasn't found enough new evidence for reclassification of the
drug, despite hints from Gordon Brown that he wants this to happen.
When the government downgraded cannabis to a Class C drug, it was
expected that police time would be freed up to concentrate on serious crime.
Channel 4 News has discovered that a private survey of all 43 police
forces has concluded that this hasn't happened.
The Treatment Agency has also found a 300 per cent rise in the number of
young people being treated for cannabis-related mental health problems.
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/health/cannabis+reclassification+failed+/1480047
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=13248
Author:
Channel 4 News via UKCIA
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