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You MUST reclassify cannabis: Brown gets message from police chiefs, charities, MPs and victims
Last updated at 18:07pm on 04.04.08
Regrade: Cannabis should be reclassified as a class B drug, experts have claimed
Advisers are expected to tell him that the drug should remain in Class C and not be moved to the more serious Class B from which it was downgraded in 2004.
But campaigners, police chiefs and opposition MPs said the Prime Minister must ignore the recommendation when it is delivered later this month.
He ordered the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to review the harm caused by cannabis – particularly the strong skunk variety – within days of becoming Prime Minister last July.
Yesterday it emerged that the committee feels there is too little evidence to justify reclassification.
The verdict was apparently reached after the presentation of a single piece of evidence to the 23-strong panel on Wednesday.
The unpublished study was written by one of the council's own members, Ilana Crome.
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Victim and mother: Debra Bell watched as cannabis caused her son Willam's life to fell apart
The Keele University academic is said to have found nothing to support a theory that rising cannabis use has led to more cases of schizophrenia.
However, a wealth of evidence from other academics shows an increased risk of harm, particularly to vulnerable youngsters.
Anti-drug groups expressed surprise that the committee was relying on a study by one of its own panel, when a day of public evidence in February had heard from a string of witnesses who said cannabis should return to Class B.
Its members may also have been angered by Mr Brown's comments on Tuesday that he wants cannabis reclassified.
In 2002, the panel backed softer treatment for cannabis users, leading to the downgrading of the drug two years later.
The Tories said the Government was dithering on the issue.
David Davis, the party's home affairs spokesman, said: "This shambles has been caused by Gordon Brown's complete inability to make a decision.
"Rather than take action, he took the soft option of ordering a review. He has allowed the expectation that he will reclassify to gather momentum – now he must act.
"With increasing amounts of skunk cannabis on our streets, more people needing hospital treatment and fewer people being prosecuted, we need to reclassify this drug today."
Tory leader David Cameron said: "People have had enough of reviews and the Prime Minister should stop dithering and get on and make a decision.
"All Gordon Brown offers is more dither and delay. This is a Government in desperate need of a long spell in rehab."
Marjorie Wallace, of the mental health charity Sane, described elements on the advisory council as hardline opponents of any link between cannabis and mental illness.
She said: "They may not have factored in sufficiently the frontline experience of organisations such as our own.
"Use of the drug can cause harm, not only to young people but to their families, making the outcomes worse for those with mental illness and robbing young people of their motivation and future.
"Until we conduct more studies to establish the effects of the drug on developing brains and minds, the strongest signals must be given that it can be disproportionately dangerous to those who may be at risk."
Mary Brett, of Europe Against Drugs, said: "Until a study has been peer-reviewed and published, it should not be given so much credence. There may be underlying flaws about the methodology."
In a statement, the Police Superintendents' Association said: 'Downgrading to Class C sent out the wrong message, unintentionally suggesting that cannabis was harmless and legal.
"Prolonged use of cannabis is demotivating, can cause psychotic conditions and is damaging to physical health.
"This has been exacerbated by the wider availability of stronger forms of the drug.
"Many heroin and cocaine users began their drug dependency with cannabis use in their teens."
The Association of Chief Police Officers also issued a statement, repeating its demands for the drug to be returned to Class B.
A Home Office spokesman said: "We will make a decision on cannabis classification once we have received the advisory council's advice at the end of this month."
Declassifying cannabis was intended to free up police time and allow officers to concentrate on tackling harder drugs.
Adults found carrying cannabis are unlikely to be arrested.
Compelling evidence that they chose to ignore
The decision of the Advisory Council to oppose the reclassification of cannabis appears to have been swayed by a single unpublished report by Keele University's Professor Ilana Crome – a member of its own committee.
The 23-strong council is chaired by Professor Sir Michael Rawlins, who also heads the Government's drugs rationing body the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
Many other members have medical backgrounds or represent charities, and some are known to be sceptical about reclassifying cannabis.
Professor Crome is said to claim there is nothing to support a theory that rising cannabis use had led to more cases of schizophrenia.
But anti-drug groups urged Gordon Brown to focus on the mountain of evidence which proves strong links between cannabis and crippling mental illness.
These include:
1972: Study of U.S. servicemen finds widespread cannabis smoking contributed to a five-fold rise in schizophrenia between 1968 and 1971.
1974: Researchers find cannabis could trigger latent schizophrenia, intensify symptoms and cause the condition even where it would not otherwise occur.
1981: Study of 16-year-olds in Sweden finds heavy users are three times as likely to have mental health problems by the age of 27 – a 10 per cent risk.
1986: U.S. National Institute for Drug Abuse finds schizophrenics who have smoked cannabis have worse symptoms, more relapses, need more help and are less responsive to treatment.
1987: Study following 45,000 Swedish military conscripts finds those who smoked cannabis 50 times or more by age 18 are six times more likely to suffer schizophrenia later.
2002: A 26-year study by King's College, London, shows those who began smoking it in early teens faced four-fold increase in risk of schizophrenia as adults, and established that the drug directly triggered the disease.
2003: U.S. scientists show that those using cannabis before the age of 17 are up to five times more likely to have drug and alcohol problems later in life.
January 2005: Study led by Institute of Psychiatry in London finds that one in four cannabis users are genetically predisposed to suffer mental illness due to the drug.
November 2005: Danish researchers find almost half of cannabis users who suffer a drug-induced psychotic episode will go on to develop long-term schizophrenia.
April 2007: The Institute of Psychiatry finds the most powerful active ingredient reduces activity in a part of the brain which helps keep people sane.
July 2007: Study by the universities of Cardiff, Bristol, Cambridge, and Imperial College, London, finds heavy users of cannabis are more than twice as likely to suffer mental illness.
Reader views (14)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
Once again personal opinion is entering the realm of politics, directly in the face of science. Surely it must be taken into account that these studies are on heavy use, and so surely the same could be said of alcohol? If someone was to consume 2 bottles of wine everyday would it not be fair to assume they would develop liver problems and other detrimental affects on their general health? Surely the money spent on policing could instead be put towards the education of youth as to the dangers of these substances and allow them to make an informed choice instead of creating a sub-culture of crime where teenagers are more likely to encounter drug dealers offering more dangerous substances. I can't help but feel that even if Gordon Brown realises he was wrong to so strongly denounce cannabis that he would not back down out of fear of looking weak, surely after the furore surrounding the 10p tax he would not want to appear to backtrack on yet another policy? If he does choose to go ahead with the re-classification it would not only add to the confusion of a system already belittled by the media and miss-understood by the majority of youth, but serve to further alienate an already disgruntled council.
- Nat, London
For many years in Hawaii the laws concerning cannabis were casually enforced. Strict enforcement was decreed, people went to jail and the axe fell, so to speak. Locals said, “Ok, we can't have cannabis, but we can make
amphetamines in our kitchens." Now they are dealing with a much more dangerous and extremely addictive drug in great quantities.
Walk carefully.
- Robert S Felton, Evanston IL USA
Never let science get in the way of policy -it's the Nu-Labour way
- Dave, London
Yes, come on Brown, ignore the science and listen to the fanatics (again).
- Spike, High Wycombe, Bucks
Apart from satisfying the hysterical, reclassification will make no difference whatsoever.
- Arfur Towcrate, London
Wildly exaggerated indeed!
''The Guardian understands that at the ACMD meeting, the 23 medical and drug experts heard a personal presentation on the possible mental health impacts of higher potency cannabis from psychologist Dr Martin Frisher, of Keele University pharmacy school. The presentation used unpublished data from a confidential report he has drawn up for the Home Office.
He and his colleague Professor Illana Crome, of Keele's academic psychiatry unit, used data from 183 GP practices across Britain between 1996 and 2005 to work out whether schizophrenia is on the rise, and whether it can be linked to the increase in cannabis use since the 1970s.
Their confidential paper found that between 1996 and 2005 there had been significant reductions in the incidence and prevalence of schizophrenia. From 2000 onwards there were also significant reductions in the prevalence of psychoses.
The authors say this data is "not consistent with the hypothesis that increasing cannabis use in earlier decades is associated with increasing schizophrenia or psychoses from the mid-1990s onwards."
I think you'll find that all this talk of psychosis is boulder-dash.
legalise and tax it, its the only way forward.
- Jane, Oxford
If you are against cannabis and want to see the harm it causes minimized, you must be in favour of regulation and taxation to be taken seriously. I hope you Brits get it right, don't do as the foolish Yanks do. The prison-industrial complex is not want you want.
- James Stephens, USA
Cannabis, without a doubt,changed the personality of my son when he was in his mid to late teens. Previously well balanced, he became paranoid and aggressive. I do not accept it is harmless.
- Libby, London
I am a pensioner in a block of flats designed for the elderly
Sheffield council has put 2 cannabis drug users / dealers directly below me and my wife
we have this choking stench drifting in to our home 24hrs a day and no one in authority will help us.
- John Winston Beatson, Sheffield, England
Lets not let science, experience and knowledge get in the way of political decisions.
Mental people drink and mental people smoke cannabis.
As for the rubbish about skunk being touted by self interested groups and uninformed political muppets.
The real damage is done to the majority of people who fear being prosecuted, charged and tainted for life for the indiscretion of youth.
Prohibition gives the police an easy excuse for not dealing with the real issues in society. It is a failed policy fostered from the US that has caused nothing but crime and violence.
Remove the drug business from our housing schemes and into licenced premisis and break the deprevating chain.
Gangsters sell drugs for two reasons. 1. people want to buy it and 2. massive profits.
Remove the profits and kill the income for the criminals.
- John, London
Why isn't the headline 'Government Committee Makes Shock Common Sense Decision"?
- Moz, London
Cannabis is considerably less harmful than alcohol and tobacco.
It does not cause schizophrenia, as there has been no increase in the numbers of cases in the country since the cannabis boom started in the 1960s.
A large study of over 6,000 people published in Scientific American in May, 2006, found no link between cannabis smoking and cancer. This is likely because THC is an anti-carcinogen.
The reports of stronger cannabis were wildly exaggerated, 95% of the stuff analysed is the same as Jacqui Smith smoked at university, with 5% being 2 or 3 times stronger. Compare this with beer (4% alcohol) and spirits (40% alcohol, 10 times stronger).
Cannabis should be legalised, regulated and sold in licensed premises to over-18s only, as is alcohol and tobacco, both of which are far more dangerous to health than cannabis (class A and B, respectively).
- Dr John, London
All politicians are glove-puppets of the shadow government.
- Neil, London UK
I think they are missing the point: if the populace is doped-up, drunk or busy gambling it won't notice what a shambolic Government it has. Let's face it: a lot of the people who this affects are not likely to have had the chance to buy a home let alone worry about it being repossessed...
- Roz, Chamonix, France
