Friday, October 20, 2006

Criticism of Cannabis Reclassification

The Herald is here highlighting the growing incidence of mental health problems which seem strongly related to heavy cannabis consumption. Neil McKeganey, professor of drug misuse research at Glasgow University, the British Journal of Psychiatry and Swedish and Dutch studies are mentioned in linking heavy cannabis use with psychosis or depression especially amongst younger people. The article rightly deplores the relative lack of research on this drug and criticizes the inevitable political point-scoring that will likely occur at the next election between the authoritarian and the liberal over the drugs issue instead of a focus on the science and on practical outcomes such as giving teenagers more warnings over the dangers of cannabis.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

There it is again, skunk is stronger so its more dangerous. Do people drink a pint of vodka?

And of course the classic assumption that if we moved it up to Class B use would go down.

Blair Anderson said...

Where hashish, skunk, or oil is legal, stronger or more available, it's consumption is no more compulsory nor laudable.

However, as possession thereof is criminal it makes the consumption of 'any left' mandatory.

Such is the matrix of dysfunction!

ally said...

Keeping it illegal does not make any difference to useage. If anything it exacerbates the probelms. Currently there is little Cannabis available on the street due to police seizures and the price has therefor doubled! Consequently some are smoking heroin instead because it is more widely available and its cheaper - And they call this 'winning the war'