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Clear advice is more important in the cannabis debate

Saturday, 10 May 2008

Cannabis Debate continues Jacqui Smith’s decision to upgrade cannabis to Class B from Class C is pure political posturing designed to persuade Middle England that the Government is tough on drugs. Classification is irrelevant. How many 14 year olds, about to puff on their first joint, will have any idea whether the drug they are ingesting is class C or B or what it means?

Far more helpful to parents and to those young people bent on trying the drug would be clear advice about how to minimise the risks. Cannabis is Britain’s most popular illegal drug used by 2.5 million people a year. Threatening users with an increase in the maximum prison sentence from two years (under Class C) to five years (Class B) for possession will not stop them experimenting.

While warning young people about the dangers, we should also advise them of practical measures they can take to reduce the harm. First while tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active substance in cannabis that gives the “high”, may trigger psychosis in vulnerable people, there are suggestions that the presence of cannabidiol can counter the effect, rendering the drug safer. Skunk, which accounts for 80 per cent of the market, contains very little cannabidiol (less than 0.1 per cent), as does herbal cannabis (grass) but resin (hash) contains more (3.5 per cent). This is far from proven, but if you are determined to use cannabis it may make sense to stick to hash, rather than skunk or grass.

Second, skunk (average THC content 16.1 per cent) is much stronger than resin (5.9 per cent) or herbal (8.3 per cent). So when smoking skunk, be aware how strong it is and inhale less – just as you would approach a bottle of whisky with more respect than a pint of beer.

cannabis cultivation Third, there is some suggestion that people who experience feelings of paranoia when they first smoke cannabis may be at increased risk of psychosis. This is far from proven and it may turn out that the reverse is true. But if you get paranoid feelings when you smoke then it may be wise to heed the warnings and desist.

We cannot stop people trying cannabis and exhortations to refuse it are bound to fall on deaf ears. What we can and should do is try to reduce the harm it causes. More research on each of the above items is urgently needed – rather than making empty political gestures this is what the government should be backing.

Jeremy Laurance | Permalink