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Cannabis: healthy benefit or deadly threat? Cannabis: healthy benefit or deadly threat?
(35 minutes later)
When the first controls on cannabis were introduced in the UK, few people had ever heard of it. Occasionally a foreign visitor would be arrested with hashish – but only because it was mistaken for the much more notorious opium.When the first controls on cannabis were introduced in the UK, few people had ever heard of it. Occasionally a foreign visitor would be arrested with hashish – but only because it was mistaken for the much more notorious opium.
Apart from the odd tabloid scare, few saw cannabis as a serious threat. The Home Office resisted calls to ban it, while one government official dismissed it as a curiosity, “occasionally taken as an experiment by persons interested in oriental vices”.Apart from the odd tabloid scare, few saw cannabis as a serious threat. The Home Office resisted calls to ban it, while one government official dismissed it as a curiosity, “occasionally taken as an experiment by persons interested in oriental vices”.
Cannabis only appeared on the Dangerous Drugs Act 1925 as part of a deal with Egypt, which had reciprocally agreed to control coca leaves and opium. It was passed by the Commons after a five-minute debate that didn’t even mention the flowering annual.Cannabis only appeared on the Dangerous Drugs Act 1925 as part of a deal with Egypt, which had reciprocally agreed to control coca leaves and opium. It was passed by the Commons after a five-minute debate that didn’t even mention the flowering annual.
Related: Ex-police chief to head pro-legalisation National Cannabis CoalitionRelated: Ex-police chief to head pro-legalisation National Cannabis Coalition
However, on Monday, MPs will get the chance to have that debate after 221,000 people signed a petition calling for them to discuss the legalisation of the production, sale and use of cannabis. Doing so, the petition says, would save millions from police budgets and bring in millions more in taxes.However, on Monday, MPs will get the chance to have that debate after 221,000 people signed a petition calling for them to discuss the legalisation of the production, sale and use of cannabis. Doing so, the petition says, would save millions from police budgets and bring in millions more in taxes.
In the nine decades since it was banned, cannabis has gone from an “oriental curiosity” to Britain’s most widely used narcotic drug. About 2.2 million people in England and Wales have smoked it in the past year, down from a high of nearly 3.2 million in 2001.In the nine decades since it was banned, cannabis has gone from an “oriental curiosity” to Britain’s most widely used narcotic drug. About 2.2 million people in England and Wales have smoked it in the past year, down from a high of nearly 3.2 million in 2001.
In 2013, the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex estimated that legalising cannabis would save the UK between £500m and £1.25bn in costs, while raising a tax revenue of £400m-£900m. That far outweighed estimates of the net costs of the impact on physical and mental health, ranging from zero to around £85m.In 2013, the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex estimated that legalising cannabis would save the UK between £500m and £1.25bn in costs, while raising a tax revenue of £400m-£900m. That far outweighed estimates of the net costs of the impact on physical and mental health, ranging from zero to around £85m.
With so many people using cannabis, the real harm was in the exercising of the ban, said Jason Reed, the executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition UK.With so many people using cannabis, the real harm was in the exercising of the ban, said Jason Reed, the executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition UK.
“What the drug laws are trying to do is prevent harm by causing more of it, which doesn’t make sense,” he said.“What the drug laws are trying to do is prevent harm by causing more of it, which doesn’t make sense,” he said.
Regulating cannabis would take the market out of the hands of criminals, Reed argued. It would also protect children by ensuring age checks were in place.Regulating cannabis would take the market out of the hands of criminals, Reed argued. It would also protect children by ensuring age checks were in place.
“[Cannabis] is controlled by the worst people, the hardest criminals,” he said. “It can only go up from this point if you want to reduce harms.”“[Cannabis] is controlled by the worst people, the hardest criminals,” he said. “It can only go up from this point if you want to reduce harms.”
But the government is against liberalisation, with ministers’ response to the petition being that cannabis can “unquestionably cause harm to individuals and society”.But the government is against liberalisation, with ministers’ response to the petition being that cannabis can “unquestionably cause harm to individuals and society”.
Mary Brett, of the Cannabis Skunk Sense charity, supports that view. A biology teacher for about 30 years, she said the worst effects of cannabis were on the young.Mary Brett, of the Cannabis Skunk Sense charity, supports that view. A biology teacher for about 30 years, she said the worst effects of cannabis were on the young.
“I could see it was not psychosis or anything like that which was the main problem, it was just their academic performance: that started to go down,” she said.“I could see it was not psychosis or anything like that which was the main problem, it was just their academic performance: that started to go down,” she said.
The plant’s main psychoactive constituent, THC, occupied receptors in the central nervous system and stuck there, Brett said.The plant’s main psychoactive constituent, THC, occupied receptors in the central nervous system and stuck there, Brett said.
“So movement of neurotransmitters is impaired, and then the functioning of the whole brain is impeded,” she said, citing studies that had found regular cannabis use by teenagers could lower their IQ by eight points.“So movement of neurotransmitters is impaired, and then the functioning of the whole brain is impeded,” she said, citing studies that had found regular cannabis use by teenagers could lower their IQ by eight points.
There were also social problems, she said. “If you talk to parents whose kids have turned to cannabis, they [the children] take things from the home, they take things from their brothers and sisters, and also they become violent.”There were also social problems, she said. “If you talk to parents whose kids have turned to cannabis, they [the children] take things from the home, they take things from their brothers and sisters, and also they become violent.”
Therein lies the crux of the argument, particularly in light of new high THC strains of cannabis, known as skunk, which are are implicated in psychosis and schizophrenia. While in the 1960s cannabis might have been regarded as fairly harmless, with varieties now said to contain up to 16% THC, it is argued that the drug poses a deadlier threat. Therein lies the crux of the argument, particularly in light of newer high THC strains of cannabis, known as skunk, which are are implicated in psychosis and schizophrenia. While in the 1960s cannabis might have been regarded as fairly harmless, with varieties now said to contain up to 16% THC, it is argued that the drug poses a deadlier threat.
Even Jonathan Liebling, political director of the United Patients Alliance, which campaigns on behalf of medical cannabis users, admitted some strains could leave him a bit anxious. But he disputed the claim that cannabis left users unhinged, arguing that it could actually help mental health.Even Jonathan Liebling, political director of the United Patients Alliance, which campaigns on behalf of medical cannabis users, admitted some strains could leave him a bit anxious. But he disputed the claim that cannabis left users unhinged, arguing that it could actually help mental health.
Related: The new strain of cannabis that could help treat psychosisRelated: The new strain of cannabis that could help treat psychosis
Liebling, who uses cannabis to treat his anxiety and depression, reels off a list of the health benefits. Some are well backed by research, such as its effects on the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, chronic neuropathic pain and irritable bowel syndrome. Others remain anecdotal, such as its purported ability to shrink and kill tumours.Liebling, who uses cannabis to treat his anxiety and depression, reels off a list of the health benefits. Some are well backed by research, such as its effects on the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, chronic neuropathic pain and irritable bowel syndrome. Others remain anecdotal, such as its purported ability to shrink and kill tumours.
A legal market in cannabis would benefit patients, and save money on more expensive pharmaceutical alternatives, Liebling said. Patients would also be able to get what they needed.A legal market in cannabis would benefit patients, and save money on more expensive pharmaceutical alternatives, Liebling said. Patients would also be able to get what they needed.
“You will get better quality product, you will have known strength, you will have less high-THC-low-CBD strains [like skunk],” he said. It would also enable more research into some of the claimed benefits.“You will get better quality product, you will have known strength, you will have less high-THC-low-CBD strains [like skunk],” he said. It would also enable more research into some of the claimed benefits.
But Monday’s debate cannot change the law, and cannabis campaigners are under no illusions. Most people still oppose legalisation, and politicians accordingly see acting tough on drugs as a vote winner.But Monday’s debate cannot change the law, and cannabis campaigners are under no illusions. Most people still oppose legalisation, and politicians accordingly see acting tough on drugs as a vote winner.
But with deep cuts to police budgets, it may be that decriminalisation will be taken out of parliament’s hands. Two police and crime commissioners have already said they don’t expect their officers to target recreational cannabis users. So it may be that people who want to smoke in private or grow a plant on a window sill will be able to do so, ban or no ban.But with deep cuts to police budgets, it may be that decriminalisation will be taken out of parliament’s hands. Two police and crime commissioners have already said they don’t expect their officers to target recreational cannabis users. So it may be that people who want to smoke in private or grow a plant on a window sill will be able to do so, ban or no ban.