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From BBC NEWS | UK | Cannabis 'should remain class C'
Cannabis 'should remain class C' Some types of cannabis are increasing in strength
Home Secretary
The official body which advises the government on drugs policy has decided cannabis should remain a class C drug, the BBC understands.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs' decision appears to go against the view of Gordon Brown, who seems to favour returning the drug to class B.
The government asked the council to review cannabis's legal status amid concerns over stronger forms of it.
The council refused to confirm or deny a decision.
Chairman Professor Sir Michael Rawlins said a report would be sent to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith later this month.
The expected decision has caused concern among mental health charities who say skunk, a stronger form of the drug, can trigger psychotic breakdowns.
Others say public health education would be a better route than reclassification.
University study
BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said the decision was taken at a private meeting of the council, which discussed significant new research from Keele University about links between cannabis and mental illness.
The study found nothing to support a theory that rising cannabis use in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s led to increases in the incidence of schizophrenia later on.
MAXIMUM DRUG PENALTIES
Class A: Seven years for possession, life for supplying
Class B: Five years for possession, 14 for supplying
Class C: Two years for possession, 14 for supplying
The Advisory Council's decision leaves the government in an awkward position, our correspondent added.
Gordon Brown has indicated he favours transferring cannabis back to class B to send a message about the dangers of the drug, particularly to teenagers.
At a news conference earlier this week, he said that - given the changing nature of cannabis and the greater damage being caused - there was a stronger case for sending out a signal that cannabis was not only illegal, but unacceptable.
If the government does reclassify, it would be rejecting the findings of the Advisory Council's panel of 23 drug experts, which has never happened before on a decision about drug classification.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she would not comment on the review until she had received it.
Mass criminalisation
Cannabis was downgraded from a class B drug to class C in January 2004.
The move was designed to free up police time and allow officers to concentrate on tackling harder drugs.
Adults found carrying cannabis are unlikely to be arrested, and young people are most likely to be arrested and reprimanded.
Possession of the class C drug does carry a maximum penalty of a two-year prison sentence, but this is rarely served. People found to be carrying a class B drug can be given up to a five-year sentence.
Young people are literally dicing with their minds and futures
Marjorie Wallace, Sane
Steve Rolles, of the Transform Drugs Policy Foundation, said increasing jail sentences from two years to five through reclassification was not the best way to send a strong signal to teenagers about the dangers of the drug.
"Rather than mass criminalisation of millions of young people, the best way would be to invest in effective, targeted public health education," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
He said current estimates suggested 2 million people in the country were regular cannabis users, 4 million dabbled occasionally and 6 million had tried it.
But former government drugs advisor Keith Hellawell said the government should never have reclassified cannabis to class C.
He said the move created confusion for police, teachers, parents and young people by sending out the wrong message.
Mental health charity Sane was one group which gave evidence to the advisory group.
Marjorie Wallace, the charity's chief executive, said not enough was yet known about the direct links between cannabis and the brain.
She said she knew of hundreds of cases where people smoked cannabis heavily, in particular skunk, and went on to suffer psychotic breakdowns, hallucinations and paranoia.
He turned to me and said 'you've got it wrong, even the government think it's safe to smoke'
Debra Bell, Talking About Cannabis
"Young people are literally dicing with their minds and futures," she told BBC News.
"If you have ever seen someone who has taken heavy cannabis and gone on a trip from which they have never really returned, and you have seen the collateral damage to them and their families, then you have to look at it from that point of view."
Debra Bell, chief executive of parents' group Talking About Cannabis, also gave evidence to the advisory council.
Her son became a heavy user after starting to smoke cannabis at 14, and she believes the government message is very important.
"When I spoke to my son, pleading with him as he became more and more ill and I watched him turn into a stranger in our own house... I said to him 'this is a very dangerous drug, just look at the research'.
"He turned to me and said 'you've got it wrong, even the government think it's safe to smoke'."
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Story from BBC NEWS:
BBC NEWS | UK | Cannabis 'should remain class C'
Published: 2008/04/03 09:22:43 GMT
© BBC MMVIII
Cannabis 'should remain class C' Some types of cannabis are increasing in strength
Home Secretary
The official body which advises the government on drugs policy has decided cannabis should remain a class C drug, the BBC understands.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs' decision appears to go against the view of Gordon Brown, who seems to favour returning the drug to class B.
The government asked the council to review cannabis's legal status amid concerns over stronger forms of it.
The council refused to confirm or deny a decision.
Chairman Professor Sir Michael Rawlins said a report would be sent to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith later this month.
The expected decision has caused concern among mental health charities who say skunk, a stronger form of the drug, can trigger psychotic breakdowns.
Others say public health education would be a better route than reclassification.
University study
BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said the decision was taken at a private meeting of the council, which discussed significant new research from Keele University about links between cannabis and mental illness.
The study found nothing to support a theory that rising cannabis use in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s led to increases in the incidence of schizophrenia later on.
MAXIMUM DRUG PENALTIES
Class A: Seven years for possession, life for supplying
Class B: Five years for possession, 14 for supplying
Class C: Two years for possession, 14 for supplying
The Advisory Council's decision leaves the government in an awkward position, our correspondent added.
Gordon Brown has indicated he favours transferring cannabis back to class B to send a message about the dangers of the drug, particularly to teenagers.
At a news conference earlier this week, he said that - given the changing nature of cannabis and the greater damage being caused - there was a stronger case for sending out a signal that cannabis was not only illegal, but unacceptable.
If the government does reclassify, it would be rejecting the findings of the Advisory Council's panel of 23 drug experts, which has never happened before on a decision about drug classification.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she would not comment on the review until she had received it.
Mass criminalisation
Cannabis was downgraded from a class B drug to class C in January 2004.
The move was designed to free up police time and allow officers to concentrate on tackling harder drugs.
Adults found carrying cannabis are unlikely to be arrested, and young people are most likely to be arrested and reprimanded.
Possession of the class C drug does carry a maximum penalty of a two-year prison sentence, but this is rarely served. People found to be carrying a class B drug can be given up to a five-year sentence.
Young people are literally dicing with their minds and futures
Marjorie Wallace, Sane
Steve Rolles, of the Transform Drugs Policy Foundation, said increasing jail sentences from two years to five through reclassification was not the best way to send a strong signal to teenagers about the dangers of the drug.
"Rather than mass criminalisation of millions of young people, the best way would be to invest in effective, targeted public health education," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
He said current estimates suggested 2 million people in the country were regular cannabis users, 4 million dabbled occasionally and 6 million had tried it.
But former government drugs advisor Keith Hellawell said the government should never have reclassified cannabis to class C.
He said the move created confusion for police, teachers, parents and young people by sending out the wrong message.
Mental health charity Sane was one group which gave evidence to the advisory group.
Marjorie Wallace, the charity's chief executive, said not enough was yet known about the direct links between cannabis and the brain.
She said she knew of hundreds of cases where people smoked cannabis heavily, in particular skunk, and went on to suffer psychotic breakdowns, hallucinations and paranoia.
He turned to me and said 'you've got it wrong, even the government think it's safe to smoke'
Debra Bell, Talking About Cannabis
"Young people are literally dicing with their minds and futures," she told BBC News.
"If you have ever seen someone who has taken heavy cannabis and gone on a trip from which they have never really returned, and you have seen the collateral damage to them and their families, then you have to look at it from that point of view."
Debra Bell, chief executive of parents' group Talking About Cannabis, also gave evidence to the advisory council.
Her son became a heavy user after starting to smoke cannabis at 14, and she believes the government message is very important.
"When I spoke to my son, pleading with him as he became more and more ill and I watched him turn into a stranger in our own house... I said to him 'this is a very dangerous drug, just look at the research'.
"He turned to me and said 'you've got it wrong, even the government think it's safe to smoke'."
Should cannabis remain a class C drug? Send us your views on this story using the form below:
Name:
Email address:
Town and Country:
Phone number (optional):
Comments:
Story from BBC NEWS:
BBC NEWS | UK | Cannabis 'should remain class C'
Published: 2008/04/03 09:22:43 GMT
© BBC MMVIII
