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Letter: I Don't C Point in Reclassification

Dilys Wood

The Sentinel, Stoke

Tuesday 13 May 2008

In Response to Mr Abberley's comments, regarding the reclassification of cannabis.Coroner Stanley Cooper on the suicide of Stuart Lester, in Doncaster, said his schizophrenia was "thought to be brought on by cannabis use as a child". Mr Lester actually killed himself after taking "a number of ecstasy tablets". There was no evidence that Mr Lester had taken cannabis prior to his death.

In January 2007, Dr Louay Al-Alousi, of Leicester University, admitted serious mistakes in the cases of two teenagers, saying their deaths were due to cannabis use when this was not the case. Restrictions were placed on his ability to practise as a Home Office pathologist after he admitted professional misconduct over the cannabis cases. One of the boys' parents brought the case against Dr Al-Alousi after refusing to accept his findings. They enlisted their own pathologist and an independent coroner had a third expert examine their son. Both agreed that his death was due to an unsuspected heart condition, which was in no way related to cannabis or its use.

We already expect that 2008 will see over 10,000 alcohol-related deaths and over 90 per cent of all drug-related deaths in the UK will result from people using substances they paid tax on. Surely it begs the question why alcohol and tobacco, both highly addictive, deadly drugs, are not at least in the same category as cannabis?

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that he is still minded to reclassify cannabis to Class B, despite the recommendations of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) that it should remain in Class C.

The ACMD review points out that:

cannabis use has decreased since reclassification to Class C in 2004 and;

studies have found no evidence of a link with schizophrenia.

Despite this Mr Brown seems to think that reclassification is needed to "send out a signal that cannabis use is unacceptable".

Is it really the role of Government to legislate on the grounds of what they believe to be "acceptable"?

Reclassification to Class B will cost the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of pounds in additional police and court time. A substance which has no credible recorded deaths and causes no adverse health effects in the vast majority of users.

DILYS WOOD Legalise Cannabis Alliance
Stoke

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/

 

 

 

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