Contact: letters@hulldailymail.co.uk

Ref: see below after letter.

LITTLE PROFIT IN CANNABIS CURE

The answer to the question that asks whether cannabis is an illegal drug or a medicine is, of course, that it is both of these things.

Geoff Ogden, anti-drugs co-ordinator, would have us believe that cannabis is illegal because it's dangerous, and tries to justify the Government's immoral stance by insisting more research is needed. This is nonsense.

Unlike many of today's synthetic alternatives, cannabis has stood the test of time and has been used by millions for thousands of years without ever being held responsible for a single death - despite endless Government-sponsored research to try to prove that cannabis causes anything from cancer to baldness.

Cannabis is not an addictive substance; it's not a gateway to hard drugs, and health-related costs of cannabis use are negligible when compared to those of alcohol and tobacco.

Billions of pounds are wasted each year providing ineffective medicines to people who claim to experience more benefit from cannabis.

There are thousands suffering from cancer, Aids, multiple sclerosis, spinal injury, epilepsy, asthma, insomnia and stress-related illnesses who admit to needing to resort to cannabis to relieve their pain. And many of these, bizarrely, are taken to the courts!

The truth is that herbal cannabis in natural forms would yield little profit for pharmaceutical corporations, while eliminating in the long term profit-driven patent drugs. Why allow people to use a safe plant for pennies when you can sell them a pill for a pound?

Carl Wagner, Legalise Cannabis Alliance, Victoria Square, Hull.

this was in response to:

Source: Hull Daily Mail, UK

Pub date: Wednesday, 22 May 2002

Subj: Drug Czar Insists Fight Will Continue

Author: A Coggan

Cited: Home Affairs Committee report http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmhaff.htm

Contact: letters@hulldailymail.co.uk

DRUG CZAR INSISTS FIGHT WILL CONTINUE

Drug supremo Geoff Ogden has warned a radical overhaul of Britain's laws will not halt the war against illegal substances in Hull and the East Riding.

Mr Ogden, co-ordinator of Hull and East Riding Drug Action Teams, is concerned by reports that the powerful Home Affairs Select Committee is to announce the most radical changes to Britain's drug laws in 30 years.

The report, due to be released today, is recommending the reclassification of Ecstasy and cannabis, the prescription of heroin to more drug addicts under controlled medical conditions and a lesser offence of "social supply" to deal with people who provide drugs to their friends.

However, Home Secretary David Blunkett today dismissed the call to downgrade Ecstasy, saying it is not on the Government's agenda.

Mr Ogden will study the recommendations after giving evidence to the committee in November when he voiced his fears over any relaxation of the country's drug laws.

However, he is determined to continue his fight to tackle the drug problem in the area.

"It is highly likely that cannabis will be a Class C drug, perhaps by the end of the summer," he said.

"The drug action team hopes the Government doesn't take this action. I maintain it is a gateway to other drugs and it is psychologically and physically addictive."

Mr Ogden, a former head of Humberside CID, said the drug action team would "object very strongly" to any attempts to reclassify Ecstasy from a Class A to a Class B drug.

However, he remains confident the Government will reject any recommendation to downgrade the drug.

"While Ecstasy may not be quite as dangerous as heroin and crack cocaine, it is within that category and should remain in it."

Mr Ogden gave evidence before the select committee in November but his views were over-shadowed by senior police officer Commander Brian Paddick, who claimed "weekend" or recreational users of Ecstasy should not be arrested.

Despite his concerns, Mr Ogden said he believed the recommendations in the report were "balanced" and did support many of the points he raised on behalf of the drug action team when he was in London.

"The drug fight is not over by a long way," he said. "There is a very effective national drug strategy and it is working in the East Riding.

"More people are in treatment now than ever before and drug-related deaths have halved in four years.

"While there are some recommendations which we strongly disagree with, there are some excellent points we would agree with."