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UK: Death case drugs row

Herts and Essex News Online

Friday 01 Sep 2006

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A GROUND-BREAKING decision to reduce a murder charge to manslaughter
for the killing of popular Hoddesdon schoolteacher Paul Butterworth
has sparked protests about the effects of cannabis.

Soldier Laurie Draper's plea of manslaughter on the grounds of
diminished responsibility because of a cannabis-induced delusion has
been accepted by the court =96 making it the first time the drug has
been acknowledged as a major reason for successfully reducing a murder
charge to manslaughter. In 2004 cannabis was reclassified and
downgraded by the Government.

But Broxbourne MP Charles Walker (Con) hit out: "There is a real
concern that the cannabis smoked now can lead to schizophrenia and
depression and the horrors we saw in Hoddesdon a few months ago.

"Cannabis is in the same family as LSD =96 it is hallucinogenic. The
cannabis of the 1970s and '80s was mild to what we are finding on the
streets now.

"It is really bad stuff now and is genetically engineered to be
extremely nasty and unpleasant and the stronger you make it the more
dangerous is becomes.
"This is a warning call. There have been some serious incidents
related to cannabis and this is yet another one and must send the
message to people in power and politicians that this is destroying
lives."

Hoddesdon vicar the Rev Jeremy Brooks added: "Maybe for too long we
have minimised the effects that cannabis have and we need to think
seriously whether it is as harmless as everyone is making it out to
be.

Its impact, particularly on young people, can be quite severe in terms
of the effect on their brains.
"It's an interesting reflection on whether or not cannabis should have
been downgraded.

http://www.hertsessexnews.co.uk/news/mercury/hoddesdon_mercury/2006/09/01/d=
eath%20case%20drugs%20row.lpf

 

 

 

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