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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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Cannabis: the new growth industry
Guardian (UK) Friday 03 Oct 1997 pounds a year Regular users of Cannabis are consuming an estimated 800 tonnes of the drug in Britain every year and spending about 3,5 Billion pounds on it, according to new research. Around 2.75 million people could be described as regular consumers, says the survey. Contary to popular conceptions, students take fewer drugs - with the exception of alcohol - than their employed or unemployed contemporaries. Cannabis prices remain stable, virtually unaffected by customs seizures and police raids, the findings suggest. A survey of 1,333 regular cannabis users by the independant drug monitoring unit indicated that younger users started at the age of 12 - 14, but the most common age for starting was 15 - 18. The heavyist age range for use is 20 - 30 and men are more regular users than women., the regular user spends UKP 68.60 per month on cannabis, according to the survey. Prices are similar throughout the country. The cost of an ounce of cannabis resin varied between UKP70 and 120 , typically UKP85 - 95, with an eigth of an ounce of resin costing UKP15 or less. Skunk, the stronger strain of cannabis, cost between UKP20 and 25 for the same quantity, home grown herbal cannabis cost less than half the price of resin. Prices are now roughly double those reported in a similar survey in 1984, but most of the intervening rise took place during the period 1985-87 and have remained stable since. Moroccan cannabis resin was the most common type in use, accounting for 35 percent of the total. The 1996 "drought" of Moroccan resin appeared to have no long term effects. Asked about their best and worst drug experiences, users gave positive reactions to cannabis, magic mushrooms, LSD and E (in that order) and negative reactions to solvents, crack, barbiturates, heroin and tranquillisers. One opium user reported that taking the drug had "opened the doors of perception", One LSD user said that taking the drug had led them to believe that "friends were weirwolves" while another reported that "friend turned into beast". An eater of a "gold top" mushroom said that it seemed "that I was going to be eaten by a cannibal". One cannabis user found that it "gets me fried, pumps my juice" another said "I love feeling like a gibbering mess". Many cited it as enhancing sexual experiences. Home grown cannabis is becoming increasingly common, with 60% of users having grown at least some of their own cannabis at some time. One in three growers used "pedigree" types such as skunk or northern lights. Cannabis accounted for 42% of all money spent on all drugs per month amongst regular users, with 37% spent on tobacco and alcohol. Of those surveyed, 32% were women and 68% men. The most popular method of consumption was in tobacco joints (73%) followed by water pipes (9%) with 2% eating it. Of those growing their own cannabis, 71% were growing the plant indoors, 14% in greenhouses and 23% outdoors. A total of 582,204 people have been convicted or cautioned for cannabis use up to 1994, noted the survey. By taking the percentage of those surveyed who had drug convictions - 21% - the researchers estimate that regular users now amount to 2.75 million. They would consume 800 tonnes of cannabis products in a market worth UKP 3.5billion From Regular users: self reported drug consumption patterns. Matthew Atha BSc MSc and Sean Blanchard, Independent drug monitoring unit, freepost NWW11111, Wigan, WN2 3ZZ. UKP24.99 inc P&P.
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