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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: DRUGS INQUIRY: Big majority says 'yes' to legalising cannabis
Leicester Mercury Thursday 15 Mar 2012 All this week the Leicester Mercury has asked the apparently simple question 'should possession of cannabis be legalised?' Almost 2,500 votes have been cast in our online poll and, so far, the pro-cannabis lobby are in the majority – a large majority of more than 90 per cent. The lobby appears to be active online and its supporters have perhaps been more motivated than most to register their feelings. Meanwhile, a number of prominent mental health and medical organisations are far from convinced that cannabis – used by about three million people in Britain – is as safe as it is sometimes portrayed. The maximum penalty for possession of the Class B drug is five years in prison while people convicted of supply or production offences can be jailed for up to 14 years. A Leicester mum, whose daughter has been smoking the drug for at least a couple of years, said she would "hate" to see its use legalised. The mum, who asked not to be named, said her 23-year-old daughter's mental health started to deteriorate noticeably in 2009. "I am convinced it is because of the cannabis. That's when I became aware she was smoking it," she said. "My daughter and her friends favour the stronger variety of cannabis and she's clearly dependent on it. I can't be absolutely sure she wasn't going to become ill anyway, but I am sure her problems have been aggravated by her smoking cannabis every day. "I think there are good reasons to be suspicious of cannabis and that it should be treated as a potentially very dangerous drug. "I would hate to think that any government would think legalising it would be a good idea." Mike – not his real name – has been smoking cannabis daily for almost five years. The 24-year-old said: "I have a good job and my performance at work is not affected by cannabis use in any way. "It helps me to relax and, apart from the odd occasions when I've bought something which is stronger than I like, I've had no problems. "A lot of people smoke cannabis and I think that's reflected in the Mercury's online survey." However, another user, a 27-year-old man from the West End of the city, said: "I used to smoke about £25 of strong weed – skunk – every day and it made me paranoid and depressed. I won't touch it again." National mental health charity Rethink conducted its own research into public attitudes to cannabis at the end of last year. It found that more than one in three of 25-34 year olds agree or strongly agree with the statement "experimenting with cannabis is a normal part of growing up", while half did not link long-term use of the drug with mental ill-health. The group's chief executive Paul Jenkins said: "It worries me that cannabis is seen by many as a 'safe' drug when in fact, it is linked to schizophrenia and can destroy lives. Cannabis is a bit like peanuts – some people react very strongly, some hardly at all. "What is certain is that smoking cannabis is playing a game of Russian roulette with your mental health." Transform is a national group which is campaigning for reform of the country's drug laws. Its head of external affairs, Danny Kushlick, said: "The result of 93 per cent of people being in favour of legalising cannabis is way over the top. Most polls have found 50 per cent being in favour." The Mercury poll results will be fed back to the Home Affairs Select Committee. HOW YOU CAN HAVE YOUR SAY To take part in our online poll on the UK’s drugs laws click on the links below. The questions are: 1 Should possession of drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, be decriminalised? 2 Should possession of cannabis be legalised? The survey results will help inform a major inquiry into the country’s drugs laws, which is being carried out by the Home Affairs Select Committee, which is chaired by Leicester East MP Keith Vaz. Alternatively, readers can contribute by answering the following questions and sending them to Mr Vaz. In general, do you believe that the drug laws in this country are a) too liberal b) about right c) not liberal enough? Which drugs do you believe are the most prevalent in Leicester? Is drug-related crime such as burglary or shoplifting a problem in Leicester? Do parents have enough information about so-called legal highs? Is the Government too slow to ban legal highs? Is sufficient drug education provided in schools? Do you believe ex-addicts should provide drug education in schools? At what age do you believe drug education should begin in schools? Do parents know how to discuss drug issues with their children? Send your answers to Keith Vaz, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA. http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/DRUGS-INQUIRY-Big-majority-says-yes-legalising/story-15519366-detail/story.html
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