|
Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
|
|
UK: Dope beats booze for MP
Sunday Mercury, Birmingham
Sunday 28 Jul 2002 A Midland Labour MP last night controversially claimed that taking cannabis was far better for you than smoking cigarettes or drinking booze. Birmingham Selly Oak MP Dr Lynne Jones said pharmacological reports into cannabis proved the illegal substance was less harmful than tobacco and alcohol. Dr Jones, who worked as a biochemist, told the Sunday Mercury: "If you are going to take any drug out of alcohol, cigarettes and cannabis, it would be safer to have a small amount of cannabis. "Tobacco causes cancer but studies show that cannabis, when not mixed with tobacco and digested alone, is safer than both cigarettes and alcohol. "Yet cannabis is the only one that is illegal. "Obviously, I am not saying cannabis is to be recommended or that there are not some people who have found it to have a psychotic effect. "But when you put it into perspective, there is a certain irrationality in the legal position of cannabis compared to tobacco and alcohol. "I think prohibition only serves to associate cannabis with crime. One of the most harmful effects of drugs is coming into contact with the illegal sources you get them from. "If cannabis wasn't illegal for personal use, people would not have to associate with the criminals who encourage them to experiment with more harmful drugs." Dr Jones supports Home Secretary David Blunkett's recent legislation to downgrade cannabis from Category B to C, saying Britain should adopt the "sensible" approach of Holland. "In Amsterdam, cannabis is restricted but people do have access to it," she said. "Yet there is less use of cannabis in the Netherlands than here in the UK." Dr Jones backs radical proposals to make pubs and offices smoke-free by law - and wants the ban extended to pubs and restaurants, too. Smoking bans in the workplace are voluntary, but the Health and Safety Commission is urging the Government to take a tougher stance to protect workers from passive smoking. Ministers also fear that existing legislation does not shield restaurant and pub staff from inhaling smoke. "I would certainly extend the rules to pubs and restaurants," said Dr Jones. "There should be minimal provision for smokers. We need to send a message that smoking is anti-social while providing help for people who are addicted." A ban on smoking in the workplace is backed by Labour MPs, who say that unless it is made into law, employees will feel too intimidated to complain to their bosses about passive smoking.
After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.
|
This page was created by the Cannabis Campaigners' Guide.
Feel free to link to this page!