|
Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
|
|
UK: Attitudes softening towards cannabis, but heroin remains off limits Madeleine Brindley The Western Mail, Wales Wednesday 16 Jul 2003 PEOPLE are becoming more tolerant of cannabis smoking as attitudes shift towards legalisation, according to new research. It is thought that the growing popularity of the drug, particularly among the young, is behind such liberal views about cannabis. As many as half of 18 to 34-year-olds have admitted using the drug and two-thirds know someone who has. It is no longer seen as a harmful or addictive drug - despite concerns about its impact on health - and people do not associate it with crime in the same way they do Class A drugs. But despite many advocating a softer approach to cannabis there are no signs of attitudes towards other illegal drugs softening, new research has revealed. Public opinion remains firmly opposed to a widescale relaxation of the drug laws with nine out of ten people - the same as ten years ago - opposed to legalisation of heroin. Research by the Economic and Social Research Council found that the number of people in favour of legalising cannabis has risen from 12% 20 years ago to 41% today. Young people are the most likely to have a liberal attitude towards cannabis as only a third were against legalisation - even those who had never used the drug are more liberal about its legalisation. And more than half of 18 to 34-year-olds now accept that using illegal drugs of all kinds is a "normal" part of some people's lives. There is also widespread support across age groups to allow doctors to prescribe the drug - tablets containing active ingredients of cannabis - to patients where it can help to relieve symptoms, such as those suffered by people with multiple sclerosis. But despite a relaxing in attitudes towards cannabis, researcher Nina Stratford found there are clear limits to people's tolerance of illegal drugs. Attitudes towards heroin have not shifted and there is also little acceptance of ecstasy as a soft drug. Nine out of ten people want ecstasy to remain illegal as 75% of people asked said legalising the so-called rave culture drug will lead to an increase in addiction. And when asked what drugs are most harmful to regular users, heroin and cocaine topped the list, followed by alcohol and tobacco. People also have restrictive views about prescribing illegal drugs despite backing needle exchange schemes and giving young people information about drugs. Ms Stratford, who works at the National Centre for Social Research, said, "We found that very few people support allowing doctors to prescribe drugs for addicts. "But this is something which has been an established part of medical practice for almost a century."
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!