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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Clarke orders rethink on cannabis
BBC Online Saturday 19 Mar 2005 The Home Secretary has ordered a review of the decision to downgrade cannabis, as new studies suggest a strong link between the drug and mental illness. Cannabis was downgraded from class B to class C in January last year, based on a recommendation from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. Charles Clarke has now asked the body to consider whether the fresh research would lead it to change its position. The Tories said the government had recognised "they got this wrong". Psychosis concerns Mental health charities welcomed the review, but charity DrugScope warned against the danger of the move being motivated by political and not scientific factors. Mr Clarke, writing to the chairman of the advisory council, Professor Sir Michael Rawlins, said since the downgrading of cannabis - which made most cases of cannabis possession a non-arrestable offence - there had been no proven increase in use of the drug. However, he highlighted concerns over several studies that strongly linked cannabis use to the development of psychosis. A study by New Zealand scientists, published earlier this month, suggested smoking cannabis virtually doubled the risk of developing mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. Mr Clarke wrote: "I want to be clear what influence the evidence presented within these studies has on the overall assessment of the classification of cannabis. "I think there is merit in the advisory council assessing whether their position is at all changed by the emerging evidence." 'Skunk' advice Mr Clarke also asked for advice about the issue of high-strength cannabis, known as "skunk". He said the Dutch government was looking into whether cannabis above a certain strength should be given a higher classification. "I am grateful for the advice that the ACMD provide on these and other drug issues and look forward to your response," Mr Clarke said in his letter, released by the Home Office. A Home Office spokeswoman said the possibility of a two-tier classification system for cannabis in the UK would be a matter for the review, but added: "At this stage there is nothing to inform that." The advisory council, which is made up of scientists and medical experts, said in 2001 that cannabis was "unquestionable harmful", but less so than other class B drugs. "We said at the time of reclassification that cannabis would always be kept under review," the Home Office spokeswoman said. "It is important to keep absolutely up to date on the position and take advice regularly from the scientific and medical experts. Our position will always be informed by that." Putting cannabis in class C places it alongside steroids and some prescription anti-depressants. Former Home Secretary David Blunkett, who took the decision to downgrade cannabis, said: "I welcome the review which will avoid this important issue being misused and will enable a rational and sensible debate to continue, informed by the best scientific evidence and advice." 'Dreadful decision' The Tories have pledged to return cannabis to class B and the party said Mr Clarke's move meant the government was admitting that downgrading the drug was "wrong". "The downgrading of cannabis was a dreadful decision which sends out mixed messages to children about the dangers of drugs," shadow home secretary David Davis said. "The government will now have to clear up the mess of its hasty and ill-thought through declassification of cannabis, which Charles Clarke himself has admitted could lead people on to harder drugs. "It is now time for the government to look at its entire drugs strategy - from its failure to deal with the bumper crop of Afghan opium, to its unmanned borders and serial failure of its flagship drug treatment and testing orders."
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