Phil Stovell
19-03-2007, 08:40 AM
Cannaprag.net
Press release no embargo
Contact Derek Williams
[Phone number removed]
Contact Helen Sello
[Phone number removed]
http://www.cannaprag.net
Independent on Sunday has been badly advised regarding its new cannabis
policy.
Cannabis is not a controlled drug in any meaningful use of the word
controlled because of its illegality.
------------------
The Independent on Sunday's (IoS) Cannabis "Apology"
Sunday 18th March 2007 the Independent on Sunday carried a splash
headline: "Cannabis, an apology": The IoS no longer supports the
legalisation of cannabis.
The paper bases its change of mind on the claim that cannabis strength has
increased "25 fold" over recent years and is now a serious threat to
mental health - especially of young males.
There is no evidence to support the claim that cannabis is now "25 fold"
stronger than it used to be. If Rosie Boycott in the same edition is to be
believed, cannabis is now 30 times stronger! As Cannaprag is constantly
trying to point out, there simply isn't the data on cannabis strengths to
prove or disprove that claim. What evidence there is however, does not
support it. [1] In fact, there has always been strong cannabis.
Cannabis is "different":
What has happened, which the paper correctly highlights, is the supply of
cannabis has changed over the past 40 years. Back in the day when Rosie
was puffing away in Hyde Park, cannabis was indeed a natural product,
grown by communities which had produced hash for generations. Because of
the law prohibiting cannabis which the Independent now supports, this
naturally grown product was all but eradicated. Modern day hash is well
known for being highly contaminated and unreliable which is why the demand
for the "home grown" varieties is so high.
Over the past few years the huge demand for cannabis has been provided in
large part by organised crime. The similarity to the days of American
alcohol prohibition, when the mob controlled the alcohol trade are
striking.
If there is any truth in the extreme claims being made by the IoS clearly
the policy of prohibition they now support is at the root of the problem,
making their position somewhat illogical.
Cannabis and mental illness:
Helen Sello of Cannaprag, a mother of a young cannabis user who went on to
develop a serious mental illness said:
"I am very concerned about the risks of inappropriate use of cannabis -
"inappropriate" is the key word. The evidence from the research is that
use of strong strains by children and teenagers is high risk behaviour.
Certainly for people with an existing psychotic illness like my son,
cannabis can lead to repeat stays in hospital.
"I would like to see a situation in which vulnerable people - for whom
cannabis can cause specific harms - get informed support from their
friends and wont feel they have something to hide.
"Sadly articles like this one do not help - they just cause resentment and
lead to further isolation and stigmatisation of the mentally ill. Making
general rather than specific statements about the risks of recreational
use is only going to alienate cannabis users themselves.
"A pragmatic approach is needed. Cannabis use is not going to go away,
effective regulation and control of the market is needed urgently".
Wider issues:
The debate surrounding cannabis and mental health is an important one, but
it's not the only issue.
The cannabis trade is a huge multi million pound industry supplying
millions of consumers, that is the reality and we need to accept it isn't
going to go away. This huge industry operates without regulation due to
its illegality and consumers have little idea of what they buying.
Supplies can vary between highly contaminated rubbish to full on so-called
"skunk". If this were alcohol it would be like not knowing if your drink
was going to be a shandy or a vodka, prohibition is a regime guaranteed to
produce casualties.
Earlier this year Cannaprag highlighted the issue of contamination in
herbal cannabis which lead to the department of health issuing a warning
which is still in effect [2]. It is still a fact that, far from consisting
of super power skunk, a large proportion of "street" cannabis is of very
uncertain quality.
Derek Williams of Cannaprag said:
"The case for legalising cannabis isn't based on the drug being safe or of
wanting to encourage use. Legalisation is vital if we seriously want to
reduce the potential for harm, because it would enable regulation of the
trade which is so essential, not only of strength and purity but also of
type - different strains of cannabis having markedly different effects due
to their different compositions.
"The only qualification needed to be a cannabis dealer at present is
unaccountability. Anyone selling cannabis should be properly licenced and
should operate within certain limitations such as not selling to minors.
"The only way to achieve this regulation is through legalisation. In
supporting the present prohibition of cannabis, the Independent is helping
to ensure the most vulnerable are kept at the highest risk. They have been
very badly advised."
Notes to the editor
[1] European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction report on
cannabis potency in Europe
http://www.emcdda.eu.int/index.cfm?fuseaction=public.AttachmentDownload&nNod
eID=2950&slanguageISO=EN
[2] Department of health warning regarding contaminated cannabis
http://www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/embroadcast.nsf/vwDiscussionAll/297D9740D0412
C9D802572650050A4A0?OpenDocument
--
Phil Stovell, Hampshire, UK
Press release no embargo
Contact Derek Williams
[Phone number removed]
Contact Helen Sello
[Phone number removed]
http://www.cannaprag.net
Independent on Sunday has been badly advised regarding its new cannabis
policy.
Cannabis is not a controlled drug in any meaningful use of the word
controlled because of its illegality.
------------------
The Independent on Sunday's (IoS) Cannabis "Apology"
Sunday 18th March 2007 the Independent on Sunday carried a splash
headline: "Cannabis, an apology": The IoS no longer supports the
legalisation of cannabis.
The paper bases its change of mind on the claim that cannabis strength has
increased "25 fold" over recent years and is now a serious threat to
mental health - especially of young males.
There is no evidence to support the claim that cannabis is now "25 fold"
stronger than it used to be. If Rosie Boycott in the same edition is to be
believed, cannabis is now 30 times stronger! As Cannaprag is constantly
trying to point out, there simply isn't the data on cannabis strengths to
prove or disprove that claim. What evidence there is however, does not
support it. [1] In fact, there has always been strong cannabis.
Cannabis is "different":
What has happened, which the paper correctly highlights, is the supply of
cannabis has changed over the past 40 years. Back in the day when Rosie
was puffing away in Hyde Park, cannabis was indeed a natural product,
grown by communities which had produced hash for generations. Because of
the law prohibiting cannabis which the Independent now supports, this
naturally grown product was all but eradicated. Modern day hash is well
known for being highly contaminated and unreliable which is why the demand
for the "home grown" varieties is so high.
Over the past few years the huge demand for cannabis has been provided in
large part by organised crime. The similarity to the days of American
alcohol prohibition, when the mob controlled the alcohol trade are
striking.
If there is any truth in the extreme claims being made by the IoS clearly
the policy of prohibition they now support is at the root of the problem,
making their position somewhat illogical.
Cannabis and mental illness:
Helen Sello of Cannaprag, a mother of a young cannabis user who went on to
develop a serious mental illness said:
"I am very concerned about the risks of inappropriate use of cannabis -
"inappropriate" is the key word. The evidence from the research is that
use of strong strains by children and teenagers is high risk behaviour.
Certainly for people with an existing psychotic illness like my son,
cannabis can lead to repeat stays in hospital.
"I would like to see a situation in which vulnerable people - for whom
cannabis can cause specific harms - get informed support from their
friends and wont feel they have something to hide.
"Sadly articles like this one do not help - they just cause resentment and
lead to further isolation and stigmatisation of the mentally ill. Making
general rather than specific statements about the risks of recreational
use is only going to alienate cannabis users themselves.
"A pragmatic approach is needed. Cannabis use is not going to go away,
effective regulation and control of the market is needed urgently".
Wider issues:
The debate surrounding cannabis and mental health is an important one, but
it's not the only issue.
The cannabis trade is a huge multi million pound industry supplying
millions of consumers, that is the reality and we need to accept it isn't
going to go away. This huge industry operates without regulation due to
its illegality and consumers have little idea of what they buying.
Supplies can vary between highly contaminated rubbish to full on so-called
"skunk". If this were alcohol it would be like not knowing if your drink
was going to be a shandy or a vodka, prohibition is a regime guaranteed to
produce casualties.
Earlier this year Cannaprag highlighted the issue of contamination in
herbal cannabis which lead to the department of health issuing a warning
which is still in effect [2]. It is still a fact that, far from consisting
of super power skunk, a large proportion of "street" cannabis is of very
uncertain quality.
Derek Williams of Cannaprag said:
"The case for legalising cannabis isn't based on the drug being safe or of
wanting to encourage use. Legalisation is vital if we seriously want to
reduce the potential for harm, because it would enable regulation of the
trade which is so essential, not only of strength and purity but also of
type - different strains of cannabis having markedly different effects due
to their different compositions.
"The only qualification needed to be a cannabis dealer at present is
unaccountability. Anyone selling cannabis should be properly licenced and
should operate within certain limitations such as not selling to minors.
"The only way to achieve this regulation is through legalisation. In
supporting the present prohibition of cannabis, the Independent is helping
to ensure the most vulnerable are kept at the highest risk. They have been
very badly advised."
Notes to the editor
[1] European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction report on
cannabis potency in Europe
http://www.emcdda.eu.int/index.cfm?fuseaction=public.AttachmentDownload&nNod
eID=2950&slanguageISO=EN
[2] Department of health warning regarding contaminated cannabis
http://www.info.doh.gov.uk/doh/embroadcast.nsf/vwDiscussionAll/297D9740D0412
C9D802572650050A4A0?OpenDocument
--
Phil Stovell, Hampshire, UK