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MP welcomes government's cannabis advice change
THE MP for Altrincham and Sale West is celebrating after the Government agreed to change the advice it gives on the dangers of cannabis.
Graham Brady, who is chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cannabis and Children, challenged ministers in the
House of Commons over the inadequate advice it was giving regarding the link between cannabis and mental health problems such as schizophrenia.
He said the advice on the 'Talk to Frank' website, which only stated that people with existing mental health problems should avoid cannabis, failed to point out that there is a risk to everyone.
In February the Home Office minister Vernon Coaker downplayed the suggestion and said that he was satisfied with the advice given. However this week the minister wrote to Mr Brady to say that he had looked at the website and decided to call for changes to be made.
Mr Brady said: "I am delighted, I hope that this shows a new readiness to listen. There is mounting evidence about the link between cannabis and mental health problems such as schizophrenia and we need to make sure that everyone knows about it. It is particularly important that we keep up the pressure on the Government in advance of the decision over the re-classification of cannabis which is due within the next few weeks."
9:12am Thursday 27th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Chris, UK on 12:29pm Thu 27 Mar 08
The risk to those without mental health issues is less than 0.004%. Those that do have predeposition to mental health problems (~10% of cannabis users) the risk is increased to 0.1% which drops to 0.03% after the age of 20.
compare that to the risk of serious brain damage from binge drinking being at around 30% and the risk of defected brain development caused by smoking tobacco being at 60% for under 25 year olds.
Cannabis is soft compared to legal drugs, so when so much tax money is spent on a failing policy of prevention and criminalising, one has to wonder what the motives of people like Mr Brady and the 'Cannabis and Children' group are.
The risk to those without mental health issues is less than 0.004%. Those that do have predeposition to mental health problems (~10% of cannabis users) the risk is increased to 0.1% which drops to 0.03% after the age of 20.
compare that to the risk of serious brain damage from binge drinking being at around 30% and the risk of defected brain development caused by smoking tobacco being at 60% for under 25 year olds.
Cannabis is soft compared to legal drugs, so when so much tax money is spent on a failing policy of prevention and criminalising, one has to wonder what the motives of people like Mr Brady and the 'Cannabis and Children' group are.
Posted by: Wm O'Brien, norwich on 2:13pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Mr Brady is a time wasting fool. I am sick to the back teeth of hearing about this "mounting evidence" linking cannabis use to mental illness. Most of this research I have read has shown the effects of high concentration THC extract intravenously injected.
I'm sure this does have adverse side effects, but it is irrelevant.
Politicians would do far better to spend their time addressing real problem and finding real solutions. The war on cannabis has cost this country billions and has only succeeded in the incarceration and criminalisation of people who are now claimed to be "mentally ill" by the government who imprisoned them.
Drugs are a health problem and a social problem and need to be tackled as such.
By making them a legal problem the government is only wasting valuable time and resources and forcing an already lucrative and corrupt market deeper into the hands of criminals.
Mr Brady is a time wasting fool. I am sick to the back teeth of hearing about this "mounting evidence" linking cannabis use to mental illness. Most of this research I have read has shown the effects of high concentration THC extract intravenously injected.
I'm sure this does have adverse side effects, but it is irrelevant.
Politicians would do far better to spend their time addressing real problem and finding real solutions. The war on cannabis has cost this country billions and has only succeeded in the incarceration and criminalisation of people who are now claimed to be "mentally ill" by the government who imprisoned them.
Drugs are a health problem and a social problem and need to be tackled as such.
By making them a legal problem the government is only wasting valuable time and resources and forcing an already lucrative and corrupt market deeper into the hands of criminals.
Posted by: peter Grimes, Runcorn on 2:39pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Has this guy not got anything better to do with his time? I find it amazing and ironic that somebody who clearly doesn't smoke cannabis or know anything about it is trying to scare 5 million people who smoke cannabis and do know about it. Why is he doing this? A cynic might think that his lies are only being spouted because he has a constituency with a rich and old population who won't question his lies and will fall into line behind him with fear.
Has this guy not got anything better to do with his time? I find it amazing and ironic that somebody who clearly doesn't smoke cannabis or know anything about it is trying to scare 5 million people who smoke cannabis and do know about it. Why is he doing this? A cynic might think that his lies are only being spouted because he has a constituency with a rich and old population who won't question his lies and will fall into line behind him with fear.
Posted by: mary james, reading on 3:35pm Thu 27 Mar 08
i hear the sickening crash of a minor politician trying to jump on a bandwagon and up his profile.
we've sussed you graham brady, probably because of your lack of intelligent comment and certainly because of your lack of knowledge.
it's time to reflected your constituents views and not the Daily Mails'.
i hear the sickening crash of a minor politician trying to jump on a bandwagon and up his profile.
we've sussed you graham brady, probably because of your lack of intelligent comment and certainly because of your lack of knowledge.
it's time to reflected your constituents views and not the Daily Mails'.
Posted by: Nick Smith, Irvine, N Ayrshire on 6:46pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Notwithstanding the effects of any other drug legal or otherwise, I do not have to quote figures or statistics to have been able to see at first hand the direly detrimental effects of cannabis. Just because it might not be as harmful as other drugs does not make it good. I'm happy for any politician of any party to stand up for civilised people.
Notwithstanding the effects of any other drug legal or otherwise, I do not have to quote figures or statistics to have been able to see at first hand the direly detrimental effects of cannabis. Just because it might not be as harmful as other drugs does not make it good. I'm happy for any politician of any party to stand up for civilised people.
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