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....ACPO "Top Cops" misled on cannabis issue |
The UK's top police officers yesterday demanded tougher cannabis laws, quoting the fact that "millions of youngsters think its legal" as their reasoning behind the call.
| Humberside Chief Constable Tim Hollis said there was a strong case for raising cannabis from a Class C drug back to a Class B.
He told the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) in Cardiff: “In light of what we know about confusion for young people about how serious the drug is — some thinking it is legal —
|  | | and increasing medical evidence about the disproportionate harm to young people of strong cannabis there are persuasive arguments in our view to support the re-classification debate." |
But a cannabis awareness website actually based in Cardiff (http://cannazine.co.uk ) has taken issue with the points raised by Chief Constable Hollis!
Circumstantial Rhetoric
"The fact is no one thinks cannabis is legal", said the websites editor, RD. "Not even a little bit legal."
"Not in schools, not on the streets, and not down at the dealers house."
When cannabis was reclassified to a class C drug, the publicity that followed was enough to inform even the most insulated of people in society to the fact that cannabis the illicit substance, had been reclassified, but still remained illegal.
The very fact the authorities still use this as a "reason" to discuss the reclassification of cannabis back to a class B drug, shows an outright capitulation to the problem at hand.
"The tail, wagging the dog!"
HARM
The basis of any drug education campaign should always be the reduction of harm. At the moment the enforcement agencies continue to use the "psycosis" trump card, claiming young brains are not mature and fully developed until a person reaches the age of 21.
Apparently, exposure to the psycho-active elements in cannabis is said to play a part in the onset of psycosis in later life. Then they throw a "maybe" in there just to confuse the issue further.
On the other hand there exists statements from doctors, from toxicologists, and even from Harvard "Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry" Dr Lester Grinspoon which state the benefits of cannabis use far outweigh any tenuous link to a negative.
When it comes to hard learned, scientific medical advice over government generated "spin", I know who I believe.
In the meantime, our kids are drinking more than ever before with figures in Wales having recently taken a 40% jump in those groups who are receiving treatment for alcohol abuse.
North Wales Conservative AM Mark Isherwood agree's, after saying the figures were "absolutely appalling" and that the Welsh Assembly government's strategy to tackle drug and alcohol abuse was "failing miserably."
"Much more needs to be done to help those suffering with drug and alcohol misuse problems, " he said.
"Drug and alcohol abusers need treatment, training, housing and an introduction to the workplace."
All the ingredients for an effective harm reduction program.
Clearly, attempting to educate people using prohibition as your base strategy doesn't work. Over the next 5 years we can expect nothing other than the pattern which has emerged over the last 75 years or so of prohibition.
As prices for illicit drugs get lower, and the substances themselves are made more widely available, drug use will continue grow, with Class A drugs such as heroin and cocaine becoming ever more prevelant, whilst the enforcement agencies chase their tails in a bid to shut down the next Vietnamese cannabis factory.
And all the while the fact remains, every single commercial grow operation could be put out of business, almost over-night, just by decriminalising a small amount of cannabis for personal consumption and by a responsible adult.
Its really that simple!
http://cannazine.co.uk
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