Cannabis As Bad As ******, Warns UN Drugs Watchdog

[XLE420]

The drugs watchdog of the United Nations has rebuked the UK government's policy change on cannabis, saying it sent a confusing message to young people.

UN experts also warned that a major increase in the potency of cannabis means it now poses health risks similar to those of ******.

The decision to reclassify cannabis as a Class C drug - made by the Home Secretary in 2004 - was implicitly criticised by Antonio Maria Costa, the executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, who warned of the growth in its use.

Cannabis had become more potent in the past few decades and governments that maintained inadequate policies got the "drug problem they deserve", Mr Costa said in the 2006 World Drug Report.

"Policy reversals leave young people confused as to just how dangerous cannabis is," he added. "

The cannabis pandemic, like other challenges to public health, requires consensus, a consistent commitment across the political spectrum and by society at large."

He warned governments against playing party politics with the classification of cannabis as its harmful effects were "no longer that different" to the damage caused by ******* and ******.

His remarks were made on UN Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

But the Home Office stood by its decision to maintain cannabis as Class C.

A spokesman said: "Cannabis is controlled as a Class C drug. It is harmful and illegal and no-one should take it. In January 2006 the Home Secretary accepted the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs recommendation that cannabis remain a Class C drug. This decision to retain its classification is supported by the police and by most drug and mental health charities."

The Home Office said that consumption of cannabis had fallen from more than 28 per cent to 24 per cent in 16-24 year olds.

Scotland has one of the worst drug problems in Europe, with an estimated 50,000 addicts. At least half a million Scots are believed to have smoked cannabis and 200,000 are believed to have taken *******.

Last week, Tom Wood, Scotland's drug tsar, sparked controversy by suggesting the nation had "lost the war on drugs".

The European Commission has admitted that drug abuse in the bloc and the deaths it causes have reached "unprecedented" levels and that in any given month, 1.5 million Europeans take ******* and 12 million use cannabis.

Since David Blunkett, the former home secretary, downgraded cannabis to a class C, ministers have proposed much lower limits for possession of the drug before an individual is prosecuted as a dealer. In contrast, the Dutch parliament is considering allowing the controlled cultivation of cannabis while Italy has also taken a softer stance.

The European Commission is asking for input into its drugs policy review from July to September.


Newshawk: SX420 - 420 Magazine
Source: Scotsman News
Author: GERRI PEEV, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
Copyright: 2006 Scotsman.com
Contact: enquiries@scotsman.com
Website: Scotsman.com News - Scottish news direct from Scotland

[J842P]

God I hate this potency crap. Marijuana's increased potency DOES NOT MATTER! It only means people will smoke less to get the same type of high so it is actually better for the society!

Furthermore, high potency forms of marijuana has always existed... ITS CALLED HASH!

I can't believe they would even suggest that the effects of cannabis are even on the same scale as ******* and ******, that just shows to the world, (we would hope) how far removed and dishonest the U.N. watchdogs on drugs are.

[PhisherMan420]

That is completely rediculous this is there only way to fight back. They know that they are loosing the battle against cannabis and they have to come up with fake lies and stories like this to fight back because they have nothing negative on cannabis, well atleast not as negative as alcohol. So they will continue to try and find ways around the decriminalization but it is coming man, it is coming...

[ChesterO]

Isn't wonderful how the governmental mis-information mills work???

In some ways, the statement "Herion is as bad for your health as Cannabis" is completely and medically true.... Neither one is damaging to your body. One is addictive, the other mostly not. And while withdrawl fomr the opiates is painful, it is not life-threatning and once your body resumes production of the neuro-transmitters that the opiates were providing, the addiction is broken. (though just like nicotine, it's all to easy to start-up again)

Unlike many illegal recreational pharmecuticals (coca products & derivatives, Meth, etc.), neither the opiates (natural, not synthetic) nor cannabis has any significant detremental long-term health effects. Seems the natural stuff is even good for you. The opiates seem to have an immune system boosting capacity, and cannibis has it's own list of positive properties.

The sick ****** "junkies" get that way from the non-sterile needles they use to get their next fix, etc. Swiss ****** addicts enrolled in the government addiction program get ****** provided to them weekly & most are leading productive careers with no-one the wiser about their addiciton...

The real question is why is the government at war with the natural compounds that may be better for you than the synthetics produced by "Big Pharma"???? Could all of those "Big Pharma" "campaign contributions"/(bribes) have anything to do with it???