[Channel 4 News] Cannabis reclassification failed 2008.02.04

By Simon Israel:

"Two reviews of the decision to re-classify cannabis in 2004 have found that it hasn't freed up police time and that there's been a huge rise in the number of under-18s with cannabis-related mental illness.

This comes as the government's advisory council on the misuse of drugs prepares hold its one and only public meeting tomorrow.

Channel 4 News understands that another body, the UK Drug Policy Commission, hasn't found enough new evidence for reclassification of the drug, despite hints from Gordon Brown that he wants this to happen.

When the government downgraded cannabis to a Class C drug, it was expected that police time would be freed up to concentrate on serious crime.

Channel 4 News has discovered that a private survey of all 43 police forces has concluded that this hasn't happened.

The Treatment Agency has also found a 300 per cent rise in the number of young people being treated for cannabis-related mental health problems. By: Simon Israel

Two reviews of the decision to re-classify cannabis in 2004 have found that it hasn't freed up police time and that there's been a huge rise in the number of under-18s with cannabis-related mental illness.

This comes as the government's advisory council on the misuse of drugs prepares hold its one and only public meeting tomorrow.

Channel 4 News understands that another body, the UK Drug Policy Commission, hasn't found enough new evidence for reclassification of the drug, despite hints from Gordon Brown that he wants this to happen.

When the government downgraded cannabis to a Class C drug, it was expected that police time would be freed up to concentrate on serious crime.

Channel 4 News has discovered that a private survey of all 43 police forces has concluded that this hasn't happened.

The Treatment Agency has also found a 300 per cent rise in the number of young people being treated for cannabis-related mental health problems."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Channel4
• News
• Anglais
• actualités
• cannabis
• weed
• skunk
• mental
• health
• drugs
• farm
• policy
• category
• law
• police
• criminal

[pollonboy]

the goverment is fucking stupid keep changing the classification of cannibis. when will they realize that nobody takes any notice of what class they think it should be anyway. people will try it for themselfs an make their own minds up we dont need them to tell us what to think plus most of the people who are still trying to fight the leagalization of it are people who have never tryed it an dont know what they are talking about. GOD BRINGS PEACE TO ALL HERB LOVERS

[GeeWeezzz]

Oh, and it's so easy, when you're too fucking lazy to get through uni, or that you're a bad mother who couldn't even instill a sense of morals or responsibility in your son, to blame it on cannabis... Fuck this joke of a piece of propaganda posing as a news story.

[chicheater1]

blame it on the ma-ma-ma-marijuana. fuck sake, just admit your policies are wrong and legalize

[cdstingj]

They forced more people in to treatment with tighter referral rules to skew the numbers for governmental reasons. The governments lie...especially America and England.

[tomszx]

You dont have a clue what cannabis is about, youngster! Why dont you do some REAL research about cannabis?! It is NOT the "Devil's Weed" you think it is. I feel really sad for you. :( If you dont know about the subject you are talking about, please dont spread more lies. The governments of the world have that market cornered, concerning cannabis. If you want to talk about dangerous drugs, talk about alcohol! Peace n Pot.

[trina5419]

Having smoked in the better years I cant even take a draw of home grown skunk without thinking this is not what I wanted when I was running from the police in the days of soft black , gold seal, leb. etc ...why does it need to be so strong , surely if this is a commodity the buyer has choice ....stop buying SKUNK:

[medznottingham]

dude livin the dream

[majician2000]

All of the statistics that this 'reporter' reels of is pure spin. Read any academic article about UK health policy regarding drug legislation and it will tell you that the downgrading of cannabis to a Class C drug actually reduced the number of users.

[kickazzkob]

Fucking idiots

[moffstarrTV]

what a load of shit. There is nothing wrong with weed , It's a nice thing , make it legal and sort the uk's money situation out. What about crack and brown that shit is fucking making people rape babies and shit how many weed heads do that huh? fucking propaganda bullshit video.

[olly597]

The government makes BILLIONS taxing both tobacco and alcohol. Ciggarrets and alcohol kill more people EVERY YEAR than cannabis would in five years. Drugs such as aspirin are legal and if you take one too many of them it'll be you're last headache WAKE UP MOTHERFCKERS it's a herb not a widespread epidemic.