Former drugs Czar: My cannabis fears were right

Jan 27 2009 by Andrew Hirst, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

In Kirklees last year police found 98 ‘cannabis factories’ out of 520 for the county.

Mr Dent said: “These numbers were significantly less before the reclassification and it may be organised crime gangs have got involved because they believed cannabis had gone under the police radar.

“Cannabis was reclassified in 2004 to allow the police to concentrate on targeting class A drugs such as heroin and cocaine.”

He said at that time the cannabis strength – known as its tetra-hydro-cannibol (THC) ingredient was 6%, but by last spring this potency had risen to 16% nationally and 22% in West Yorkshire.

Mr Dent added: “This caused the debate regarding mental health issues such as schizophrenia and paranoia, which is why Home Secretary Jacqui Smith wanted to look at the issue again.

“The THC has fuelled the argument, especially in terms of children and the effect it can have while their brains are developing.

“They are especially vulnerable if there is a predisposition for mental illness within the family and people are using cannabis alongside alcohol.”

Home Office Minister Alan Campbell has warned the average age of first-time cannabis users is just 13.

“Cannabis is a harmful drug and while fewer people are taking it than before, it poses a real risk to the health of those who do use it,” he said.

“I am extremely concerned about the use of stronger cannabis – skunk – and the harm it can cause to mental health.

“We are reclassifying cannabis to protect the public and future generations.

Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the mental health charity SANE, said: “SANE has been campaigning for many years over the mounting evidence of direct links between cannabis and later schizophrenia.”