The report concludes that one of the main long-term health risks from cannabis comes from smoking it; in fact, it may be more dangerous than smoking cigarettes because it has a higher concentration of carcinogens.

But the council does seem to suggest that using cannabis might actually be as good as going to the gym as it produces an increased heart rate: "The cardiovascular actions of cannabis are similar to the effects of exercise, and probably do not constitute a significant risk in health to adolescents and young adults."

The main findings of the report are: · High use of cannabis is not associated with major health problems for individuals or society.

* Occasional use of cannabis is only rarely associated with significant problems in otherwise healthy individuals, with the main worry being impaired control of your movements. It can also disrupt the control of blood pressure and increase the risk of fainting.

* However, occasional use can pose significant dangers for those with heart and circulation disorders and for those with schizophrenia.

* Regular heavy use of cannabis can result in dependence but its addictive potential is far less than amphetamines, tobacco or alcohol.

* Cannabis impairs mental functions such as attention, memory and performance and so can be dangerous for drivers and those who operate heavy machinery but, unlike alcohol, it does not increase risk-taking behaviour.

* The birth weight of children whose pregnant mothers smoked joints might be lower than expected due to carbon monoxide in the smoke. They also run a small risk of minor birth defects.

* Cannabis is less harmful than other class B substances including amphetamines, barbiturates or codeine-like compounds.

The publication of the latest scientific assessment from the official medical experts clears the way for Mr Blunkett to announce his decision, probably after Easter. He wants to hear the outcome of an independent evaluation by the Police Foundation of the Lambeth "lighter touch" experiment and the Commons home affairs select committee inquiry into the drug laws.

The reclassification of cannabis from class B to class C would rank its legal status alongside anabolic steroids and growth hormones and would mean that the police would no longer be able to arrest those caught in possession of small amounts. It would however remain a criminal offence carrying a maximum of two years imprisonment.

Michael Rawlinson, the ACMD chairman said: "In recommending that cannabis should be reclassified, the council is not saying that it is harmless. Cannabis is associated with some risks to health, but the council concludes that these are less than the risks posed by other Class B drugs such as amphetamine."

In fact, the medical experts go further and say that it is not only wrong but also dangerous to continue to class cannabis alongside the other more harmful class B drugs because it suggests that they are all equally harmful.

The medical experts also say that it is not possible with any certainty to resolve the long-running controversy over whether cannabis is a "gateway drug" to heroin or crack cocaine but concludes that "the risks, if any, are small and less than associated with the use of tobacco or alcohol".

Although cannabis may worsen some existing mental health problems, the medical experts say there is no evidence that it causes brain damage but that the jury is still out on whether chronic use can lead to mental illness. It also says the evidence is unclear for the claim that chronic cannabis use reduces the male sperm count.

The Conservative leader, Iain Duncan Smith, attacked the proposal to downgrade cannabis as "ill-thought out" but the Liberal Democrats' Simon Hughes welcomed the report as a highly influential addition to the debate.

Special Report: Drugs in Britain: http://www.guardian.co.uk/drugs/0,2759,178206,00.html

Note: Experts pave way for relaxation in law though drug can be harmful

Source: Guardian Unlimited, The (UK)
Author: Alan Travis, Home Affairs Editor
Published: Friday March 15, 2002
Copyright: 2001 Guardian Newspapers Limited
Contact: letters@guardian.co.uk
Website: http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Related Articles & Web Site:

Drugscope
http://www.drugscope.org.uk/

Cannabis Report Renews Pressure on Ministers
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12239.shtml

It's funny; it isn't even Spring, yet, but the weather on the East Coast is positively Summer-y. A harbinger of things to come? Another 'hot' Summer politically when we haven't even had Spring, yet? This whole issue has been like a fission reactor on overload for the last 7 years; the pressure has to go someplace, before a catastrophe occurs.

I've commented before that the only way to stop drug law reform in the US is the imposition of martial law; we almost have that now, but not the full fledged "Your papers, Citizen!" If the idiots in Washington keep pushing, they will soon feel a backlash; the original patriotic fervor that they rode the coat-tails of to pass the horrifically mis-named PATRIOT legislation is being replaced with cooler thoughts.

In a classic foot-shooting manoever, the antis have blown it with their insane attempt to link white middle-class kids puffing reefer with Osama's butchers. The recent ads by the Libbers and others have let the antis know they haven't steamrollered us yet; we're still here...and still talking. And making more sense than ever. Their credibility is in tatters; one more dumb (taxpayer-funded!) remark made against middle class kids, and the antis will lose that support base very quickly. That's why they've been reluctant to push this again.

NIDA and many other DrugWar organizations are severely dependent upon politically perverted science. They have always done their level best to bury or overlook inconvenient facts from studies that didn't jibe with their DrugWar canto. The latest example of this in the US was the IoM report, which grudgingly, strainingly, with all the enthusiasm of having their teeth extracted, admitted that cannabis does indeed have medicinal uses. Barry the Mad had sidestepped the conclusions of the study, instead somehow, through a convoluted sophistry worthy of the best bureaucrats, claimed the study supported his position...that it didn't have any medical uses.

But what will NIDA do now? Cast aspersions upon the official governmental medical organization of an allied nation whose military personnel are needed in a 'pacification' campaign? A dangerous course, that; without Great Britain, there can be no planned invasion of Iraq...which Bush Sub One wants desperately to take place, so he can turn to his Daddy and pridefully say that he's done something 'Poppie' (wow, what a synchronicity, there, given it's the Afghan's only export worthy of the name!) Bush didn't have the cojones to do.

(In an aside, I've always felt that Junior was doing a lot of this as an attempt to make up for a (justly earned ) inferiority complex.)

It's gonna get real interesting very shortly...in the Chinese meaning of that word.