Reactions to the reclassification of cannabis

Since the Government’s announcement that in 2009 cannabis will be reclassified from Class C to Class B there has been a varied response by the media, drugs charities and members of parliament.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith stated “I make no apology for erring on the side of caution and upgrading its (cannabis) classification. There is a compelling case to act now rather than risk the health of future generations”. (http://www.labour.org.uk/labour_crackdown_on_cannabis,2008-05-07)

This was an opinion shared by the Association of Chief Police Officers. Tim Hollis, chief constable of Humberside Police and ACPO lead on drugs welcomed the Government’s announcement on reclassification and confirmed that the police service will actively seek to ensure more robust enforcement of offences involving cannabis. (http://www.acpo.police.uk/pressrelease.asp?PR_GUID=%7BF089BC48-84DD-474F-835F-4BBCE1EAD525%7D  The Daily Mail was also in favour of upgrading cannabis. In an article on 8th May 2008, “Gordon Brown made a brave and justified decision on cannabis”, the Daily Mail states “Gordon Brown’s decision to reclassify cannabis as a dangerous Class B drug is both brave and right”. The article goes on to congratulate Mr Brown on overruling the “so-called experts on the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs” and asks “How can it make sense, either moral or intellectual, for the ACMD to recommend cracking down only on drug suppliers, while going easy on users – as if selling something is wrong but buying it is ok”. (“Daily Mail, 8th May 2008)

The Times took a similar stance on the Government’s decision to ignore recommendations by the ACMD, saying in an article by Matthew Parris, (“Cannabis: a good (but wrong) move”) “But what I cheer is this: that the Cabinet has taken its own decision after hearing, but refusing to rubber stamp, the recommendations of an unelected body” However, he disagreed with the decision to reclassify cannabis to Class B status. (Times, 8th May 2008). The Shadow Home Secretary, David Davis said he supported the decision to “belatedly” reclassify cannabis as a class B drug but criticised Labour, saying Gordon Brown had “wasted a year” by passing the matter to an advisory committee whose advice he ignored. (www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=news.story.page&obj_id=144057 )
 
According to an article in the Guardian on 8th May 2008, (“Scientists warn Smith over cannabis reclassification”.) the Liberal Democrats’ Home Affairs spokesman, Chris Huhne, disagreed with Gordon Brown’s decision to ignore the government’s scientific advisors and spoke against raising the maximum prison sentence for cannabis possession to 5 years. He called for public education about cannabis use rather than tougher sentencing The Guardian’s home affairs editor, Alan Travis reported on the ACMD’s warning to Jacqui Smith in the same article (The Guardian, 8th May 2008)  He reports the ACMD advised that her decision to upgrade the legal status of cannabis would not work in curbing widespread abuse. The article goes on to say that the Home Secretary confirmed that the police approach to those under 18 found in possession of small amounts of cannabis would remain unchanged. .(The Guardian, 8th May 2008) A press release from Addaction, a charity for drug and alcohol treatment, stated “The Government’s reclassification of cannabis as “class B” today (Wednesday 7th May) will have little impact on the use of a drug which is firmly rooted in the lifestyles of many people”. Addaction, commented that it believed that the Government could only show it was serious about the widespread use of cannabis among young people by reforming the way drug education was delivered in schools and taking “desperate parents seriously when they ask for help”. The press release argued that while the Government upgrades cannabis, cannabis users are being squeezed out of the drug treatment system and says that many drug treatment services are coming under pressure not to treat cannabis users because of a new funding system for drug treatment. (www.addaction.org.uk/Pressrel070508.html) Transform’s Head of Research Steve Rolles responded to the news about reclassification in a satirical blog on 7th May titled “Millions quit cannabis following reclassification”. Transform Drug Policy Foundation believes that the Government should have listened to advice from the ACMD, and that money should be used to educate young people about cannabis and other drugs rather than for policing. The blog also suggested that upgrading cannabis to class B will do little to curb supply. (http://transform-drugs.blogspot.com/2008/05millions-quit-cannabis-following.html)  In an interview for BBC Radio 4 just before the announcement about upgrading cannabis, Martin Barnes, chief executive of DrugScope described media headlines about the drug as “hysterical” and said “The Government should listen to the ACMD. More research is needed on potency and harms associated with higher forms of the drug”. He also said there was no evidence that reclassifying cannabis would reduce availability. (http://www.drugscope.org.uk/newsandevents/whatsnew.html) Jackie Buckle of DrugScope echoed this in Druglink (May 8th) and also wrote “There was no new clinical evidence linking cannabis with severe mental health problems”. She said “despite claims that young people were confused about the classification of cannabis to the point of thinking it was legal; there was no evidence of rising use”. (http://druglink.blogspot.com/2008/05/cannabis-real-message.html)

The Sun, (7th May 2008) the Daily Express , (Wednesday, 7th May 2008) and the Telegraph (8th May 2008) all reported on the issue with comments from Jacqui Smith, the ACMD and/or findings from the report.

Title, Authors, Source

The articles were taken from the Labour and Conservative websites; The Association of Chief Police Officers website; Transform Drug Policy Foundation media blog; Addaction press release;  Drugscope (Druglink); a range of newspapers: The Guardian, The Telegraph; The Times; The Daily Express;  The Daily Mail and the Sun. A BBC 4 radio interview with Martin Barnes (DrugScope) was also used for this media watch piece. 

What were the Study Objectives

This was not a study but the aim of this exercise was to gather the views expressed by various political parties, drugs charities and the media following the announcement on the reclassification of cannabis from class C to class B.

What was the nature of the evidence?

The evidence was gathered from a range of sources: the Internet; broadsheets; tabloid newspapers and BBC Radio 4 Today.

What were the findings?

Each author or spokesperson gave their views on the upgrading of cannabis and the implications of this.

What were the conclusions?

The 3 drugs charities expressed similar views that cannabis should not have been upgraded, with money for better drugs education being a major theme. Jackie Buckle of DrugScope and Steve Rolles of Transform Drug Policy Foundation both expressed the view that upgrading cannabis will do nothing to curb its availability, as did Martin Barnes (DrugScope) in his Radio 4-Today interview before the announcement. 

The newspapers were mixed with the Daily Mail concluding that "Gordon Brown made a brave and justified decision on cannabis and the Times, while congratulating the Government for ignoring the ACMD, conceded that upgrading cannabis was a wrong move. The Daily Express headline stated "No need to reclassify cannabis" and the Sun and the Telegraph reported the views of the Home Secretary and the ACMD.   The Guardian reported the views of Professor Sir Michael Rawlins, chairman of the ACMD; included a statement from DrugScope; a quote from Professor Blackmore, Head of the Medical Research Council as well as parts of the Home Secretary's speech.    

The Liberal Democrats' home affairs spokesperson concluded that the advice of the ACMD should not have been ignored, while the Shadow Home Secretary supported the decision to upgrade cannabis, although he criticised Labour for taking so long to do it.                                                                                                                                                                                                               

References:

• http://www.labour.org.uk/labour_crackdown_on_cannabis,2008-05-07

• (http://www.acpo.police.uk/pressrelease.asp?PR_GUID=%7BF089BC48-84DD-474F-835F-4BBCE1EAD525%7D

• Daily Mail, 8th May 2008: “Gordon Brown made a brave and justified decision on cannabis”

• Times, 8th May 2008: “Cannabis: a good (but wrong) move”

• www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=news.story.page&obj_id=144057 )

• Guardian,  8th May 2008: “Scientists warn Smith over cannabis reclassification”

• www.addaction.org.uk/Pressrel070508.html

• http://transform-drugs.blogspot.com/2008/05millions-quit-cannabis-following.html

• http://www.drugscope.org.uk/newsandevents/whatsnew.html

• http://druglink.blogspot.com/2008/05/cannabis-real-message.html

• The Sun, 7th May 2008

• Daily Express, 7th May 2008: “No need to reclassify cannabis”

• Telegraph, 8th May 2008: “Cannabis to be upgraded to class B drug