:: press release ::

Friday May 23, 2008

ASSEMBLY BACK ROSS CANNABIS MOTION 
 

The Northern Ireland Assembly today discussed the issue of cannabis and backed an amended motion by DUP MLA Alastair Ross.  
 

Mr Ross had tabled a motion a number of months ago calling for the Government to re-classify cannabis as a class B drug, and within 24 hours of the motion being printed on the order paper the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith moved to re-classify cannabis as a class B drug. 
 

Commenting today Mr Ross said,  
 

“Whilst there may not be a direct correlation between my motion and the Prime Ministers decision to re-classify cannabis, it is nevertheless the right decision and an admission that their decision four years ago to soften the law on cannabis was a mistake.  
 

It is not only politicians who argued that the Government had made a mistake, but the Association of Chief Police Officers also called for cannabis to be reclassified, despite having originally supported the downgrade. 
 

The downgrading of cannabis led to confusion over its legal status and provided an excuse for people to smoke the drug in public or more openly at least. The decision 4 years ago also undermined the attempts by parents, teachers and community workers to get the message through to young people that taking drugs is dangerous and harmful. 
 

Cannabis has a serious impact on an individual’s health, on their life prospects and on society as a whole. Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug among young people today, and is more potent than ever. The modern ‘skunk’ variety of the drug, which accounts for 80% of the UK cannabis market, is ten times more potent and ten times more dangerous than strains of the drug available even ten years ago.  
 

A survey of 35 studies published in The Lancet medical journal concluded that modern cannabis users are 40% more likely to develop psychotic illness. Certainly the number of anti-psychotic drugs prescribed to young people has doubled in the last decade. 
 

It is important that the message is loud and clear - smoking cannabis is not a rite of passage – it impacts upon every aspect of a young person’s life. It has a negative impact upon motivation and judgement, and will therefore subsequently impact upon school or university grades, broken friendships, family problems and trouble with the law.  
 

Most importantly it impacts severely upon the development and brain of a developing young person. It can change the direction of a young persons life – physically, emotionally or behaviourally. 
 

I welcome the fact that the Assembly have backed the motion today and sent out a strong message about the dangers of cannabis use.”