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Cannabis Classification Confusion
In January 2004, then Home Secretary of the United Kingdom, the Right Honorable David Blunkett MP, reclassified cannabis from a class B drug, carrying with it up to 5 years in Prison, to a class C drug, which is more likely to result in a "street caution" if a person is caught in possession. Since cannabis was reclassified it has shown a marked drop in user numbers year on year, and this, according to figures published by the Home Office. In Summer 2007 Tony Blair resigned as Prime Minister of the UK, and handed power over to then Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown and one of Mr Browns first jobs was to announce a rethink on the classification of cannabis, by asking the governments advisory body on the misuse of drugs, (Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs - ACMD) for any evidence which would suggest cannabis should be reclassified back to a class B drug. In a furore of press activity, the ACMD met in London on February 5th 2008, and heard arguments for and against the reclassification of the class C substance, and was then tasked with creating a report which, according to history, the government would act on. In the meantime, the Prime Minister, in the same year as the Labour Party were accused of having a "cosy relationship with the alcohol industry" by a leading drugs charity, announced that me may not take the advice of the ACMD, and may well reclassify marijuana, and regardless of their (the ACMD's) recommendations. Which throws into doubt the validity of an advisory council which is convened at great public cost, when the Prime Minister, in a move which smacks of a man looking for a Presidency over a premiership, decides unilaterally to change a law which will affect close to 4 million cannabis using members of the GB community. The British prison service is already full to bursting point, and whether you agree or disagree with the cannabis laws as they stand, experts agree that class C is a right and worthy classification for a substance yet to kill a single person, and which is less addictive than coffee. Simply convicting and jailing people for what is a lifestyle choice, is not viable in 2008, the year the American College of Physicians, a professional group of 124,000 doctors in the US, gave its unreserved backing to the use of medical marijuana. So someone is lying to us in the UK, and its about time we found out who, and why.
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Contributor's Note
The Canna Zine news portal was set up in February 07, to offer a fair & balanced reporting service to upwards of 4 million, cannabis using UK citizens.
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It is perhaps somewhat unfashionable to be against liberalisation of cannabis these days, but I used to have an American friend, called Paul Agnostelli, who was extremely intelligent, astute, industrious, and would have had a bright career and an active social life if only he weren't spaced out all the time. Cannabis clearly has the power to transform someone clever and alert into a blabbering idiot. While cannabis may not be as powerful as cocaine or heroin, it nonetheless can easily destroy someone's life. If Paul hadn't dealt with his problems by getting high, and had instead stuck to whoring and drinking and fighting like myself, perhaps he would have gone on to do great things. I think the more controls there are for this stuff, the better.
 | | nick Jun 12, 2008 03:19 | |
A most interesting read webhead, and an even more interesting reply Nick. marijuana be the root of all munchie attacks! Clearly though on a serious note, what is the lesser of the two evils, alcohol or marijuana? After all how many drunks fight and vandalise public property as apposed to marijuana smoking related violence and crimes. Also how many cases of excess marijuana smoking do you see cluttering up A&E departments, because I know from experience the NHS in the UK is overwhelmed by alcohol related accidents. not to mention the amount of staff attacks in hospitals by drunk patients too. Is it alright to get so bladdered that one can't even stand, and most commonly leave vomit everywhere? The only difference is that the government is already TAXING alcohol, but can't find ways to tax and regulate marijuana!
Good intel, points well made. As for Nick's response - whoring and drinking huh? Real man stuff! Yeah, he might have gone on to do great things, or he might have ended up a sad pathetic posturing drunk boring everyone with his views and dying of liver failure. Or he might have splattered his brain in an auto crash or killed some innocent byestanders. Perhaps Paul had problems you weren't aware of because you were too drunk all the time...
I agree that younger people (school & college students) should be restricted from smoking marijuana, however I feel like alcohol marijuana, specifically stronger strains (skunk) should be up to the adult whether they wish to smoke or not. The largest problem it seems is that governments would have trouble taxing marijuana and providing a reliable quality product to the willing public. I cannot understand why the government is so ready to tax and allow people to kill themselves with cigarettes and alcohol, causing the NHS millions each year in preventable admissions and treatment of drink and smoking related issues, yet are unwilling to give adults the right to choose if they want to smoke the much less harmful marijuana. Up until a year ago, I was a long term smoker of both cigarettes and marijuana, including cannabis resins. I've never really liked or enjoyed drinking alcohol, and smoking cannabis has never interfered with my daily functioning. CIGARETTES: DEATH, NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT!
ALCOHOL: MAN-MADE POISON CONSUMED BY MILLIONS!
MARIJUANA: GOD'S NATURAL GIFT TO MAN!
Is there a D class for drugs?
@ biblefreeorg Class A, B and C drugs The different kinds of illegal drugs are divided into three different categories, or classes. These classes (A, B and C) carry different levels of penalty for possession and dealing. Penalties for possession and dealing: Class A
Ecstasy, LSD, heroin, cocaine, crack, magic mushrooms, amphetamines (if prepared for injection). Up to seven years in prison or an unlimited fine or both.
Up to life in prison or an unlimited fine or both. Class B
Amphetamines, Cannabis, Methylphenidate (Ritalin), Pholcodine. Up to five years in prison or an unlimited fine or both.
Up to 14 years in prison or an unlimited fine or both. Class C
Tranquilisers, some painkillers, Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), Ketamine. Up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine or both.
Up to 14 years in prison or an unlimited fine or both. All of the drugs on the list above - whether Class A, B or C - are designated as controlled substances under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, and using them is illegal. Class A drugs are considered to be the most likely to cause harm. The Misuse of Drugs Act states that it is an offence to: * possess a controlled substance unlawfully * possess a controlled substance with intent to supply it * supply or offer to supply a controlled drug (even if it is given away for free) * allow a house, flat or office to be used by people taking drugs
I don't see how comparing alcohol and pot is a valid comparison. That is much like saying I would rather be shot in the head than poisoned. Neither are very good for the human body, especially when used in excess. That said, my political views run to the extreme of almost not having any government involvement in such matters. Only when someone is harming the rest of us, should the Government pass laws to stop it. i.e, drunk driving, or DWI If even the harder drugs were legal, they could be sold and taxed to the benefit of those who CHOOSE not to use them. Less crime would result since a lot of the crimes committed today are related to turf wars for the right to sell an illegal substance. Those who disagree with drug legalization point to increased hospitalization costs to rehabilitate drug abusers. I say that the increased taxes would more than pay for any increased harm to our communities. The freedom to choose may even bring down both hard drug use and pot smoking by taking away the intrinsic "bad boy" mystique for users. The other huge benefit would be to free up prison space for prisoners who need to be kept away from the public. Those like child abusers, rapists, and killers need longer prison sentences and no parole after a very short time.
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This intel was contributed by webhead
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