The British Home Office Ministry announced in mid-January that cannabis will remain classified as a Class C drug. According to a Jan. 19, 2006 news release from the Home Secretary, Charles Clarke (
"Statement on the classification of cannabis and harm reduction measures"),
"I have decided to accept the Advisory Council's [Advisory Council on Misuse of Drugs] recommendation, which is supported by the police and by most drugs and mental health charities to keep the current classification of cannabis."
In the release, the Home Secretary noted that
"On cannabis, I have considered very carefully the advice which I have received from many sources. I am influenced by data on levels of use of the drug and evidence that cannabis use has fallen among 16-24 year olds from 28% in 1998 to less than 24% last year. The preliminary assessment is that, contrary to my personal expectation, reclassification has not led to an increase in use. Moreover I accept the view of the Advisory Council that further research on the mental health implications is needed before any decision to reclassify is made."
Following are excerpts from the ACMD report,
"Further Consideration of the Classification of Cannabis Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971":
"4.10.3 In the Council’s judgement, the evidence for the existence of a dose–
response relationship (an association between frequency of cannabis
use and the development of psychosis) is, on the presently available
evidence, weak. This is because of the difficulty in distinguishing, among
very frequent users, between those with persistent psychotic symptoms
due to continuing acute intoxication and those with an emerging chronic
psychotic condition. There could also be an effect that is related to
potency but there are no clear data available on this." (p. 12)
"4.10.4 The Council was not convinced by suggestions that the prevalence
of psychotic symptoms at age 26 years was greater in those first using
cannabis before the age of 15 years compared with those using cannabis
before the age of 18 years. The Council considers that the number of
individuals that have been the subject of relevant studies is too small for
reliable conclusions to be drawn about extra risks in those aged 15 years
old or less at their first use. Nevertheless, the use of cannabis in
adolescents of all ages must be strongly discouraged." (p. 12)
"4.11.1 In some studies, little or no attempt has been made to distinguish the
use of cannabis from that of other controlled substances. Many have
failed to distinguish between 'ever' users and those who used cannabis
frequently. Some investigations have been limited to estimating the
incidence of depression among individuals with cannabis dependence.
Furthermore, a wide variety of approaches has been used in the
assessment of depression (and other related mental health problems),
which makes it difficult to combine studies for analytical purposes."
(p. 12)
"4.12 The most recent data (12, 20, 23–25) are not, overall, persuasive of
a causal association between cannabis use and the development of
depression, bipolar disorder or anxiety. Although some investigators
have observed statistically significant associations, there is a lack of
consistency between the results of studies and even those with positive
findings show only small effects." (p. 12)
"6.6 The Council has considered very carefully, and in considerable detail,
whether these recent and additional data on the relationship between
cannabis use and the development of psychotic symptoms merit a change
in its advice on the appropriate classification – within the Misuse of
Drugs Act 1971 – of cannabis-containing products. For the following
reasons, the Council considers that cannabis products should remain
Class C." (p. 15)
"6.6.1 At worst, the risk to an individual of developing schizophrenia as a result
of using cannabis is very small and, overall, the harmfulness of cannabis
remains substantially less than the harmfulness of substances (such as
amphetamine, barbiturates or codeine) that are currently controlled as
Class B under the Act." (p. 15)
"6.6.5 Acute intoxication with cannabis does not cause death. It produces
significantly fewer adverse cardiovascular effects than amphetamines,
and, unlike either barbiturates or codeine, it does not cause respiratory
depression. Cannabis use rarely provokes acts of aggression and is less
associated with acquisitive crime (1). Its dependence-producing potential
is substantially less than that of amphetamine, barbiturates or codeine." (p. 16)
6.6.6 Reclassification to Class C has not, to date, been associated with any
increase in reported cannabis consumption among adolescents and young
adults. The slow downward trend in use in the past month that has been
observed over the last 5 years appears to have been maintained." (p. 16)
