Cannabis confusion clouds the real social issue

The reasons behind his policy change calls has always centre'd on the fact that locally grown "skunk"; a widely used nom-de-plume which covers any and every variety of home-grown herbal cannabis, is markedly stronger than it was 10 years or more ago, causing mental health concerns amongst young people who regularly use the drug.

Cannabis Hypocrisy
But at his monthly Downing Street news conference earlier this week, Mr Brown said: "I believe that if we are sending out a signal, particularly to teenagers – particularly those at the most vulnerable age, young teenagers – that we in any way find cannabis acceptable . . . that is not the right thing to do.

Even though half of your cabinet have admitted to using cannabis in the past Mr Brown? Thats Hypocrisy with a capital "H" sir!

But it was a statement made later in the news conference which is indicative of Mr Brown losing headway in his personal battle with cannabis, and as such having to "change tack", as the direction his campaign was taking, stalled, under increasing pressure from charities such as "Rethink", as well as the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), the very experts who's advice Gordon's government sought back in the summer of 2007.

Initially the government were said to be concerned over the amounts of this new, stronger variety of cannabis which is being grown in the UK, for consumption by the nations cannabis community.

But in a sharp change of direction, it was during his news conference that Mr Brown decided it wasn't, in fact, the large amount of locally grown cannabis which was the source of the problem, but, and to quote the Prime Minister's own words, ""Given the changing nature of the stock of cannabis that is coming into the country and greater damage that that appears to be doing to people who use it, there is a stronger case for sending out a signal that cannabis is not only illegal but it is unacceptable."

So clearly the argument that the reduced classification brought into being by then Home Secretary David Blunkett, and under the Premiership of Tony Blair, was actually fueling the growth in Britains private rented sector being converted into cannabis factories, seems to have lost favour with the Prime Minister as his anti-cannabis campaign founders and struggles to maintain headway under a barrage of press, the majority of which is calling for the government to leave cannabis as a class C drug.

And when this new direction fails to receive the support Gordon would like it to, it makes you wonder what argument the government will use next, on its irrational mission to demonise cannabis.

In the meantime, news reports from the South West of country pay witness to a very different social issue, and one it would seem the Prime Minister and his government, who were recently accused of maintaining a "cosy relationship with the alcohol industry" by a leading charity, is keen to deflect public awareness from.

Hospital admissions "specifically due to alcohol" increased by more than 50 per cent in the South West between 2001 and 2005, according to a report published today by the South West Public Health Observatory.

The report also highlighted that an estimated three quarters of a million (728,500) people aged 16-64 in the region drink to hazardous levels and that around 119,000 are dependent drinkers.

Hospital admissions due to alcohol for women (aged under 75) are higher than the England average, although men are still most likely to suffer death or illness due to alcohol.

The severity of the problem is brought into even sharper focus when looking at the effects of alcohol on young people. The report highlights that young people are increasingly at risk. Between 1998 and 2004, the number of under 18 year-olds admitted to hospital due to acute intoxication increased by 60 per cent and by 140 per cent in those aged 18-24.

Which brings the two respective social issues firmly into perspective, and shows yet again that the cannabis witch-hunt is actually a diversionary tactic, carefully designed and co-ordinated by central government, to hide the fact that under this Labour government, the United Kingdom is quite literally, "dying for a drink"!