tackling drugs and alcohol, changing lives

In an aricle from The Parlimentary Monitor, MP for Bolton South East Dr Brian Iddon comments on the Beckley Foundation Report “Cannabis: Going Against Conventions”. While fully supporting the report’s call for further reseach to establish the facts on cannabis and mental illness, Dr Iddon speaks of some of the other harms of cannabis use:

“Those who drive whilst intoxicated increase the risk of traffic accidents; there is an increased risk of respiratory illness from smoking the drug; and there is a risk of physical dependence in around 10 per cent of users.

Some of the greatest harm caused by involvement with cannabis can be for those young people who are caught in possession of the drug. This can cause long-term damage to their education and career prospects; as such, convictions must be declared at almost every step of the education and career ladder. A conviction can also cause problems for people seeking visas to visit countries like the USA. I would urge the government to consider these implications if they want to persist in their drive to reclassify cannabis.”