Pubdate: Thu, 22 Mar 2007 Source: Ottawa Citizen (CN ON) Copyright: 2007 The Ottawa Citizen Contact: http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/326 Author: William Lin, Ottawa Citizen Cited: Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy http://www.cfdp.ca/ Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/source/Independent+on+Sunday Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) BRITISH NEWSPAPER REVERSES POSITION ON MARIJUANA Cites Growing Risk Of Mental Health Problems A decade ago, Britain's The Independent on Sunday newspaper launched a bold campaign to decriminalize marijuana, part of a movement that eventually led Britain to downgrade the drug's legal status. Earlier this week, the tabloid issued an unusual front-page "apology," saying it has reversed its stance in light of research showing the drug's harmful effects and figures reflecting an increase in those undergoing drug treatment. In a story and editorial, the newspaper said growing evidence showing a more potent cannabis strain, known as skunk, is associated with a risk of mental health problems. Studies have shown that young users of marijuana predisposed to psychosis and schizophrenia may be susceptible to mental health problems. The editorial also cited the number of cannabis users doubling 13-fold to 22,000 since 1997 -- half of them younger than 18 years old. "Time has changed and information has come to light ... that simply wasn't there before. So, we thought it was prudent to reassess our own position in light of that information," said Jonathan Owen, an Independent on Sunday reporter who wrote the story on the drug's harmful effects. The editorial about-face comes at a time when a new independent drug policy commission is set to begin a debate on the British government's approach to the issue, while several drug experts and politicians have reassessed their own positions, according to the newspaper. A raft of new studies and experts have questioned the decriminalizing of marijuana. "The fact that cannabis consumption is so widespread amongst young people in the U.K. means the number of young people who are experiencing mental health problems is actually quite large," said Neil McKeganey, a professor at the University of Glasgow's Centre for Drug Misuse Research. "I would say it's a dangerous drug," he said, adding that the large numbers of youth receiving treatment for cannabis health-related problems seems to be "an indication of opportunity of a much greater problem which will unfold in due course." Although many Canadian experts agree that studies show an association between psychosis and marijuana use for those susceptible to mental illness, some said nothing dramatically new has been gleaned from recent studies. A few even say the issue is being politicized in Britain. "The psychosis or mental illness has probably been a claim that has been repeatedly made since the 1950s," said Alan Young, a criminal law expert at York University. "The political question is: Does the state have the right to deprive 95 per cent of the population of an activity that is harmless to them?" Neil Boyd, a criminology professor at Simon Fraser University, said although he doesn't dispute there could be health consequences for a small minority smoking marijuana, "those consequences are trivial compared with the health consequences of alcohol and tobacco." The Independent on Sunday said it doesn't believe the newspaper was wrong in calling for decriminalization in the late 1990s, because marijuana potency was weaker then. Eugene Oscapella, an Ottawa lawyer and founding member of the Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy, said although marijuana could bring out schizophrenia in susceptible people, criminalizing marijuana doesn't solve anything. "I don't understand what the fuss is all about," he said. "It's all a panic response on the part of the newspaper." - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman