RESPONDING TO THE DANGERS OF CANNABIS USE

Early day motion 209, tabled 12 November 2007 by Lynne Jones (Labour). Signed by 47 members.

That this House supports the mental health charity Rethink in its call for a public education campaign to convey the dangers of cannabis use; offers this support in light of the recent review of research published in the Lancet, which concludes that frequency of cannabis use increases the risk of psychotic illness such as schizophrenia by up to 40 per cent.; calls for clarity on the cannabis debate, particularly regarding the strength of skunk varieties of the drug; believes that reclassifying cannabis will not in itself lead to a decrease in the number of people who use it; notes that the proportion of young people using cannabis has actually fallen since it was reclassified in January 2004 from 25.3 per cent. of 16 to 24 year olds in 2003-04 to 20.9 per cent. in 2006-07; and urges the Government to commit to the development of a long-term awareness and information campaign with health promotion rather than a change in the law as the main lever to reduce use, in addition to funding research into the link between cannabis use and mental ill health.

Signatures by party: Labour 23, Liberal Democrat 14, Conservative 3, DUP 2, Plaid Cymru 2, Independent 1, Scottish National Party 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.