The cannabis debate

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INTRODUCTION

The cannabis debate has never been a straightforward one.  At the beginning of the 21st century, perceptions and preconceptions about cannabis and its uses have never been more blurred.  Some see cannabis as a menace to society whilst others see it as a useful source of fibre, food and medicine.  Doctors and scientists spend millions investigating its medicinal value yet for every positive piece of research, there is a negative.  (Brownlee, 2003)

Cannabis is very widely grown and available, and is usually smoked with or without tobacco.  It is obtained as dried leaves or as a resin.  It induces feelings of well-being, relaxation and tranquility, though it may also give rise to apprehension, anger and depression.  It is used both socially and for medicinal purposes.  

There are lots of words used in the debate of cannabis, which have different meanings, or different words with the same meaning.  Here is a description of a few of them.

The Oxford Dictionary of English 2nd Ed 2003 states that cannabis is “a tall plant with a stiff upright stem, divided serrated leaves, and glandular hairs (also Indian hemp).  It is used to produce hemp fibre and as a psychotropic drug.  It is also called Indian hemp, and Marijuana.”  It goes on to say “ Cannabis sativa, family Cannabaceae (or Cannabidaceae): two subspecies (sometimes considered two species), C. s. sativa, which is chiefly used for hemp and C. s. indica, from which the drug is usually obtained.”  Cannabis is also “a dried preparation of the flowering tops or other parts of the cannabis plant, or a resinous extract of it (cannabis resin), used (generally illegally) as a psychotropic drug, chiefly in cigarettes.”  Street names for cannabis include hashish or hash, marijuana (especially as smoked in cigarettes), pot, grass, ganja, kif, bhang and dagga.

The same dictionary describes hemp as “the cannabis plant especially when grown for fibre.  The fibre of the cannabis plant extracted from the stem and used to make rope, strong fabrics, fiberboard and paper.  Used in names of other plants that yield fibre, e.g. Manila hemp.  The drug cannabis.”

One acre of hemp can produce four times the amount of paper than an acre of trees can.  Hemp can also be used as a biomass fuel, as it is one of the fastest growing and most resilient of annual plants.  Thus, hemp can be burnt to produce charcoal to fuel power stations, and methanol and fuel oil to supply the same by-products of the traditional fossil fuels.  As it is an annual plant, it also removes the carbon dioxide from the environment, thereby redressing the balance.  The seeds of the plant are the most nutritious single food source on the planet, containing 80% essential fatty acids that our needed by our immune systems, and can supply a nearly complete diet for both humans and domesticated animals.  The seed oil can also be used as the basis for paints and varnishes, and lighting oil. (Bradshaw, 2001)

The term cannabinoid was originally used to describe the family of naturally occurring chemicals found in cannabis.  Of these, the most significant is .9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) but there are others (e.g. cannabinol), which though not psychoactive, may modify the effects of THC itself.  The Oxford Dictionary of English 2nd Edition 2003 describes cannabinoid as “any of a group of closely related compounds which include cannabinol and the active constituents of cannabis.”  And Cannabinol is “a crystalline compound whose derivatives, especially THC, are the active constituents of cannabis.”

The effect any drug has on a person depends on the type of drug, it’s strength and how much is taken.  It also depends on the person’s background and the circumstances it is taken in.  Cannabis is the most popular illegal drug amongst all age groups.

The main issue for any consideration of the current law on cannabis is how harmful it is compared with other major illicit drugs and whether that harm is properly reflected in the law. (Runciman, 1999)

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 classifies drugs based on the harm they cause:

  • Class A (the most harmful) includes morphine and diamorphine (heroin).
  • Class B (an intermediate category) includes amphetamines, barbiturates, cannabis and cannabis resin.
  • Class C (the least harmful) includes anabolic steroids, benzodiazepines and growth hormones.

This Act has been modified a number of times.  The most current modification is: The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Modification) (No. 2) Order 2003.  This Order reclassifies four substances in Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which specifies drugs, which are subject to control under the Act.  The four substances, cannabinol and cannabinol derivatives (previously Class A drugs) and cannabis and cannabis resin (previously Class B drugs), are reclassified as Class C drugs. (Galloway, 2003)

A report by the House of Lords remarks;

“When cannabis is systematically compared with other drugs against the main criteria of harm (mortality, morbidity, toxicity, addictiveness and relationship with crime), it is less harmful to the individual and society than any of the other major illicit drugs or than alcohol and tobacco.”  (Runciman, 1999)

The British Medical Association has stated, ‘The acute toxicity of cannabinoids is extremely low – no deaths have been directly attributed to their recreational or therapeutic use.’  (Brownlee 2003)


HISTORY

The first recorded use of Cannabis as a medicine was in China in 2700 BC.

In 1533 the use of hemp for fabric assumes vital importance in naval Britain, where it is used to make sails.  Henry VIII issued a decree that for every 60 acres of arable land a farmer owned, a quarter acre was to be sown with hemp.  The penalty for not doing so was to be three shillings and four pence.

In 1653 English physician Nicholas Culpeper claims cannabis ‘allayeth inflammations, easeth the pain of gout, tumours or knots of joints, pain of hips.’

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In 1842 cannabis became a popular medicine in Victorian England, used to treat ailments such as muscle cramps, menstrual cramps, rheumatism and the convulsions of tetanus, rabies and epilepsy.  In 1890 Queen Victoria is prescribed cannabis for period pains.  Her personal doctor, Sir Robert Russell, claims: ‘It is one of the most valuable medicines we possess.’

In 1901 The British Royal Commission concludes that cannabis is relatively harmless and not worth prohibiting.

In 1928 the Dangerous Drugs Act makes cannabis illegal in Britain.

In 1967 Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones are ...

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