Rethink’s position on cannabis classification

Earlier today, prime minister Gordon Brown announced a review into whether cannabis should be reclassified as a class B drug. Cannabis was downgraded to class C in 2004, and leading mental health charity Rethink does not think its classification should change.

Paul Corry, Rethink’s director of public affairs, says:

“We welcome the review of the government’s drugs strategy and fully expect it to endorse the now accepted link between high risk groups using cannabis and the development of severe mental illness. The strategy should look back at past government promises of a high profile, sustained public health campaign on the issue and ask ‘what happened to it?’

“Although there has been renewed interest in yet again reclassifying cannabis, the experiences of our members tell us that re-introducing tougher criminal penalties for possession and use would do nothing to reduce use. What most people who have experienced the misery of developing mental illness from using cannabis want to see is a properly funded health campaign, not harsher laws that end up criminalising people who have developed a health problem.”

Key facts:

• Young people who use cannabis under the age of 18 double their chances of getting a severe mental illness
• Since cannabis has been at class C, fewer young people have been using it, which suggests that its classification has little effect
• If a person has a psychotic illness, cannabis use can reduce their chances of getting better.