CANNABIS CAMPAIGN - SAFER THAN MANY TRANQUILLISERS

Campaigners against the drug Benzodiazepine, many of whom who have suffered
from the ill effects of taking the tranquilliser, are arguing this week
that cannabis would be far safer for doctors to prescribe, if only it were
legal.

As they prepare for a conference on drug safety in London on Friday, which
will examine better ways of warning consumers of the effects of certain
prescribed drugs, former users claim that the harmful and addictive "benzo"
family of pills is still being prescribed in Britain and Wales.

In a letter written to the Medicines Control Agency, members of the
anti-benzodiazepine action group point out that the withdrawal symptoms and
side effects of the drug have been known about now for some time.

"These so-called minor tranquillisers should be given only in a controlled
hospital environment and classified as a Class A drug," said Barry Haslam,
55, a former accountant from Oldham who was prescribed a series of "benzo"
related drugs when he suffered a nervous breakdown.

"I certainly wish I had taken cannabis instead. The tranquillisers have
ruined my memory and were very difficult to come off. A doctor told me
recently that I was on the equivalent of two or three bottles of whisky a
day."

Mr Haslam and his fellow campaigners argue that Home Office Statistics
Bulletins this decade prove that more people died from benzodiazepine usage
than from such drugs as heroin and cocaine. No one, on the other hand, has
ever died as a result of cannabis.

The campaigners concede that the number of prescriptions of benzodiazepine
is going down, but they fear this may be because GPs are prescribing
anti-depressants instead. The Medicines Control Agency contends that
current warnings on the packaging of benzodiazepines are sufficient.