CANNABIS IS NO SOFT DRUG, UN WARNS

New strains of highly potent cannabis are as dangerous as heroin and
cocaine, and the drug can no longer be dismissed as "soft and
relatively harmless", the United Nations has reported.

In an implied criticism of Britain's decision to downgrade cannabis,
Antonio Maria Costa, the head of the UN's Office on Drugs and Crime,
said that countries got the "drug problem they deserved" if they
maintained inadequate policies.

His comments on Monday indicated deep unhappiness with the British
Government's decision to reclassify cannabis from a Class B drug to
Class C. Heroin and cocaine are Class A substances, attracting the
toughest penalties for possession and trafficking.

"Policy reversals leave young people confused as to just how dangerous
cannabis is," said Mr Costa, introducing the organisation's annual
report.

"With cannabis-related health damage increasing, it is fundamentally
wrong for countries to make cannabis control dependent on which party
is in government. The cannabis pandemic, like other challenges to
public health, requires consensus, a consistent commitment across the
political spectrum and by society at large."

Mr Costa said that cannabis was "considerably more potent" than a few
decades ago. It was "a mistake" to dismiss it as a soft drug.

"Today the harmful characteristics of cannabis are no longer that
different from those of other plant-based drugs such as cocaine and
heroin," he said.

The UN report estimates that 160 million people use the drug
worldwide, with a growing market for stronger strains.

The study claimed a "significant" number of cannabis users experienced
panic attacks, paranoia and "psychotic symptoms" during cannabis
intoxication.

"Despite early claims to the contrary, cannabis dependence is a
reality. Many people who use cannabis find it difficult to stop, even
when it interferes with other aspects of their lives, and more than a
million people from all over the world enter treatment for cannabis
dependence each year," the report said.

Britain downgraded cannabis two years ago in an effort to free police
resources to concentrate on cocaine and heroin. A review of that
decision in January retained the classification.