POT LAWS JUST DON'T WORK, EXPERTS SAY

Laws against cannabis have failed to cut its use around the world and
have led to policies that are intrusive, socially divisive and
expensive, according to an international group of drug-policy experts.

In a book published on Tuesday looking at cannabis policies, the
experts said that, while the drug harmed some users, it had only a
modest effect on society, where cocaine and alcohol were potentially
more damaging.

"It is time for governments around the world to readdress cannabis
policy," said Peter Reuter, a professor of public policy at the
University of Maryland and one of the book's five co-authors.

Scientific research has suggested smoking cannabis can double the
risk of developing psychosis. A study published in the British
Medical Journal last month found people who smoked "skunk" -- a
potent form of cannabis -- are almost seven times more likely to
develop psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia than those who
smoke "hash," or cannabis resin.

Reuter said authorities should acknowledge "growing evidence that
criminalization of use is a minor deterrent" and recognize the
importance of developing "responsible ways of managing supply, rather
than creating large illegal markets."

He said the increasing potency of cannabis being sold on the street
in many Western countries was one of his major concerns.

"What we really need is a safer way in which people can buy the drug,
rather than leaving it to an illegal market which is producing a drug
that is strong and stronger," he said.

"It's an additional but increasingly important argument for why we
have to face up to working out how to provide a regulated market for cannabis."

The book is called Cannabis Policy: Moving Beyond Stalemate