GOVERNMENT MUST LISTEN TO VICTIMS OF CANNABIS

Sir - I fear the sad story of cannabis you published (letter, Dec 4) will
find an echo in a growing number of families. When the Home Secretary in
effect decriminalised cannabis last year, he took away from parents and
teachers their main weapon against this noxious substance.

At the time this decision was taken, the fact that much of the cannabis on
the street had a five to 10 times stronger toxic content than what was
around even a decade earlier, and was in terms of its psychosis-inducing
potential a different drug, must have been well known to his officials:
police and Customs seizures are routinely analysed.

I was aware of growing pro-legalisation attitudes, including those at a
senior level within the Home Office itself, which I and my predecessors did
our best to resist.

Sadly, the current ministerial team has been persuaded to make a policy
change that will have unfortunate consequences for many young people.

David Blunkett does not lack courage: he could and should now announce, in
the light of overwhelming medical evidence that he will reverse his earlier
decision.

Tom Sackville, Home Office Minister for Drug Misuse 1996-97, London SW1

Sir - My sympathy goes out to the writer of the letter concerning cannabis.
Both my sons have been lost to this evil and dangerous drug. They, too, are
well educated and intelligent young men, but their lives have been
completely destroyed by cannabis. The devastation this has caused to those
who love them, particularly to me as their mother, who has borne the brunt
of their psychotic behaviour, is incalculable and will last for the rest of
our lives.

I live in dread of a telephone call to tell me that one or other of them
has taken his own life, which I believe to be probable, in spite of
extensive and costly treatment, which helped only in the short term.

I know for a fact that our case is by no means unusual. When will the
powers-that-be wake up to the fact that they already have a human and
social disaster on their hands, which can only get worse?

Research into cannabis has already proved its dangers, but nobody seems to
take it seriously. We will all live to regret the extraordinary stance the
politicians have taken.

Unfortunately, many of us are already living with the hell that cannabis
causes, but our first-hand experience of this horrible drug is ignored. The
politicians ignore it at their peril.

Name and address supplied

Sir - While not condoning the use of any non-prescribed drug, I would like
to offer some words of encouragement to your anguished correspondent.

Some 20 to 25 years ago, like your correspondent's son, I, too, developed a
bipolar disorder, partly as a result of excessive cannabis use. I was
hospitalised four times for a few days at a time, in America and Norfolk.
Although I continued to use cannabis for several years afterwards, I did
not suffered any further attacks.

It is important to realise that cannabis was only one factor in my illness.
The main cause appears to have been the pressure of being in situations to
which I was not suited. In many ways, the resulting psychosis was the
mechanism that enabled me to let go of those unsuitable situations and
choose a future to which I was more suited.

I urge your readers not to label those suffering from this kind of illness
as failures. Given a little time, many, if not most, will recover and go on
to lead lives that can be the equal of any in terms of fulfilment and
happiness, more free from the chains of prejudice that appear to envelope
your anonymous and anxious parent.

It is precisely because of this prejudice that I ask to remain anonymous
here, even after more than 20 years of sanity.

Name and address supplied