CANNABIS WORST DRUG OF THEM ALL

CANNABIS is the most dangerous drug in Britain, according to a leading
Liverpool academic.

Dr Russell Newcombe, a national expert based at Liverpool John Moores
University, claims dealers are cutting the drug with motor oil, dirt,
glue, turpentine, disinfectant, ketamine, melted-down vinyl and animal
faeces.

Cannabis has today been down-graded to the same status as anabolic
steroids and anti-depressants, changes which Dr Newcombe has branded a
"mess and a muddle".

In the biggest shake-up of Britain's drug laws for 30 years, cannabis
will move from class B to class C.

Under the new law, cannabis possession will be illegal but will
"ordinarily not be an arrestable offence".

But people can be prosecuted for possessing the drug in aggravating
circumstances - such as smoking it in public - and will face up to two
years in prison. Trafficking or supplying the drug, which includes
growing it at home, could still lead to a 14-year jail term.

Dr Newcombe, who is currently writing a book on the subject, believes
banning the growth of the drug will lead to more people using
unscrupulous dealers who mix-in dangerous additives.

He said: "It's just a mess. The Government has fallen between two
stools. My belief is the possession of the drug should be ful ly
legalised because this would cut out the dealers.

"If people grew it in small quantities at home they wouldn't have to
risk buying it off the street.

"I tell all my students that cannabis is currently by far the most
dangerous drug on the market."

Recent research by the Edinburgh University Cannabis Resin Impurity
Study Project (CRISP) discovered cannabis resin can be up to between
80pc and 90pc impure.

Dr Newcombe compares this research with a study in the journal
Addiction Research by Ross Coomber which found that heroin, crack and
cocaine are very rarely cut with impurities and when they are the
additives are relatively harmless substances such as sugar.

Dr Newcombe added: "Contrary to what many people think, the hard drugs
are rarely impure because dealers want to keep their users interested.

"However, with between 3m and 5m people using cannabis a year, dealers
can make huge profits if they sell cannabis which is 90pc impure."

Ministers have always said today's move is designed to free up the
police to be able to target hard drugs.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) has drawn up
guidelines which say arrests should only be made in the following
aggravated circumstances:

* Possession of the drug inside or near places where there are
children, including schools and night clubs;

* Smoking in public;

* Repeat offending;

* Where there is fear of public disorder.

Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Ian McPherson added: "It
must be remembered that although cannabis has been reclassified it
still remains illegal to possess it.

"The retention of the police power of arrest in certain circumstances
will enable officers to have greater flexibility in dealing with
incidents on the street."

But it remains unclear what specific quantity of the drug officers
will view as too much to be for personal use and a recent national
newspaper survey discovered some police forces will continue to arrest
users in possession of small stashes.

Both Cheshire and Merseyside forces last night declined to state how
much cannabis would qualify as an "arrestable" amount.

A Merseyside Police spokeswoman said: "If we were to give an exact
amount dealers would be able to skirt around the law."

Anti-drugs campaigners have condemned today's change in the law for
sending mixed messages to children.

Marion Hill, co-ordinator of Liverpool-based Parents Against Drug
Abuse, said: "I have spoken to 13 year-olds who have a spliff before
bedtime. This change in the law will give children the impression that
it is OK to smoke cannabis."

Professor Ray Donnelly, founder of Roy Castle Cancer Foundation, said:
"Many cannabis smokers do not realise the long-term health
implications

"Not only does long-term cannabis consumption lead to bouts of anxiety
and paranoia, it can also precipitate latent schizophrenia.

"Medical research has shown that cannabis smokers predisposed to
schizophrenia often exhibit symptoms - violent behaviour, paranoia,
extreme anxiety - that characterise latent schizophrenia. Cannabis
contains carcinogens, so it is obviously very damaging to health."