THE CANNABIS GENERATION?

Almost a third of 14 and 15-year-olds in Hull and East Riding have
admitted to smoking cannabis.

That is the shocking finding of new research from the Public Health
Development Team, which says in some areas the figure is almost 40 per
cent.

And while only a tiny percentage of children aged 11 to 15 admit to
trying Class A drugs such as heroin, experts fear more children are
smoking cannabis than ever before.

And despite warnings about the dangers of cannabis, by the time
children reached year 10, aged between 14 and 15, half thought it was
safe - although experts warn it can lead to mental health problems.

The figures come as the Government prepares to downgrade cannabis from
a class B to C drug on Thursday, raising fears that more children
could be tempted to try it.

Anonymous questionnaires were given to 4,246 children aged 11 to 15 in
21 secondary schools in Hull and East Riding in research conducted for
the West Hull Primary Care Trust (PCT), Eastern Hull PCT, Yorkshire
Wolds and Coast PCT and East Yorkshire PCT.

The research was done in 2002, but has only just been made
available.

Today an expert at the University of Hull said he was concerned the
change in the law on cannabis could send out a confused message.

Dr Philip Guy, a lecturer on addictions, said: "I believe the
Government is wrong. I do not think it should be Class C because most
of the other drugs in that category are legally produced. This does
not have that quality control."

He spelled out the dangers facing youngsters who take the
drug.

"About one in 10 users experience mental health problems and the
younger you are, the more dangerous it is," said Dr Guy.

"We are talking about schizophrenic symptoms, paranoia, depression and
long-term memory loss. The younger someone is when they start, the
more risk there is."

Claire Cairns, senior co-ordinator for the East Riding and Hull Drug
Action Teams, said: "More young people smoke cannabis than ever before.

"They are experimenting less with class A drugs and using drugs such
as cannabis and alcohol."