Cannabis reclassified as a Class B drug in the UK

In the one to one work I have done over the last few years, there have been occasions when the techniques I use have been tested to the limit.

Cannabis use or misuse has been responsible for two of those challenging situations.

Those who grew up through the 1960s saw cannabis use as less dangerous than alcohol and as little more than a pleasant social recreation that helped a person to relax. That relaxation is brought about by the chemical compound THC and the amount in cannabis varies widely from as little as 1% to as much as 20%.

According to Wikipedia:

The average levels of THC in marijuana sold in United States rose from 3.5% in 1988 to 7% in 2003 and 8.5% in 2006.

"Skunk" cannabis is a potent strain of cannabis, grown through selective breeding and usually hydroponics, that is a cross-breed of Cannabis sativa and C. indica. Skunk cannabis potency ranges usually from 6% to 15% and rarely as high as 20%. The average THC level in the 'coffeehouses' in the Netherlands is about 18–19%.

So here is the root of the issue, if Cannabis is used in moderation it can, in some circumstances be a very effective form of pain control that has few if any side effects. Alternatively it can be the route into more addictive forms of cannabis, the so called skunk, that can cause paranoia, even potentially being cited as a cause of schizophrenia.

Taking a middle path through this quagmire of facts and cultural baggage is impossible. So ignoring the legal point for now what is it useful to say?

1) Mild forms of cannabis with lower values of THC can be useful form of pain control and smoking it is about as dangerous as smoking a cigarette.

2) Teenagers often start smoking mild forms of cannabis before progressing to skunk style weed.

3) Teenagers who smoke skunk are most at risk from the psychoactive ingredients that can lead to permanent changes in the functioning of the brain. These effects can include psychosis, schizophrenia, paranoia and simple anxiety.

4) Smoking cannabis lowers inhibitions that can lead a user to start experimenting with other drugs, the so called 'Gateway theory'.

My personal take awy from this is, if you're a teenager don't touch cannabis, it will alter your brain function permamently and not for the better.

If you have a chronic pain condition see if your family Doctor can get you onto a medication that includes THC.

The reality is that since it has been used by mankind for around 4000 years it is not likely to go away no matter how a Government classifies it.