Cannabis far from harmless substance
I TOTALLY disagree with the statement made by the writer to Open Lines on 19 July 2019, suggesting that Guernsey would benefit from legalising and regulating cannabis.
One recent newspaper report stated that new evidence has laid bare the horrific toll wreaked by cannabis on children and went on to say that, in 2018, 3,400 juveniles under the age of 19 received NHS treatment for cannabis-induced mental and behavioural disorders. Children as young as nine are being admitted to hospital with severe disorders caused by cannabis, which is linked to severe mental illnesses including psychosis, where patients suffer hallucinations, delusional thoughts, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and anxiety attacks.
Dr Max Pemberton, an NHS psychiatrist, writes: ‘Walk onto any mental health ward as I have and you will be confronted with the tragic victims of our lackadaisical attitude toward cannabis.’
A third of psychosis cases in London are the result of smoking skunk, according to research.
A further study undertaken by Oxford University showed that using such substances could increase the risk of depression
by 40%.
Far from being the harmless substance that campaigners would have us believe, cannabis is a dangerous, damaging intoxicant that has a profound effect on the structure and function of the brain. The lives being damaged by cannabis use are not on display for everyone to see because they are locked away in psychiatric units.
Finally, the words of a London City Missionary regarding the synthetic version (Spice). He writes: ‘The epidemic of Spice addiction on our city’s streets has been well documented in the past few years, but I still get shocked seeing people on our streets, often young girls who don’t look out of their teens, forfeiting their humanity for the sake of the next hit of Spice. I have watched people turn into zombie or statue-like states after smoking Spice and collapse onto the ground on a busy street, only to wake up and repeat the process.’
I sincerely hope that the vice president of Home Affairs, Rob Prow, and others, are successful in their fight against the legislation of these dark, pernicious and destructive substances.
JOHN HENRY
Address withheld.