The UK government considered it and actually downgraded it to a
Class C drug, all but legalizing it. However, they have a re-think
now based on scientific data linking it to psychiatric disease and
addiction.
'An appreciable proportion of cannabis users report short-lived
adverse effects, including psychotic states following heavy
consumption, and regular users are at risk of dependence. People
with major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia are especially
vulnerable in that cannabis generally provokes relapse and
aggravates existing symptoms. Health workers need to recognise, and
respond to, the adverse effects of cannabis on mental health.'The
British Journal of Psychiatry (2001) 178: 116-122
Research by J Van Os et al. at the University of Maastricht in the
Netherlands, Cannabis use and psychosis: a longitudinal
population-based study (2002), confirmed that cannabis is
associated with later schizophrenia and that this is not explained
by predromal symptoms. It was estimated that lack of exposure to
cannabis would have reduced the incidence of psychosis requiring
treatment by as much as 50%.
I think there are more pertinent issues with the government than
legalizing a drug which may lead to more psychiatric patients on
the streets.
