“Thanks for that link Andy, I will try and obtain a copy of the full report. From what I can tell from the limited info on that link is that they have compared cannabis smokers to tobacco smokers, and have not included people who take cannabis in other ways, like eating, vaporising or even as a cream. The effects of any kind of smoke in the lungs is negative, so I would like to see a test done with this other methods involved to confirm it's the smoke or the cannabis that¿s causing these possible problems. Users need to be better educated in other safer methods, I have started to vaporise rather than smoke as the evidence seems to indicate that it's likely to be the effects of smoking that causes the problems, early tests with vaporising seem to remove these possible problems all together, as does eating (baking in a cake for example) or using as a cream.

I already promote the safer ways where I can, and I always make the point of telling people who say that smoking cannabis will do them no harm that having smoke in their lungs will harm them, even if it's just bonfire smoke, or when the Mrs burns dinner again (it's a good job I can cook!).

It would be stupid to think that smoking anything will be completely harmless.

There are a large amount of tests done on the effects of smoking cannabis, and one test will say it's harmful and the other will say it's not, so it's a very confusing message that's coming out, and we need some better and more in depth research.

Here is a link to a guy called Dr Donald Tashkin who has been studying cannabis since the early 70's, and has recently released a report that says that there is no increased risk with smoking cannabis compared to tobacco, but again this was comparing cannabis only smokers, with tobacco only smoker, people who smoke both and people who don¿t smoke, but no one that was taking cannabis by other methods, so again, with the other reports I have read and interviews with other Dr¿s and experts, it¿s possible that any risks might be down to having smoke in your lungs. He does say that they found the same pre-cancerous cells in both tobacco and cannabis smokers, but with the cannabis smokers those never developed into cancer, in fact there seemed to be a small reduction in cannabis smokers, but no small enough to be clinically certain. There appears to be something in cannabis smoke that counters the effect. I recommend watching all the way through though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJmQ16cGBHU&feature=channel_page

Also worth a view is this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KLy150NR_U&feature=channel_page

I will try and find some free links for the reports I have, the ones I can supply will charge you about £12 to read them (once you have paid for them you can print them off and keep them), if you¿re happy to pay though I can supply those links, but I know it costs me enough to get these reports for my own reference.

You can search on the web for Dr Donald Tashkin, Dr Lester Grinspoon, Dr Tod Mikuriya and many others, YouTube will provide good interviews with these guys.

Also here is a collection of information that¿s well worth reading

http://www.mikuriya.com/can_write.html

Also some information on vaporising which ¿Vaporization offers the benefits of smoked of cannabis (rapid onset and ability to self titrate) without the harmful effects.¿

http://www.mikuriya.com/can_vapor.html

Once again I want to clarify, I personally believe that cannabis is not completely harmless, there would appear to be some possible links between cannabis and mental health problems if the user has a predisposition to them, but these links can also appear with alcohol, tobacco and many other legal prescribed and none prescribed drugs, and for this reason I would prefer that cannabis was regulated and controlled, rather than let the dealers sell to whoever they want without concern.

I believe if you smoke cannabis and think that it ”

“Stuart, Swindon. This is the link that relates to the research publication from Leicester University.
www2.le.ac.uk/ebulletin/news/press-releases/2000-2009/2009/06/nparticle.2009-06-16.1983469252
It is good that people feel that they can offer their opinion, however I fear that some are being blinkered and naive.
My personal view is that the comparison with tobacco and alcohol is not flawless.”

“There is certainly a stronger argument for legalisation then criminalisation.
This is the main reasons why this discussion is always an ongoing consideration for every goverment we get.

Dont foget that alcohol has more serious side effects upon your health including mental health problems for many.
Most of the research into cannabis seems to be only to show the connection of mental health issues amongst its users.

Both have benefits and both have their down sides.

I would bet that alcohol costs the public services more money every year than cannabis but through taxes alot of money is to be made.

Apart from the occasional mental health treatment for some, the only expense to us for cannabis is spending by the police and customs enforcing the law.

Just go into Hanley or Newcastle on a Friday night and see the expense alcohol has as you see all of the police and ambulance staff busier than any time in the week spending our money to control and fix drunken problems whilst the real criminals take advantage committing real crimes elsewhere whilst the police are busy.”

“Maybe my comment wasn't clear, I wouldn't be happy about her trying coke or heroin, but if she was going to do it, I would rather she did it with me present (and no I don't use either drug myself) so I know that she is in the best possible care, rather than go ahead and do it with her friends in a park or alley, if that¿s disgraceful, fine. I would of course advise her not do try them, and try to persuade her away from it. I have yet to meet a teenager from my era or this era that listens and does exactly what their parents advise.

Quote "but to legalise any mind altering drug is sheer stupidity." that¿s certainly a point of view, and a possibly a valid one, especially with regards to your experience, which will obviously have a bearing on your opinion, but if you are going to use that as a reason, then why is alcohol legal? Even caffeine and sugar can have some sort or mind altering effect, should be ban these as well?

There are SOME TENUOUS links to health issues, like schizophrenia, in people with a predisposition to it, which shows even greater need for control and regulation, rather than let the dealers decide who they sell to.

I would be very interested in reading that report from Birmingham University, can you give me the name of it? I am always interested in new research. However I have read a great many other reports (which I am happy to send you copies, or links to by the way) that find no increased risk of problems like cancer and emphysema and others between people who smoke tobacco and people who mix cannabis with tobacco. Smoking in any form is harmful, just because of the properties of smoke. If you stand close bonfires without protective breathing equipment, you also increase the risk of such conditions.

The ¿stepping stone¿ or ¿gateway¿ theory has been denounced every time it has been studied, the only link that can be found to support it is that dealers will normally sell more than one type of drug, and will try and convince their customers to try them, so because of the blending of the hard and soft drugs markets you get this possibility, legalise and regulate, you remove the problem. You can say that if you drink alcohol now, it¿s because you started on milk. By all means if you can find me a study that can prove that cannabis use makes someone try harder drugs, by all means let me know, I have been trying to find one for ages, I can find loads that dispute it, but nothing as yet to confirm it, so if you have it, please send it to me, I am happy to send you the reports disproving this claim as well.

Skunk isn¿t a new strain, it¿s been around for ages, I think I first tried it when I was in my early 20¿s, and I am now in my mid thirties, it may be a stronger strain, that just means I use less in my joints, and it last me longer, you wouldn¿t drink spirits by the pint and at the same rate, because it¿s stronger than the beer you would normally drink, I would hope not anyway.

I am sure in my own mind that my friend died as a result of alcohol, so will you support a campaign to have it banned should I start one, I fully understand that the loss of someone close would ¿blinker¿ someone¿s view, but to call for a blanket ban because of it? Should we ban skydiving because a few people that do it die, even though the vast majority of people who do it don¿t? So your son didn¿t die as a result of cannabis, he took his own life, if there was better control, regulation, education and help, tragic deaths like this can be avoided. The vast majority of my friends use cannabis, and they range from senior IT technicians, a 360 digger driver, a lawyer, several teachers and a guy that runs his own very successful landscape gardening business, I myself am a Microsoft Certified Professional, I got that qualification as a cannabis user, and in fact took the test stoned, passed with no problems, I have to say from my experience I was more relaxed and confident on that test than I ”

“Good for you Terry, telling it like it is. If anyone wants to know the reasons why that evil ruddy stuff needs keeping against the law, and indeed slaming down even more upon, I surjest you read Mr. Copes posts her. Terry, that must have been painfull mate, well said.”

“T Cope is 100% correct.
What the majority of the pro drug comments refer to is that cannibis itself does not cause death. That is correct, the chemical elements do not (although Leicester University published only last week that smoking cannibis is more harmful than tobacco.
What people appear to be missing the point on is that it is the effects of cannibis that are likely to kill.
It is widely known that prolonged use of cannibis can cause mental illness. It is the mental illness that kills.
I only knew of two regular cannibis users.
Both showed signs of paranoia.
One eventually killed himself. The second struggles with all aspects of every day life.
It is ok and rather naive to say that "I have smoked cannibs for years and I am not mentally ill".
But that could be said for tobacco.
I know old ladies who have smoked for fifty years and who do not have cancer, heart or lung disease. But this is clearly more luck than anything else.
I have to say, the comment from Stuart Warwick, that he would be happy for his daughter to try heroine and/or coke - a disgrace.”

“Stuart there are differant types of cannibis, the most common one about today is skunk, which is a lot stronger.
This is what my son smoked and from the start it was a downward spiral of paranoia, and schizophrenia, and a step up to harder drugs until he ended his own life.
I have no dought this mind altering drug was responsible, and I have seen the same symptons in others.
I have no objection to its use for health reasons, (prescribed by a doctor) in its original form, if it helps the user, but to legalise any mind altering drug is sheer stupidity.
When this idiotic government downgraded it, its use increased out of proportion, creating more problems than it solved.
I believe punishment should fit the crime, not cautions.
Dealers sent to prison, and their proceeds taken off them.”

“T Cope : I am very sorry to hear about the death of your son, the loss of any life is a tragic event for any reason.

With respect there has never been a single death in 10,000 years attributed to cannabis, it's not a fact I have 'made up' as you would imply it's a documented fact. I have requested the figures for deaths attributed to cannabis use in the UK and the rest of the world, from various organisations and always get the reply 'apparently there isn't any', however if you are able to provide me with those documents I would be extremely grateful, as no one else seems to be able to.

Even if your claim is correct, that¿s 1 death in 10,000 years of known use, if that¿s a good enough reason to prohibit the use of a substance that has ten of thousands of beneficial uses, then we should be prohibiting all of the legal drugs as well, not to mention many of the foods we eat. Peanuts for example will kill more people in this year alone, than has ever been killed by cannabis use.

My best friend was killed by a drunk driver when I was 16, but I don't call for the banning of alcohol, as I know the vast majority of people use it responsibly, even though it kills more people each year that all illegal drugs combined.

There has always been a market for cannabis, even though it's been prohibited for 81 years, and even with the governments increased efforts to stamp it out, that use is increasing, now if it is the really dangerous drug that you think it is, wouldn't it be a much better idea to regulate and control its use in a sensible manner, like they do with alcohol and tobacco, rather than leave the control in the hands of dealers, who are just as happy to sell to young kids as they are to sell to adults?

While the loss of your son is a terrible thing, I am positive it wasn't due to cannabis use. Just in the same way I am positive about the many thousands of people that benefit from the medicinal properties of this plant each and every day in this country.

Sorry to sound harsh, but I don't think even the ¿possible¿ death of one person in 10,000 years is a valid reason to deny many millions of people in this country and the rest of the world the definite benefits of something, who suffer no harmful effects what so ever.”

“Karen,
You say "Cannabis has never killed anyone"

How would you know?”

“Everyone, read the letter what this prat as sent in, not only weed, it wants cocaine legal as well, this ones a loon. One other point, how come most of the posts hear are from out of the area, and in surport of this prat and it outragus views. Ill people who find that canabis helps with pain relife sould be alowed to use it under profesanel suervison, as for you pot and coke monsters, get your coller felt when useing your stash, hard luck, hope you a** gets busted. Before anyone, out of the area or not comes on and kicks in about drinking and smokeing being just a dangerus, yep! and thats why I don't smoke and keep to a limit of 3 glasses of Red Wine a week, and they are legal, unlike others habbits, but like I say, hope you all get busted.”