Prevention Group Applauds Britain’s Reclassification of Cannabis

St. Petersburg , FL (5/15/08) - Drug Free America Foundation, Inc. today applauded British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for his decision to reclassify cannabis to a B Class drug in the United Kingdom.  Last week the Home Office in the United Kingdom announced that: “Cannabis will be reclassified as a Class B drug, sending a strong message that the drug is harmful and should not be taken.”

“Today’s marijuana is much more powerful and much more addictive than it was a generation ago,” according to Calvina Fay, Executive Director of the Drug Free America Foundation, Inc.  “For example, of the 7.1 million Americans suffering from illegal drug dependence or abuse, 60% are dependent on or are abusing marijuana.  Marijuana is the most readily available and most commonly abused illegal drug in Europe and in North America,” she added.

Even more troubling, children and other young people are at greatest risk of addiction.  “Of all teenagers in drug treatment in the United States in 2000, about 62% had a primary marijuana diagnosis.  More young people are now in treatment for marijuana dependency than for alcohol or for all other illegal drugs combined,” Fay continued

“The most recent, compelling evidence cannot be disregarded, said Eric Voth, Chairman of the Institute on Global Drug Policy. “Risks of cannabis use include memory loss, psychosis, impaired driving, hallucinations, asthma, and even lung cancer. Other studies point to higher incidence of birth defects to fetuses and children of marijuana users,” he added.    

 “Prime Minister Brown and his Government have taken a strong and important stand for the health of future generations. We can only hope that other world leaders will follow their example,” Fay concluded.