LEGALISATION OF CANNABIS

The Legalisation of Cannabis for Medicinal Purposes Could Affect the UK Economy

Abstract

The debate about cannabis policy in UK has revolved around the harms that cannabis causes to users and the community, on the one hand, and the harms that are caused by the prohibition of its use, on the other. This research discusses that the legalisation of cannabis for medicinal purposes could affect the UK economy. This research assesses evidence on: (1) the harms caused to users and the community by cannabis use (derived from the international scientific literature) and (2) the harms that arise from prohibition (as reflected in British research). The most probable harms caused by cannabis use include: an increased risk of motor vehicle accidents; respiratory disease; dependence; adverse effects on adolescent development; and the exacerbation of psychosis. The harms of the current prohibition on cannabis use policy are less tangible but probably include: the creation of a large blackmarket; disrespect for a widely broken law; harms to the reputation of the unlucky few cannabis users who are caught and prosecuted; lack of access to cannabis for medical uses; and an inefficient use of law enforcement resources. Cannabis policy unavoidably involves trade offs between competing values that should be made by the political process. British cannabis policy has converged on a solution which continues to prohibit cannabis but reduces the severity of penalties for cannabis use by either removing criminal penalties or diverting first time cannabis offenders into treatment and education.

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT2

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 212

CHAPTER 327

CHAPTER 441

REFERENCES42

Chapter 1

Introduction

Whether cannabis causes harm and if so, what type, how much and to whom, are all contentious issues. Those who defend the prohibition on cannabis use often justify this policy by appealing to the adverse health effects of the drug (e.g. Nahas and Latour, 1992). Proponents of repeal or reform (e.g. [Zimmer and Morgan, 1997] and [Grinspoon and Bakalar, 1997]) argue that the only harms arising from cannabis use are consequences of its illegality. Both sides present a partial perspective on the issue supported by selective citation of evidence that is often equivocal. This lecture assesses the evidence on: (1) the harms caused to users and the broader community by cannabis use and (2) the harms that arise from social policies that aim to deter young people from using cannabis.

The assessment of the adverse health effects of cannabis is largely based on the international scientific literature. The focus is on those health effects that have featured most prominently in the British policy debate. While much of the evidence that is cited is from the US this is the evidence that is cited by protagonists on both sides of the British policy debate. The assessment of harms related to prohibition is primarily based on British evidence and experience. Where appropriate comparisons are made with policy debates in the US because participants in the British policy debate often use many of the same arguments that are used in the US policy debate.

Cannabis Policy Debate in UK

One of the major reasons ...