PRESS RELEASE - 24th October 2002

Education, Not Prohibition
A recent article published by the Australian Financial Review titled 'Dope - it ain't what it used to be' begins with the statement 'rates of cannabis-induced psychosis, depression and anxiety are rising, especially among the young'.

"Normal" people who are heavy users of hydroponically grown cannabis would not be prone to psychotic episodes, although it would be true to say that use of cannabis exacerbates problems for those who are prone to psychosis or schizophrenia, whatever their age. Heavy use of hydro is also perhaps due to the widespread practice of mixing it with tobacco (hydro is prohibitively expensive to smoke straight) for bong smoking and the subsequent addiction to it, bringing the user back to the bong prematurely every time. Tobacco is not generally drawn so deep into the lungs and is a powerful addiction. In fact, the 'significant withdrawal symptoms like irritability, craving and bad temper' quoted by your writer are all well known symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

Prohibition forces growers to squeeze as much saleable value as possible out of concealed crops, which must be crammed into tiny, hidden spaces. This is the real reason for selective breeding, tightly controlled fertilizing and watering schedules, and strictly metered lighting. Some growers use toxic fertilising brews and less discerning buyers in an unregulated black market may or may not also be affected by a range of chemicals present in their cannabis.

Before Prohibition, American drinkers were mostly beer and wine consumers. Prohibition caused a sharp increase in the consumption of more potent spirits and hard liquor, largely because a more concentrated product is easier to transport and store without being noticed. After Prohibition, Americans slowly began returning to their taste for weaker alcoholic drinks. Some studies suggest that they are still in the process of doing so.

Many older cannabis users do want a lighter product, much like what they would have used in the '60s, but prohibition has made it very hard to find. They know from 30 to 40 years of experience that cannabis has very good healing properties and are now discovering it's helpful for all those aches and pains that come with ageing. In fact, using cannabis could prevent some ill people from becoming addicted to other more harmful substances prescribed by their GP. Driving it underground has resulted in the popping up of more and ever complex issues, i.e. alienation of youth through criminalisation; disrespect for authority due to untruths told about cannabis use in comparison to their own experience; cost (police and courts) of using zero tolerance approaches to drug use; black market links to organised crime and the arms trade; the list goes on. A good start would be to separate cannabis from other more harmful drugs on the black market by decriminalising. Education, not prohibition!