Cherry picking data to prove a point about cannabis
The News Review:
- Cherry picking data to prove a point about cannabis
- Booze harmful than cannabis
- Cannabis offenders snub fines
- Cannabis gran wins support of MP
- Cannabis sold at market stall.
- Speeding teen arrested with 2.5 pounds of marijuana
Cherry picking data to prove a point about cannabis
Guardian Unlimited - Mar 24, 2007
As long as you cherry pick the data and keep one eye half closed, you can prove anything with science. Last week’s Independent on Sunday splashed with the headline: Cannabis - An Apology. It went on: “In 1997 this newspaper launched a campaign to decriminalise the drug. If only we had known then what we can reveal today… record numbers of teenagers are requiring drug treatment as a result of smoking skunk, the highly potent cannabis strain that is 25 times stronger than resin sold a decade ago. “Twice in this story cannabis is said to be 25 times stronger than it was a decade ago. For Rosie Boycott, in her melodramatic recantation, skunk is “30 times stronger”. In one inside feature the strength issue is briefly downgraded to a “can”. It’s even referenced. “The Forensic Science Service says that in the early nineties cannabis would contain around 1% tetrahydrocannabidinol (THC), the mind-altering compound, but can now have up to 25%.
Booze harmful than cannabis
Times of India - Mar 24, 2007
In a new
classification system, proposed by a team of leading British scientists in
The Lancet
on Friday, alcohol and
tobacco have been listed as more dangerous than some illegal drugs like
marijuana. The table of 20 most dangerous drugs was topped by heroin
and cocaine followed by barbiturates and street methadone. Alcohol was voted the
fifth most harmful drug, ketamine the sixth while tobacco notched the ninth
position. Cannabis came in 11th, LSD 14th and Ecstasy was 18th in
the list. The panel led by Prof David Nutt from the University of Bristol and
Prof Colin Blakemore, chief executive of the Medical Research Council of UK,
gave scores, from zero to three, for each category of harm for 20 different
drugs… The table of 20 most dangerous drugs was topped by heroin
and cocaine followed by barbiturates and street methadone. Alcohol was voted the
fifth most harmful drug, ketamine the sixth while tobacco notched the ninth
position. Cannabis came in 11th, LSD 14th and Ecstasy was 18th in
the list. The panel led by Prof David Nutt from the University of Bristol and
Prof Colin Blakemore, chief executive of the Medical Research Council of UK,
gave scores, from zero to three, for each category of harm for 20 different
drugs. All the scores for each drug were combined to produce an
overall estimate of its harm. Interestingly, in an effort to provide familiar
benchmarks, for comparison with illicit drugs, five legal drugs of potential
misuse - alcohol, khat, solvents, alkyl nitrites and tobacco and ketamine - were
included in the assessment. The team now hopes that the research,
which reflects the physical and social harm they wreak, will lead to better
regulation of drugs, including socially acceptable ones such as alcohol.
Cannabis offenders snub fines
NEWS.com.au - Mar 24, 2007
"How can we teach children and young people about the dangers of illicit drug use when we have such soft laws with respect to cannabis, a drug seen as a gateway to harder drugs? "There is growing evidence of a link between cannabis use and the incidence of severe mental health problems. "Alan Carpenter must stop sending the wrong message to the community, particularly kids, that it is OK to smoke pot. ” Under WA law, people caught with 30g or less of cannabis, two marijuana plants or a smoking implement have a choice of paying a fine of up to $200 or attending counselling. A three-year review of cannabis legislation is expected to be tabled in parliament in November. Share this article.
Cannabis gran wins support of MP
BBC News - Mar 24, 2007
Chairman of the all-party drugs misuse group, Dr Brian Iddon, said Patricia Tabram’s landlords should back off. Mrs Tabram, 68, was sentenced on 7 March to 250 hours of community service after being found guilty of possessing and cultivating cannabis. Her housing association has said she will be evicted if she continues to use the drug, which she says is medicinal. The grandmother has said she will live in a tent rather than give it up. Possession order
Dr Iddon, Labour MP for Bolton South East, said he supported her campaign for people who found little or no pain relief from conventional medication to be able to use cannabis legally. He said: “Ironically they get quite a lot, if not total pain relief from taking certain species of cannabis in biscuits and cakes.
Cannabis sold at market stall.
Free with registration - Europe Intelligence Wire - AccessMyLibrary.com - Mar 24, 2007
–> COPYRIGHT 2007 Financial Times Ltd. (From Leicester Mercury) A market trader who sold cannabis from his stall has been jailed for 12 months. Daniel Edward Dacosta (49) was found guilty by a jury at a trial of possessing the class C drug with intent to supply, on May 12 last year. Christopher Geeson, prosecuting, said Dacosta ran a stall at Leicester Market.
Speeding teen arrested with 2.5 pounds of marijuana
Victorville Daily Press - Mar 24, 2007
The vehicle eventually pulled over at Bear Valley Road, officials said. “He began acting nervous, crying and fidgeting all over. There was a designer backpack on the front passenger seat that released a heavy odor of marijuana,” Eads said. The teen, who had no identification or license, was placed in the squad car while Medina searched the vehicle, authorities said. When Medina searched the bag, he found it loaded with individually packaged bags of marijuana. The total weight was later determined to be 2. 5 pounds, with a street value of roughly $30,000, Eads said.