Smokers: Class B won’t change us

Felix surveys student body: 1 in 5 IC students smoke cannabis, 57% feel the reclassification is a bad idea

The government’s recent reversal to reclassify cannabis as a class B drug will have minimal to no effect on existing users’ smoking habits; that’s according to a survey carried out by Felix this week. When asked: “Will the government’s reclassification of cannabis from a class C to a class B drug change your smoking habits?” 25 out of 26 IC cannabis smokers answered “No” and that they will continue as usual.

Felix conducted the survey this week following the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith’s recent decision to strengthen laws on cannabis use, despite a government commissioned report recommending: “Cannabis should remain a Class C drug.” The report, which was
published in April and written by the Advisory Council on Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), should never have been commissioned in the first place according to committee member Professor David Nutt. The influential ACMD member told Felix in an exclusive interview: “I do not think that the review was necessary … But if asked to review, we have to review.”

Jacqui Smith authorised production of the report last July, in a bid to reverse Tony Blair’s downgrading of cannabis to a Class C drug in 2004. The downgrading was intended to cut police time spent enforcing cannabis laws.

Since then, worries about the effects cannabis has on users’ mental health have caused the Home Secretary to call for the drug’s reclassification. In particular, Ms Smith is concerned that a much stronger variety of the drug, namely skunk, is dominating the cannabis market.

Seemingly, the government was set on reclassifying the drug and in May of this year, when the ACMD published its review stating: “Cannabis more closely equates with other Class C substances,” Ms Smith chose to ignore the advice. Cannabis is now set to return to Class B status in early 2009.

Earlier this week, Felix surveyed 143 members of the student body to find out how the reclassification would affect current cannabis users; whether students think the reclassification is a good idea; and whether cannabis should be illegal.

The 26 smokers were almost unanimous in their comments, with 98% stating that they would continue using cannabis in 2009, raising serious doubts about the effectiveness of the government’s latest policy. Recent comments from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) have also undermined the government’s intentions. The ACPO said it will continue to police personal cannabis use with the same tactics employed since the drug was downgraded. “Should the decision be taken to reclassify cannabis to Class B,” an ACPO spokesperson stated in early May, “ACPO believes [police should] retain flexibility in dealing with instances of possession on the street, including the discretion to issue warnings,” rather than to arrest.

The student body was split on cannabis’ status, with a slight majority favouring the drug’s legalisation. 57% of students surveyed felt that the reclassification is a bad idea, whilst 54% felt that cannabis shouldn’t be illegal at all. Many referenced the Netherland’s more relaxed stance on cannabis use, believing the UK should follow suit.

“All drugs should be legal,” commented one liberal student, “it’s my body and I should be allowed to do what I want to it.”

Yet, for every argument against cannabis’ reclassification, there werealmost as many opposing views. “It wasn’t enforced properly as a C drug,” asserted one anti-cannabis student. “If it’s going to be illegal, then do it properly.” Whereas another put it simply: “drugs are bad, mm’kay.”

According to the survey, approximately 1 in 5 (18%) Imperial students smoke cannabis. This comes in lower than the national average of 27% for 18 to 24 year olds, found in 2004. If these students are caught with cannabis on College property, Imperial will resort to its ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy on drugs use. Students face eviction if found taking drugs into halls, and in more severe cases they can be forced to leave university.

Nationally, they currently face up to two years in prison for possession, however, after 2009 the maximum jail sentence will increase to five years. That’s if the police force actually embraces the government’s changes; in reality, they could simply face a ticking- off and be sent on their intoxicated way.

Our students say...

“There’s better stuff to do with police time than arrest cannabis users, like stopping people get stabbed!”
“Any drug use is most definitely wrong.”
“The entire classification system is flawed: many surveys say it’s less dangerous than alcohol.”
“With the reclassification to Class B, there’s more incentive for dealers to use crazy ingredients in cannabis and thus it will be more damaging to society.”
“There’s definitely no harm in making it illegal, but if it is legalised, I’m not so sure.”
“It should be illegal along with alcohol because they’re both a detriment to society.”
“People need to be told not to smoke cannabis; they don’t need to be put in jail though.”
“I think it’s become a Class B drug again not because of its health risks, but because of its prolificacy.”
“Prohibition doesn’t work. It didn’t work with alcohol. You’re just putting cannabis in the control of gangs if you make it illegal.”
“It’s useful in a medical context, but I don’t think it should be on the streets where you don’t know what you’re getting.”
“It’s a blanket change to deal with those smoking skunk.”
“In Holland, it impresses no one if you smoke a spliff. Once you reach an age, you should be responsible for your own actions.”
“Drugs are bad, mm’kay.”