Letter: The increased price of legalising cannabis

Sir: Your leading article (2 October) is based on three wrong premisses. Because cannabis is not physically addictive, and because it is relatively freely available, albeit illegally, at a relatively low price, raising money to indulge in this illegal habit is not a significant motivation to commit crime. Legalisation would therefore do little to reduce crime associated with cannabis purchase.

If cannabis, or any other drugs, were available completely control- free then, as with alcohol, the increased cost to individuals, to business and commerce and to the Exchequer would be enormous, because of increased time off work, more traffic accidents from driving under the influence of drugs, and the need for increased health care for drug takers and those affected by their actions. If it was not completely control-free, then a black market would continue, and the crime associated with that black market would continue as well; indeed it is possible that crime would actually increase, because there would be more people in the pool of drug takers to be tempted into it.

Any lessening of controls would inevitably increase consumption, by more individuals consuming greater quantities. There is now, sadly, a proven link between the serious misuse of cannabis and serious psychological disorders, such as schizophrenia, and physical damage, particularly to reproductive organs.

The Government has been continuing its international efforts to control and reduce production and traffic in drugs; but these can only succeed in conjunction with improved demand-reduction activities, especially through improved health-education teaching in schools. I hope that local health education co-ordinators will soon receive the direct support from Government which was so unfortunately ended last April.

It is also imperative that proper treatment for drug misusers is readily available, so that the pool of misusers is reduced. The Government's policy for Care in the Community must be applied in such a way that sufficient professional treatment is provided. The danger of a Royal Commission is that Government efforts on all fronts would be diminished pending its conclusions. That would be a tragedy for the security - and the health - of everybody, everywhere.

Yours faithfully,

TIM RATHBONE

MP for Lewes (Con)

House of Commons

London, SW1

The writer is Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Drug Misuse Group.