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II.I Cannabis
Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug in the UK and easily the illegal drug most likely to have been tried by young people. Recent surveys, such as the 2000 British Crime Survey, show that though overall use may be falling among teenagers, cannabis has been used by over half (55 per cent) of young men and over a third (44 per cent) of young women aged 16 to 29 years. 22 per cent of this age range have used in the last year and 14 per cent in the last month. In total over 8.5 million people have tried it at least once and roughly 2 million use it on an occasional basis.
Perhaps because of its widespread use and lack of obvious ill effects, there has been much debate about the legal status of cannabis. In general, government-commissioned reports in the English speaking world have recommended relaxation of the existing cannabis laws. These views are shared by a number of academics, politicians and senior law enforcers.
During the 1990s, on the back of renewed interest about drug use among young people, the cannabis reform lobby took various guises ranging from the Green Party and the UK Cannabis Alliance to supportive editorials in the broadsheets and in particular the pro-reform campaign of the Independent on Sunday. The Liberal Democrats have supported legal changes and lobbied for a Royal Commission to explore the issues and more conservative newspapers such as the Times and Daily Telegraph have called for liberalisation of the cannabis laws.
In October 2001 David Blunkett the Home Secretary, in a significant change of government policy, announced proposals to change the classification of cannabis and downgrade the drug from Class B to Class C.
The proposal if accepted by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) will be one of the biggest developments in British drug policy for 30 years:
Classification system: p 15
In operation it will mean:
. The drug remains illegal.
. Possession will still be a criminal offence.
. The police will lose the power to arrest anyone for cannabis possession.
. All prosecutions will be carried out by court summons.
. Maximum jail sentence for possession down from 5 year to 2 years.
. Maximum jail sentence for supply down from 14 years to 5 years.
. Prosecutions in practice will be much less likely.
The Home Secretary based the proposal on the need to focus more effectively on drugs that cause the most harms and to get people into treatment. Mr Blunkett also confirmed that, subject to the satisfactory outcome of phase three of the clinical trials currently being carried out, he would approve a change to the law to enable the prescription of cannabis-based medicine.
The Home Secretary said:
"In spite of our focus on hard drugs, the majority of police time is currently spent on handling cannabis offences. It is time for an honest and common sense approach focusing effectively on drugs that cause most harm...Given this background, and the very clear difference between cannabis and Class A drugs, I want to consult the medical and scientific professionals on re-classifying cannabis from Class B to Class C. I am therefore asking the ACMD to come back with their advice within three months."
The ACMD has been asked to report on the reclassification of cannabis to the Home Secretary within three months. The Home Secretary also wants to take into account the findings of the Home Affairs Select Committee investigation into the Drugs Strategy and the evaluation of the current pilot in Lambeth on policing of cannabis offences. The pilot finishes at the end of December.
The reforms are expected to come into effect in the spring, after they have been considered by the ACMD.
The trend in UK public opinion, particularly among under 35s, is towards support for decriminalisation of cannabis use (but not for other illegal drugs) though not necessarily full scale legalisation. There is also widespread support among all age groups for doctors being able to prescribe cannabis to patients. Many commentators see politicians as lagging far behind public opinion.
II.II Heroin
The sudden influx of smokable heroin in the 1980s caused a dramatic increase in use, because it was now no longer necessary to inject the drug in order to take it. Despite new initiatives to try to reduce heroin use it has continued to increase and in the late 1990s there is concern about wider availability and use of cheap heroin amongst young people, particularly in deprived areas.
There are many debates about the best way of tackling heroin use. The UK government joins with other countries in trying to stop the supply of heroin to this country. For example, several million pounds have been given to assist the Pakistan government to eradicate opium poppy fields and help farmers grow other non-drug crops. There are problems with this strategy. One problem is that opium is often grown in inaccessible areas where the government does not have control of the country and that even when crops are eradicated, production may merely shift elsewhere. Also the prices that farmers get for their alternative, legal crops are nothing like as much for drugs like opium (and also coca which is made into cocaine).
There is also a debate in the UK about the treatment of people who are dependent on heroin. Most heroin users in treatment are prescribed a substitute drug, methadone, which is similar to heroin, except the user does not get the same high\' as with heroin. The idea is to gradually reduce the dose of methadone until the person is off drugs altogether. This works for some people.
The problem is that many users seem to quickly go back on heroin. This means that some doctors prescribe methadone on a maintenance basis, in other words, they do not necessarily reduce the dosage until the person says they feel ready to give up. This could take months, years or never. Therefore, some feel that by prescribing in this way, all you do is keep people dependent on a different drug. On the other hand, supporters of this treatment say that it keeps people away from the dangerous street market, although many users take methadone legally and buy street heroin. There is also some concern that methadone is leaking\' onto the street and being taken by young people who are not addicted to heroin.
There is also support for the idea that doctors should return to prescribing heroin as they did in the 1960s rather than methadone because users prefer it and by prescribing heroin, the view is that the illicit market would be undercut. However, there is no government support for this policy; in fact, there are plans to tighten up on prescribing to users.
Recent years have also seen the development of needle exchange schemes whereby injectors can receive clean injecting equipment rather than using needles more than once or sharing with other people. The idea is to cut needle sharing and unhygienic practices so that the threat of hepatitis and HIV is reduced. Most people have welcomed these schemes but some people say they encourage injecting. Other people are concerned that not all injectors are using them and look to ways to encouraging more people to use them.
Many people have also been concerned about heroin-related crime, especially theft, burglary and forgery, when dependent users are desperate to get money for drugs. A lot of crime seems to be drug-related, although it is very difficult to calculate the cost to the community.
II.III Cocaine
In Britain and America the most common form of cocaine is as a white crystalline powder. Most users sniff it up the nose, often through a rolled banknote or straw, but it also sometimes made into a solution and injected.
Crack is a smokable form of cocaine made into small lumps or \'rocks\'. It is usually smoked in a pipe, glass tube, plastic bottle or in foil. It gets its name from the cracking sound it makes when being burnt. It can also be prepared for injection. Cocaine and crack are strong, but short acting, stimulant drugs.
Cocaine is to some an expensive drug and closely associated with the rich lifestyle enjoyed by rock and film stars. This is largely true, though things appear to be changing. The price of cocaine has seen a drop, particularly in the South East and London, where a gram that cost £70 seven years ago, can now be bought for £40. There also appears to be more of it about, with seizures increasing year on year.
Large amounts of cocaine are seized in the UK, but relatively few people present to services for the treatment of cocaine dependency. There may be many reasons for this including the fact that those who can afford to have a cocaine problem can often afford to attend a private clinic.
There appears to be an increase in more general use of the drug. Cocaine use is appearing in more clubs around the dance and party scene alongside ecstasy and other drugs, possibly replacing the use of ecstasy in some cases. Recent surveys show that seven per cent of 20 to 24 year olds have taken cocaine in England and Wales.
Cocaine powder costs between £40 and £80 per gram. In urban areas such as London and Manchester, cocaine tends to sell for £50 a gram or £25 a half gram. A gram of cocaine can make between 10 and 20 lines for snorting, depending on its strength, which can last two people anything from a couple of hours to a whole night, depending on their tolerance, appetite for the drug and its strength. Crack is around £20-25 for a small rock the size of raisin, but a rock may have slivers cut from it which are sold for perhaps £10.
Although the UK crack problem is not as significant as predicted some years ago, crack use has increased in certain inner city areas bringing with it reports of problems of dependence, drug-related crime and violence.
II.IV Ecstasy
Ecstasy remains a popular drug among young people, mainly those who are into the clubbing/dance scene. There are signs that ecstasy use may be on the decline. In general, Ecstasy use has never been as widespread as cannabis, amphetamine and LSD. An estimated 500,000 people take ecstasy every weekend. Surveys suggest that 15 per cent of 16 to 24 year olds have tried the drug while only one per cent of those over 35 years have tried the drug.
There have been over 90 deaths in the UK related to ecstasy use over the last 15 years, reaching an all time high of 27 in 2000 in England and Wales alone. Why this particular group of people died when so many others have also taken the drug is unknown, but we do know something about the medical circumstances surrounding their deaths.
For some while, it has been clear that many tablets sold as ecstasy are not what purchasers think they are. The amount of ecstasy in a tablet can vary greatly. Tablets have been analysed and some contained no ecstasy but other drugs such as amphetamine or ketamine. Others have been found to contain some ecstasy but mixed with other drugs or a range of adulterants. Some tablets have even been found to be fish tank cleaners or dog worming tablets.
The price of ecstasy has fallen. When the drug first hit the dance scene, a pill typically cost £25. Today, prices have fallen to as low as £3 in some areas, depending on quantity and quality. In Glasgow for example a pill from a regular dealer typically costs £4. This is slightly higher in London at £5 to £8 a pill. Though often as strong or pure as they were in the late 1980s, quality today can vary greatly.
While most ecstasy is sold in pill form, crystal ecstasy is starting to appear. In its purest form, crystal ecstasy is strong, requiring very little to get high (200mg). Like amphetamine base, pure crystal ecstasy is lightly dabbed on the finger and swallowed, or if crushed snorted. The drug retails for £10 to £15 for roughly 1/8th gram, giving roughly 10 dabs.
At some clubs in Holland, users can submit their pills to a rough test to get some idea what is in them before they decide to take them. Recently a company introduced a similar testing kit in the UK but this has been criticised by the government as condoning drug use, despite its potential for reducing harm. The police have also warned that anybody handing back a tablet after testing it, could in theory be prosecuted for supplying the drug.
Despite all the warnings about the dangers of ecstasy, many young people continue to use it. This has led to \'safer dancing\' campaigns that encourage clubs to have \'chill out\' areas, make sure staff are trained in first aid and ensure the water taps in the toilets are working. (Some clubs were turning off the taps and charging large amounts of money for bottles of water).
Increasing evidence is emerging that prolonged ecstasy use can cause a degree of memory deficiency and periods of depression.
II.V Amphetamines
During the 1990s, amphetamine has been a popular drug among young people attending all night parties and dance events and is probably the next most commonly used illegal drug after cannabis.
Recent surveys have shown between 5 and 18 per cent of 16 year olds claiming to have used it at least once. Among adults, surveys such as the British Crime Survey show that roughly 20 per cent of those in their twenties have use it at least once.
Amphetamine powder tends to be quite cheap - about £8 to £12 a gram. Following a drop in purity during the eighties, amphetamine powder appears to be getting stronger at around 18 per cent pure. This may be due to the rise in availability of amphetamine base, which tends to be 50 per cent pure or more. Base typically sells for £15 an ounce.
A new, more concentrated form of amphetamine (known as \'ice\') has become common in America. "Ice" can be smoked or injected. It is very strong and can result in intense paranoia and a very unpleasant comedown. It has not (yet) become common in the UK but there have been reports of its use in some clubs. Ice tends to be sold at £25 for a large rock.
There is also concern about the number of people who regularly inject amphetamine. After heroin, amphetamine is probably the most commonly injected street drug in the UK
Most drug agencies focus on helping heroin users and arrange prescribing of substitute drugs like methadone. People who inject heroin also mainly use needle exchanges. Not so many amphetamine injectors go to drug agencies for help or use needle exchanges. They may not see themselves as \'junkies\' and are often not sure what help could be available to them. There is a debate about what help should be offered to amphetamine injectors and how can they be encouraged to come forward and use the available drug treatment services.
II.VI Alcohol
Britain has a drink problem. People drink almost two-thirds more alcohol per person today than they did in 1965. More than 9m adults drink at levels that endanger their long-term health, and more than one in 25 of them is alcohol-dependent. While it is an issue affecting the whole country, some places and people are in more trouble than others. The proportion of women drinking over the limit rose by 55% between 1984 to 1996. Glasgow is facing the worst incidence of alcohol abuse for 80 years. Most vulnerable are the young - a third of young men live on \"beer and fast food\". A quarter of 16- to 19-year-olds in greater Glasgow gets drunk at least once a week.
And it is costing them dearly. Not just in human terms - 28,000 deaths a year are alcohol-related - but economically. Every year alcohol costs the NHS around £150m, industry an estimated £2bn and the government roughly £150m, according to Alcohol Concern
By maintaining the distinction between the nation\'s most popular drug and other drugs, from cannabis to heroin and crack, the government has left alcohol out of the broader picture. By concentrating on \"yob culture\", says Prof Heather, \"They are responding to a real and growing problem in this country. But the sheer quantity and severity of problems created by alcohol abuse are many times greater than all those caused by illicit drugs put together.\"
But Britain needs a national alcohol strategy that deals with issues across the board rather than just the behavioural end of it. They are relatively safe while they\'re just dealing with yob culture. But for any lasting effect they also have to tackle the drinking habits of the average man in the pub.\"
II.VII Nicotine
Still about 30% of adults in the UK are smokers and nearly one in five men and 1 in 10 women smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day. Smoking has been declining more amongst men than women and more amongst middle class than working class people. Amongst teenagers smoking has not fallen in recent years and surveys have even suggested that smoking may be increasing amongst young women.
As sales of tobacco products have recently fallen in the developed world the large multi-national companies which dominate the industry have searched for new markets with Third World and Eastern European countries being targeted.
Sales of cigarettes are still a major source of government revenue in the UK. In 1996 the tax on a packet of twenty cigarettes was almost £2.00. This amounts to over 9 billion pounds a year in total.
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