Cannabis move could be positive

INCLUDING cannabis in a new cautioning system would be a positive measure so long as it offered support to cannabis users, one of the country’s leading psychiatrists said yesterday.

Professor of Psychiatry Patricia Casey said society needed to be “very clear” that any change should not legitimise cannabis, which is a dangerous drug. “We now know it is associated with increasing the risk of some mental illnesses.”

She said if any such scheme was merely a way of “gardaí doing nothing” it would not be a positive change. “If the new scheme would lead to more people who are abusing cannabis being given a warning and perhaps directed to appropriate intervention it would be a good thing.”

Meanwhile, top Government drug adviser Dr Des Corrigan, chairman of the National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD), said he had “some concerns” about a possible mixed message being sent about the status of cannabis.

“I know this particular proposal that was reported doesn’t change the legal status, but the perception could be that this represented some form of decriminalisation, indicating that cannabis was no longer legally controlled or that the government was suggesting it was safe, which it is clearly is not.”