Any decision to keep cannabis as a class C drug was criticised today (Thursday, 3 April) as ‘deeply regrettable’ by Unite/Mental Health Nurses Association. Unite/MHNA said that a reported decision by The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs that the drug should remain on the class C list ‘flies in the face of established medical facts and common sense’.

Unite/MHNA said that it wanted cannabis reclassified as a class B drug – a category for more dangerous drugs - which is the same stance as that adopted by Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.
Unite/MHNA Chair, Andy Lauder (pictured right) said: ‘There are now much stronger strains of cannabis, such as skunk, entering the UK in response to so-called market forces.’

‘We utterly reject the reported recommendation from the advisory council that cannabis should remain a class C drug. It has been proved time and time again by well-respected medical studies that there are strong links between significant cannabis use and those suffering from mental health problems, or have a disposition to mental illness.

‘The image that cannabis is harmless, or relatively harmless and can be passed around without side effects at smart middle-class dinner parties is very far from the grim reality that mental health professionals have to deal with on a daily basis in psychiatric wards in hospitals across the country, where patients are recovering from psychotic breakdowns induced from excessive cannabis use.’
The government asked the council to review cannabis's legal status amid concerns over stronger forms of it. The council refused to confirm or deny any decision. Its chairman Professor Sir Michael Rawlins said a report would be sent to Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith later this month

Unite Head of Health, Kevin Coyne said: ‘Too often mental health is seen as a Cinderella service of the NHS, but the Healthcare Commission/Royal College of Psychiatrists report brings into stark relief not only the very valuable work that mental health nurses do on a daily basis, but the real physical dangers they face.’

‘The NHS’s own staff survey reports that 40 per cent of all health service employees have faced physical violence or the threat of violence. NHS employees, particularly in mental health wards, are doing up to six hours unpaid overtime a week.’

‘This evidence makes it clear that more needs to be done to tackle this frightening level of intimidation and the employment of more frontline staff could help reduce this tidal wave of violence. Employees need to feel that they can do their jobs with dignity and without fear.’

Kevin Coyne said that Unite would be making strong representations to ministers and NHS employers on behalf of its Mental Health Nurses Association members to take urgent measures to reduce the level of violence in mental health wards.