Young People, Cannabis and the Law

1
Young People, Cannabis and the Law

• Dr. M. Melrose
• Reader in Applied Social Science
• Department of Applied Social Studies
• University of Bedfordshire

2
Introduction

• The study and the young people
• Heavy cannabis use
• Impact of heavy use
• Legislation enforcement, young peoples views
  and their experiences of policing
• Conclusions Reclassification Harm reduction or
  escalation?

3
The Study

• Funded by JRF 15 months study
• Interviews and questionnaires with 100 young
  people limited longitudinal element 52 follow
  up interviews
• Exploring what they considered heavy use to be
  and how they thought heavy use impacted on
  their lives

4
The Young People

• 18-25 years three quarters male three quarters
  white
• Accessed through a variety of agencies projects
  (voluntary and statutory), hostels, student
  unions, training providers, drug services,
  Connexions etc.
• Means of access shaped final composition of
  group skewed towards socially excluded young
  people

5
Heavy Cannabis Use

• All using regularly (usually daily) and had been
  using for at least 6 months
• Most using skunk because this was what they
  preferred
• Definitions of what constitutes heavy use (in
  terms of amounts used or money spent per week)
  varied widely across the group

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Heavy Cannabis Use (2)

• Difficulties with calculating weekly
  spends/weekly consumption
• Almost one fifth (17) 31- 60p.w. one tenth (10)
  over 150p.w.
• Low-heavy (up to 40p.w.), medium-heavy
  (41-100p.w) high heavy (101 above)
  approximately one third in each group

7
Impact of Heavy Use (1)

• Cannabis use not a problem. Contrasted often
  with Class A use (which does cause problems) or
  with alcohol use (whats the difference?).
• Harmless Fun
• Tendency not to think about negative impacts
  difficulties with articulating any
• Stressed the positive impacts/pleasure derived
  from use

8
Impact of Heavy Use (2)

• Positive Social lubricant relieving stress
  enabling relaxation managing anger relieving
  boredom
• Negative Social Personal
• School/educational achievement relationships
  with parents accommodation police/legal system
• Financial costs laziness mental health

9
Legislation Enforcement

• Reclassification to Class C required caution for
  those over 18 but those under 18 to be arrested
• Police practice across our 2 areas varied
  confiscation vs. arrest
• Encouraged cross-county migration

10
Legislation Young Peoples Views (1)

• Complex and somewhat contradictory in their
  attitudes towards legislation
• Ambivalence about use (health, cost)
• Some young people confused about legal status but
  on the whole were unconcerned about the legal
  status
• On the whole did not consider legal penalties for
  being caught with it

11
Legislation Young Peoples Views

• Three-quarters thought it should be legalised but
  many with restrictions attached age, medical
  grounds
• But many who thought it should be legalised also
  agreed with the statement, Smoking cannabis
  everyday is likely to lead to mental health
  problems
• Those who didnt think it should be legalised
  gave a number of reasons for their views

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Reclassification Harm Reduction or Escalation?

• Cannabis relatively unproblematic for those in
  stable living situations
• Does not cause anti-social behaviour
• Will not prevent them using
• Young people on the street will come to police
  attention
• Criminalising for cannabis use will render
  socially excluded young people more vulnerable