Annual review 2007/08
Recovery and social inclusion
Cannabis education
Making a difference
Research indicates that teenagers who use cannabis are far more likely to develop psychosis. Many Rethink members have told us over the years about their experiences with cannabis and the need to educate the public properly about the dangers.
Making it happen
- We published Educating Reefer; the results of a survey of 680 people’s views about cannabis, which had been gathered through the Rethink website and through music festivals.
- We supported family members to talk to the media about their experiences.
- We were the only charity to present new evidence to the prestigious Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.
- We produced an information pack, ‘Disjointed’, for young people and their carers on cannabis and the links to psychosis.
- We called for large cigarette rolling papers to include health warnings about cannabis on them.
- We held a meeting in Parliament for MPs to hear about one father’s experience of his son using cannabis.
- We submitted evidence to the new Drugs Strategy and wrote briefings for MPs.
Making an impact
- We received large amounts of media coverage for our campaign, including in the News of the World, the Times, the Guardian, and on the Radio 4 Today programme, 5 Live and The Jeremy Vine Show.
- Our web pages on cannabis were read by more than 3,000 people over the year.
- As a result of our pressure the Government aired a cannabis advert ‘Brain Warehouse’ again and promised a new online tool for young people who want to give up cannabis.
- 46 MPs have publicly supported our campaign and the issue has been aired repeatedly during the London mayoral election.
Moving forward
We are still lobbying on this issue and are urging people to email the Home Secretary to ask for a large-scale public health education campaign.
Moving you forward
