Father Christmas 'does not exist' shock!

Research suggesting that drugs that have been seen as relatively harmless are actually quite risky continues to make the front pages.  

Cannabis is involved in 80% of schizophrenia cases says one expert. It increases the risk of psychotic illness seven-fold says another. Ecstasy users are 23% more likely to have memory loss problems according to research at Newcastle University.

We shouldn't be surprised about this. Cannabis is illegal but the government has just reclassified it from drug class B to class C so it's no surprise that media outlets who want to embarrass the government should plaster this research all over the place.

More importantly, these findings show how long decent medical evidence takes to emerge. All drugs — whether legal or illegal - hit the market packed with promises about how wonderful they are. Cannabis in the 1960s was no different. The side-effects come to light later. Today, the evidence continues to stack up that modern cannabis — which is higher in the active ingredient THC than the weedy weed of the 70s and 80s — can trigger or worsen mental health problems in those with a predisposition. Whatever the classification of the drug, it's surely better that users and potential users are aware of that.

One former user said: 'Just as my dad happily smoked tobacco in the 50s and 60s unaware of the risk so I smoked dope in the 70s and 80s. He gave up once he knew the facts; perhaps we're in a similar position with cannabis today. As for ecstasy, did anyone truly believe that it was 100% risk-free? You'd have to believe in Father Christmas and the tooth-fairy, wouldn't you? Even tea and coffee have side-effects.'

With sales down 20%, as reported on malehealth last week, ecstasy is becoming less popular now but whatever replaces it on the dance-floor, users would be well advised to be sceptical of the claims made for it. Even if it's only bottled water.

Users of both ecstasy and cannabis together can suffer 'a double whammy' according to Jacqui Rodgers who headed up the Newcastle research. 'They are vulnerable to a myriad of memory afflictions which may represent a time-bomb of cognitive problems for later life,' she told The Guardian.

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