Alcohol is far more deadly than cannabis, former minister Norman Baker says

Alcohol is a much greater threat to people’s health than cannabis, former Home Office minister Norman Baker has warned, saying its dangers are being underplayed.

 
 Pointing to figures that show there were only 13 deaths related to cannabis use last year compared with more than 7,000 caused by alcohol, the Lib Dem MP says there is “hysteria” over drug use in the UK.

 Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that of the 13 deaths in 2013 that were related to cannabis, 12 mentioned other factors as well on the death certificates.

“These figures show that we need to be less hysterical about cannabis and worried more about alcohol,” said Mr Baker. “I’m in favour of evidence-based policy, and we underplay the dangers of alcohol. Politicians need to reflect that society has changed since the 1970s, so the rhetoric should change.”

The ONS said that only one death certificate solely mentioned cannabis use.

This is believed to be Gemma Moss, a 31-year-old mother of three from Boscombe in Bournemouth, who died last October having taken up cannabis after a two-year break to help her sleep.

Even in that case, thought to be the first instance of a British woman to have died of cannabis poisoning, drugs charities have questioned the findings.

Read the full article at: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/alcohol-is-far-more-deadly-than-cannabis-former-minister-norman-baker-says-9885334.html