Charlie Lyons

Jon Snow’s right: skunk is dangerous, but it’s impossible to buy anything else

Channel 4 is due to air its pseudo-scientific ‘Jon Snow stoned’ show The Cannabis Trials (or Drugs and How Not To Enjoy Them). Presumably intended to reignite national conversation about the government’s antiquated approach to narcotics, it seems unlikely that images of Snow wigging out will do much to advance the debate.

I used to be a regular weed smoker, and contrary to the conclusions of last week’s leader in The Spectator, I take the view that weed should be made legally available on a modestly regulated market, much like alcohol. I am not alone. Last week a new political party was formed under the name CISTA (Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol).

In the same week, a team from King’s College London published a study linking heavy skunk use to an increased risk of psychosis. What the Spectator article failed to notice in citing this research was that the study was testing the effects of skunk vs traditional weed. This is an important distinction, and one too often ignored by legislators and older commentators.

The difference is simple enough. Regular weed (also available as a compacted resin known as hash) is the harmless relaxant you remember from your foggy student days. Skunk is a modified form of the same plant with considerably more harmful effects. It has become prevalent because it is the cheapest way to get super high. The reclassification of cannabis has reflected this; since 2009, it has been a Class B drug, because skunk, not weed, now dominates the UK market.

All cannabis contains (among other things) two significant ingredients: Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD). THC is what gets you high, but is also known to cause psychosis. CBD suppresses the psychotic effects of THC. In regular weed the two are present in a balanced ratio, while skunk typically contains 2-3 times more THC and almost no CBD.

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