HC Deb 17 May 2004 vol 421 cc36-7WS
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Caroline Flint)

On 1 April the Opposition spokesman for Home Affairs, the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden asked a parliamentary question regarding the evaluation of the effectiveness of the advertising campaign on the reclassification of cannabis.

I replied that the report was being collated and it was expected to be placed in the Library. I can announce that the results of the evaluation are being placed in the Library today. I thought I would take this opportunity to summarise the findings and highlight the next steps the Government is taking with regard to emphasising the risks and harms of taking cannabis.

The document 'Tracking the effectiveness of Advertising/Publicity for Reclassifying Cannabis from Class B to Class C' was produced by an independent research company, LVQ Research. It evaluated the Home Office cannabis campaign target under 18s which comprised of: Four weeks of radio advertising the message that cannabis remained illegal; The distribution of two leaflets: (1) Cannabis and the law, which provided clear and simple information on reclassification; and (2) Drugs and the law, which provided more general information about the law and penalties for Class A, B and C drugs; Press coverage in youth magazines.

LVQ was commissioned to survey a representative sample of 14–17 year olds both before and after the advertising to measure the effectiveness of the campaign. The results were very positive and show that 93 per cent. of respondents were aware that cannabis is illegal which is a significant increase on pre-reclassification levels (88 per cent.); 81 per cent of respondents agreed that smoking cannabis can be harmful—again a significant increase on pre-reclassification levels (74 per cent.).

It is certainly encouraging to note that most young people are aware of the illegal status of cannabis and this information will continue to be communicated through the FRANK campaign along with the health effects and risks of the drug. It is no less important to highlight the dangers to health of taking cannabis as well as the legal issues. We are now embarking on a targeted campaign to ensure that cannabis users are fully aware of the dangers to physical and mental health cannabis poses and to provide avenues where they can reduce intake and stop taking cannabis at all.

We will be producing information targeted at heavy and frequent users. Although that would traditionally be aimed at the 16–24 age group it could equally apply to older cannabis smokers in their thirties.

It is important that anyone can access this information and so we are also producing an all purpose FRANK leaflet in the next few months for light and less frequent smokers aimed mainly at 14–17 but could also be applicable to students in higher education and for parents of occasional users.

The final strand of the proposed education campaign is getting the message across about links with mental health. We are starting to work with relevant stakeholders to devise the appropriate messages and to agree the most effective means of getting them across, for example through mainstream mental health organisations and families of those with mental health problems.

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs reported that there was no proven causal link between taking cannabis and developing mental health problems it is recognised that an existing mental health problem can certainly be worsened by taking the drug. So the Government message will be clear the only way to protect your physical and mental health from the damage of cannabis is not to smoke it.