Letter to Norman Lamb MP regarding "skunk" cannabis

Hi, I just read your article and I must say that I am disappointed that you are still repeating the "skunk" myth.

However the politicians and media choose to define "skunk" in fact it is simply one strain of cannabis that was developed to increase THC content.

Having sampled even some of the strongest forms of cannabis bud (herbal) in UK as well as Dutch coffeeshops and private clubs in Barcelona, and having been consuming cannabis off and on (nut mostly on) for almost 50 years, I can tell you that imported cannabis such as Thai, Vietnam, Indian, Hawaii, Columbia and so on, wee at least as strong if not stronger.

Also incorrect is the suggestion from Prof Nutt that herbal cannabis is stronger than hash, is incorrect and misleading. Hashish is made from the most active parts of the cannabis plant and is more concentrated than the plant used to make it.

In addition, cannabis oils (THC) products such as Sativex, is a more concentrated product made from the strong bud that you call "skunk".

Lastly I would like to suggest that the Human Right to a Private Life and the Right to choose and practice our own beliefs, provided it does no harm or poses no threat to others, seems to be largely ignored by this government which, like the previous ones, have walked over those rights in their effort to prop up their failed policy of prohibition that has clearly done far more harm than good.

You wrote "Left in the hands of illegal dealers, people have no idea of the safety or potency of what they are buying. Dealers typically have little interest in their customers’ well being, and quite often have an interest in getting them hooked on harder strains like skunk."

I think this is a grossly incorrect assumption and the way to deal with it would be to demand accurate labelling and not restrict choice buy limiting potency.

I hope you take this in the educational spirit that I intend.