HIT - Second perspectives on Cannabis conference

The Liverpool based drugs advice agency known as HIT held its second annual conference on cannabis on Thursday 24th February 2005 in the very up-market Crowne Plazza Hotel within sight of the famous ferries.

As always in this sort of meeting, discussions over coffee are most revealing. It was made plain to me by several workers that the government was dictating how information is presented and indeed what information is presented. Agencies like HIT are businesses and depend on money from the Home Office for funding.

Visit the HIT website here and the conference page here

This is a summary of the speakers and subjects they covered. UKCIA comments are identified by "NB"

Session 1

Impact of long-term heavy cannabis use
Niall Coggans, University of Strathclyde.

Cannabis and mental health - is there a link?
Dr Zerrin Atakan, consultant psychiatrist, senior lecturer National Psychosis unit, South London and Maudsley trust.

Developments in the treatment of Cannabis related problems
Jan Copelan (PhD)

Ever forgotten to take the chicken off your head - or just couldn't be bothered?
Annmarie Carr - HIT

Cannabis and young people - a Tobacco control issue?
Amanda Amos - Edinburgh university

Lunch

Session 2

Marijuana and media manipulation
Tom Pilcher

Cannabis education and young people - the Australian experience
Paul Dillon - Media liaison/information manager National drug and alcohol research centre, University of New South Wales

Chucking it down the drain - some unintended consequences of reclassification
Hamish Warburton
Institute for criminal policy research

How much does drug policy matter? - Camparing drug use data, Netherlands and USA
Craig Reinarman, University of Santa Cruz

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Page by Derek Williams