Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what conclusions for their drugs policy they have drawn from the evidence about the effects of cannabis on health set out in Epidemiology of Cannabis: Genotoxicity, Neurotoxicity, Epigenomics and Aging by A.S. Reece and G.K. Hulse.

The Department is committed to reducing the harm from all illicit drugs. Any illegal drug use, including cannabis, can be harmful, both from immediate side-effects and long-term physical and mental health problems. It can, for some, have a negative impact on their fertility. Cannabis use can contribute to and exacerbate existing mental health problems or can accelerate their development in people predisposed to mental health problems. We are aware of the book, ‘Epidemiology of Cannabis: Genotoxicity, Neurotoxicity, Epigenomics and Aging by A.S. Reece and G.K. Hulse’. No conclusions have been drawn from the evidence set out within it.

Information on the impact cannabis has on health can be found on the National Health Service website and Talk to FRANK, the Government’s drugs information and advice service. The Frank website also has basic harm reduction advice and details of drug treatment services and support organisations.

We know that drug treatment is protective and the number of places in treatment for people who use non-opiate drugs including cannabis is being increased by 30,000 compared to 2021/22, including 5,000 more places for young people in treatment.

The number of people in England receiving treatment for problems with cannabis use increased from 63,854 in 2021/22 to 74,931 people in 2023/24.