Mental health specialist in every school....

How many of today's youngsters suffer mental health problems because they take drugs; some classified, some 'legal' drugs?

Now the Lib Dems have said in their manifesto that they would legalise cannabis (at present a Class B drug again after reclassification from temporary downgrading to Class C several years ago). This would not be available to under-18s but then tobacco is not supposed to be sold to under 16s.

The party would allow licensed shops to sell the drug to over-18s, let people grow cannabis at home and introduce small "cannabis social clubs".

We could see an increase in mental health problems amongst school-age children if cannabis is legalised. The thought of cannabis being grown in many homes where toddlers and small children live is quite horrifying too.

I know the argument is that the content could be controlled but the more cynical view is that it would save money trying to fight the illegal distribution of cannabis and bring in tax revenue for a Lib Dem government.

Is their plan to spend the proposed £1bn revenue on better mental health programmes in schools?

Jalima1108 many children also live in houses where alcohol is on display and used. People die and are ill because of alcohol, but it is legal. Cannabis could be much more easily controlled if it was legal and the effects of using it would not be hidden because the user is afraid they will be prosecuted if they seek help.

So called 'legal highs' are a big problem too. Underneath it all though, why do people want/need to take something to affect their mental processes? Is life so awful that some form of chemical respite is desirable? Personally I think peer pressure is a major factor and the need to appear 'cool'. That's not just kids though -I've been on plenty of nights out when drinking almost seems competitive. The next day everyone is showing off about how bad their hangover is. Not me though of course. It just wasn't worth it .

The thing about alcohol trisher is that it is contained in a glass or a bottle; yes, I know children can get hold of it and drink it but it is quite difficult for toddlers and babies to do so. I know about foetal alcohol syndrome too before anyone mentions that.

I don't think there should be a counsellor in every school because of costs and expertise but I do think there should be a 'track' to mental health specialists via the school if this is thought necessary. However I've found that it's possible to get into the 'system' from joint efforts of GP and school to refer but then it's a waiting game. So I don't believe there's an easy answer to this.

A glass which left on a coffee table can easily be picked up and drunk by any toddler- not difficult at all-, just as can any other drug, prescribed, legal or illegal they re all dangerous. The drug laws need looking at and amending. I don't understand why you find cannabis plants so much more dangerous than alcohol.

Yes, a toddler could drink an alcoholic drink left carelessly around but living in a haze of cannabis could cause more long-term problems just as liking in a haze of cigarette smoke could cause lung problems in young children.
Psychoses - schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
There is now sufficient evidence to show that those who use cannabis particularly at a younger age, such as around the age of 15, have a higher than average risk of developing a psychotic illness, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
These studies also show that the risk is dose-related. In other words, the more cannabis someone used, the more likely they were to develop a psychotic illness.

Why should teenagers be particularly vulnerable to the use of cannabis? It is thought that this has something to do with brain development. The brain is still developing in the teenage years – up to the age of around 20, in fact. A massive process of ‘neural pruning’ is going on. This is rather like streamlining a tangled jumble of circuits so they can work more effectively. Any experience, or substance, that affects this process has the potential to produce long-term psychological effects.

I'm no saying that alcohol will not produce long-term effects but the argument is rather like the one produced to increase speed limits on motorways to 80 mph - no-one sticks to 70 mph so why not increase the speed limit anyway?

Living not liking !

There is rather insufficient evidence to draw such conclusions as the child "living in a haze of cannabis" Jalima1108. The results obtained are primarily the result of the increasing use of stronger versions of cannabis (skunk). But there is no evidence at all to support the assertion that decriminalising it would result in more use of the drug. It's nothing like the speeding comparison unless you have some roads that have a speed limit of 50, some of 20 and some of 30 and some where driving is forbidden altogether, with nothing to differentiate the roads apart from historic practice.
As I said before decriminalising would at least enable users with problems to seek help earlier. Alcohol is a much more physically damaging drug but is completely legal. Addiction to anything is an illness and one that should be treated properly and not result in imprisonment and punishment simply because the addictive substance is unacceptable to society at the time.