Drug damages lives

Oh HOW wrong was Sir Richard Branson in his views about cannabis (Letters). I have seen the results of drug-taking by my own grandson who, at 36, has never worked as he suffers from ADHD because of it, and is supported by his family. In my view, there is no need for anyone (except those who use it for medication) to take this awful substance.

At 80, and drug-free, I can tell you young people that you are being foolish and risking your own life and wellbeing by taking this substance. I’ve seen at first-hand what damage it does to your body — so don’t believe people like Richard Branson and many others who use it socially, as the best policy is never to touch it as you don’t know what’s in it, and worse still, the suppliers don’t care.

name and address supplied. I READ Peter hitchens’ cannabis article with interest and the letter from Sir Richard Branson with growing disbelief.

Twenty-five years ago, when I was still a custody sergeant, I had to process a young man of around 20 years of age. he was a Cambridge undergraduate, a brilliant mathematician and was destined for a distinguished academic career; at least he had been until he started using skunk.

he was brought in under the Mental health Act. The mental health team who assessed him diagnosed a serious psychotic illness and he was sectioned. They were of the opinion that he would never again be able to survive outside a secure mental health institution — a direct result of heavy use of skunk cannabis.

Sir Richard accuses Peter hitchens of ‘implying’ that the use of superstrength cannabis causes various mental health issues. Sadly, the young man I describe was not an isolated case of cannabis-induced psychosis, just the saddest and most extreme example I encountered. The link between the two is not just implied; it is obvious.

colin Macdonald, Bottesford, nottingham. Virgin Cannabis will be opening a store in your area soon.

Peter Turner, moorlands, staffs