Cannabis use in Northern Ireland could spiral over new British government plans to downgrade the drug, it was claimed today.
With the Home Secretary, Mr David Blunkett, set to change it from a class B to class C drug, officials battling to curb rising trends voiced fears that teenagers could be lulled into a false sense of security.
Ms Jo Daykin, Northern Ireland's Drug and Alcohol Strategy Co-ordinator, said she was concerned that young people will get a mixed message that cannabis is now harmless.
The British government's former drugs czar, Mr Keith Hellawell, has already quit his advisory post in dismay at Mr Blunkett's plans.
Mr Blunkett is set to reclassify the drug in an attempt to free police resources to combat dealers peddling harder narcotics.
Anyone caught in possession of small quantities of the drug would only receive a caution under the new laws.
Ms Daykin said her main worry was that unless users were told clearly that the new plans do not mean legalisation, cannabis use could soar.
She said the new laws would not take into account the drug's prevalence in Northern Ireland.
"Whereas in England there are major problems with class A drugs like heroin, the main drugs of choice here are cannabis and ecstasy," she said.
"These plans are based on England and not here.
"The primary task for everybody now is to ensure the correct message goes out: cannabis is as harmful today as yesterday."
Despite her fears Ms Daykin insisted she would not be stepping down from the post within the Department of Health at Stormont.
"I have concerns over this issue, but there's a lot of work to be done and that's not going to get done by me sitting at home."
Mr Hellawell announced his resignation this morning in protest at the proposal.
The former "Drug Tsar" also attacked the government's "spin" for relaunching its 10-year drugs strategy.
"I'm against it because of the message it gives. It's actually a technical adjustment which in the reality of the law doesn't make a great deal of difference."
"But it's been bandied about by people as a softening of the law. It is a softening of the law and it's giving the wrong message. It's a personal initiative of David Blunkett. I don't know where he got his advice from, he certainly didn't get it from me."
PA