Alcohol a ‘greater threat’ than cannabis

A former UK minister has said that the dangers of alcohol are being underplayed and that excessive drinking poses a far more deadly risk than cannabis.

Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker has said the UK’s alcohol problem is more “deadly” than cannabis consumption

Former Home Office minister Norman Baker said that he was shocked to learn of Britain’s drinking culture during his year as Crime Prevention minister, according to a report in the Independent.

The Liberal Democrat MP referred to figures which showed there were only 13 deaths related to cannabis use last year, while 7,000 people died as a result of alcohol misuse.

“These figures show that we need to be less hysterical about cannabis and worried more about alcohol,” Baker told the Independent.

“I’m in favour of evidence-based policy, and we underplay the dangers of alcohol. Politicians need to reflect that society has changed since the 1970s, so the rhetoric should change.”

During his time as Crime Prevention Minister, Baker attempted to shut down a JD Wetherspoon’s pub – the first to opened at a motorway service station.

His concerns come as members of the UK drinks industry they are on track to achieve their promise of removing one billion units of alcohol from the market by the end of 2015.

Meanwhile, the Home Office banned the sale of alcohol at below cost prices in England and Wales in a bid to curb excessive consumption.