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FRANK – The official Government website for drug information

CanSS does not recommend that people access FRANK or ring its advisors for information about drugs, especially cannabis or skunk (now 80 to 90% of the market).

Since FRANK caters especially for young people, they should be warned about the damaging aspects of cannabis use particularly relevant to them, but they are not.

No mention is made of the possibility that it can act as a “gateway” drug. Evidence from a 25-year study from birth in New Zealand and ongoing experiments on animals in Sweden, increasingly show this to be the case.

Adverse effects on personality are omitted. Children can become inflexible with fixed answers and opinions. They struggle to express themselves, can’t take criticism and are unable to make plans. At the same time they feel lonely, miserable and misunderstood.

 Fat-soluble THC stays in the brain cell membranes for a long time. Half is still there a week later and 10% after a month. A joint/week ensures a permanent and increasing presence. Every function of the brain is impaired as THC interferes with the transmission of the chemicals (neurotransmitters) carrying the messages from cell to cell. Academic performance plummets, grades fall, university places are forfeited.

None of this is spelt out to children. School is the best chance youngsters have of getting a good education and it is being jeopardised. Few children, using cannabis even occasionally, will achieve their full potential. Many simply opt out.

Other omissions include: the risk of acute psychotic episodes especially with skunk; depression; violence - due to psychosis or withdrawal, and suicides.

One boy told his mother it’s all right we look at FRANK to see how we can use skunk safely (harm reduction advice). He is now psychotic.

FRANK advisors have been known to offer some very questionable answers.

In April 2009, journalists from The Sunday Telegraph, pretending to be teenagers, phoned FRANK. Callers were told that taking ecstasy would not lead to long-term damage and if they were in doubt, just to take half a pill and if they were handling that OK they could take the other half. To one who they thought was just 13 they said, “cannabis is not that harmful, it doesn’t get you that high”.

At no time were callers discouraged from taking drugs. In fact they were advised that if they were caught in possession they should claim they were for their own use to avoid being prosecuted as a dealer.

A Government survey of FRANK in 2007 found that only 40% of pupils and 44% of their parents thought the people who worked at FRANK knew what they were talking about. In 2008 only 30% of children got their information from FRANK.

A mother found white powder in her son’s room. She rang FRANK to ask where she could have it analysed. They had no idea.

I have yet to meet anyone who has been happy with FRANK’s performance.

Cannabis Skunk Support © 2009 | Charity no. 1125329 | CALL 0844 335 1506 |