BOURNEMOUTH Cannabis Social Club has called the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioners bid to have weed reclassified as a class A drug ‘ridiculous’.

The Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick recently called on the government to reclassify cannabis from a Class B to a Class A drug.

As previously reported by the Dorset Echo, Mr Sidwick said “Because cannabis affects DNA there is evidence suggesting an 'uptick in testicular cancer, breast cancer and common cancers in children.”

He said cannabis posed a long-term risk to health and was "killing people slowly".

He added: "If we want our kids to have birth defects and cancer then let's leave things as they are - it's only in the last couple of years that we've been able to know this because of a wealth of studies and our improved knowledge in genomes.

"That's before we talk about the harm in our communities from county lines and kids starting to use it - all that is happening here and now but where we are is we don't want to see what's happening in other parts of the world happening here."

The spokesperson of Bournemouth Cannabis Social Club, a group of activists and patients, said they wanted to see some 'solid evidence' to the so-called risks.

“I think trying to move cannabis from a class B to an A is ridiculous", they told the Daily Echo.

“The rest of the world appears to be moving forward, legalising and regulating to make sure that the quality is there and no pesticides/nasty chemicals are used.

“That’s why American cannabis companies have to spend thousands on licences to be able to grow.

“We should be looking at the countries who have legalised it and take on board their research and findings. Even Thailand has legalised it.

“I would also like to see some solid evidence to the risks he is claiming.

“If it poses “a long term health risk” why is the UK one of the biggest exporters of medicinal cannabis around the world?

“If cannabis was legalised and regulated then the chances of children getting hold of it would be less, the county lines trade would be less popular and I honestly think we would see a drop in crime rates as well as more police on the streets taking care of real crimes.

“How can they say cannabis has no medicinal values in one breath but happily sell it themselves for medicinal patients in the other breath. It just makes no sense.”

Kevin, a member of the group from Westbourne said: “I think that the police commissioner needs to show his evidence of the direct correlation between cannabis use and the rise in cancers in children.

“Why is he adamant that it's as dangerous as crack and heroin when it's used for medicinal purposes (grown and supplied here in the UK).

“I'd also like him to show his evidence of the direct correlation between countries that have legalised it and the increase in problems he mentioned - why has he been selective in his data and not shown the positive impacts legalising/decriminalising has had on those countries (in America in some legal states weed use has actually dropped).

“Does he also feel alcohol should be class A given the damage it can cause to people and communities and if not, why not.

“How has he come to the conclusion that putting someone in prison for smoking some weed to relax a good thing to do? His thoughts on treating it as a class A would result in a longer prison time than someone who robs or assaults another person.”