Is cannabis harmful?

It's all over the news today - a longterm New Zealand study shows that regular use of cannabis by young people results in a decrease in IQ. Well, as Captain Hotknives sagely observed, Jimi Hendrix won't help you with your maths exam, and regular use of anything by adolescents, whether alcohol, dope, glue, or tobacco, is not a good idea. They should be outside playing football, goddammit!

However, I can't help noticing that the bit of the report showing that the same effect is not present in the cannabis users who started as adults is strangely absent from the British news reels...

Should we be allowed to die on our own terms?

It was sad news this week that Tony Nicklinson, the man with locked-in syndrome who recently lost his High Court battle to end his life his own way, died after refusing treatment for pneumonia. It was sad because he wanted to end his life on his own terms and was refused permission to do that by the court; on the other hand, he did, in the end, die quickly with his family around him which is perhaps all any of us can ask for.

During his High Court case Mr Nicklinson sought assurance that it would not be unlawful for a doctor to assist him to die, which is contrary to the current law which prevents assisted suicide or euthanasia. While having the deepest sympathy for his predicament, and that of others in his situation, I have to agree with the judges in this matter.