Revealed:

GOVERNMENT HELPLINE TELLS CHILDREN 'CANNABIS IS SAFER THAN ALCOHOL'

Children calling the Government's drugs helpline are being told that
cannabis is safer than alcohol and that ecstasy will not damage their
health, an investigation by The Sunday Telegraph has found.

Advisers manning the "Frank" helpline are informing callers they
believed to be children as young as 13 that alcohol is a "much more
powerful drug than cannabis" and that using the illegal drug
recreationally is not harmful because it "doesn't get you that high".

Callers are also being told that taking ecstasy will not lead to
long-term damage and that if they are in doubt, to "just take half a
pill and if you are handling that OK, you can take the other half."

They are even being told that they would be able to smoke a cannabis
joint, on top of ecstasy, with no ill-effects.

The advice, given to reporters who rang the helpline posing as young
people, has alarmed anti-drugs campaigners who branded it "scandalous"
and "irresponsible."

Health experts have condemned the advice given to children as "frankly
appalling", "factually incorrect" and "worryingly cavalier".

After being presented with the findings, the Government last night
said it had launched an immediate investigation into the Frank
service, which is funded by three separate departments, and said it
would be taking action advisers involved.

Chris Grayling, the shadow Home Secretary, said: "The idea that the
Government's helpline should be saying to young people "go for it" and
that cannabis should be class C when it has just been classified by
the Government as class B, shows that the Home Office is all over the
place in its approach to drugs."

Professor Neil McKeganey, professor of drug misuse research, at
Glasgow University, said: "Having read one of the transcripts, it is
extraordinary that the Frank councillor seems more concerned to place
cannabis smoking in some kind of comfort zone of acceptable behaviour
rather than address the risks of such drug use on the part of a
13-year-old child."

Mary Brett, a spokesman for the Talking About Cannabis charity, said:
"It is scandalous. These people are talking to kids, for goodness
sake. Taking drugs can trigger all kinds of psychosis in people that
have a genetic predisposition to it. Why are they not told that?
Medical experts have said time and again that skunk, the newer type of
cannabis that many young people are taking, is dangerous.

"These children are being told they can choose. But the risky bit of
their brains develops before the inhibitory bit of their brain and
they take risks.

"They have to be told 'this is not for you'. When they hear fair,
reasoned arguments against, they respond. It is obvious they are not
hearing them from Frank."

The helpline, established by the Government in 2003 with UKP 3 million
funding, was described in a Home Office drugs strategy recently as
"the key channel by which Government communicates the dangers of
drugs, including cannabis, to young people".

But in calls to its helpline, manned 24 hours a day, seven days a
week, reporters posing as teenagers were told by different advisers
that drug taking was not harmful.

At no point in the conversations did the Frank team try to dissuade
the callers from taking drugs.

The effects on the body were played down to the extent that one
adviser, referring to ecstasy, said: "At the end of the day I know
where you're coming from - doing a pill and it felt great."

Another councillor said that cannabis, a class B drug, should be
regarded as class C and that "cannabis doesn't really get you that
high. You know you are always in control".

A third adviser stated: "nicotine is physically addictive. Cannabis
isn't. You can stop smoking it any time you want."

Alcohol was presented as a much greater danger than illegal drugs,
including heroin, more expensive and with many more negative effects.

One adviser told a caller: "The withdrawals of alcohol are worse than
heroine for example; people can die when they become addicted to
alcohol and stop suddenly."

The reporters were also told that the police "would not do anything"
if they found a young person with cannabis and that if they are caught
with pills, they should say they were for their own use to avoid being
prosecuted as a dealer.

In one call, where the reporter claimed to be the friend of a
13-year-old boy who had started smoking cannabis, the adviser said:
"He won't get addicted, no. Tell him you spoke to Frank and they told
me it's not as dangerous as alcohol. Tell him they said by using it
recreationally, it's not as bad as alcohol, because that's the truth
in terms of the power of the drug."

He went on to say that if alcohol was illegal, it would be a class A
drug, the most harmful category, whereas "cannabis should just be a
class C drug".

Another reporter, posing as a 15-year-old girl who had taken her first
ecstasy tablet, asked if it would affect her health in any way.

The response was "Nah". He told the caller that he could not say "go
and take Es, you're absolutely fine", but that "in terms of taking a
pill like that, it's not going to affect your health".

He went on to say "obviously you had a really good experience. It's
like most things, if you do it in moderation, you lessen your chances.

"A good idea is if you don't know what it is you are taking, take a
half a one and see how you go and if you are handling that OK, you can
take the other half."

The adviser was also unsure what classification the Class A drug
was.

During a discussion where the adviser talked about mixing drugs, the
reporter asked if it was safe to have cannabis after taking an ecstasy
pill.

The adviser said: "Again, I'm not condoning it but it wouldn't spin
you out like another pill or powder. If you're asking me if you could
have a spliff with it, would it have any major affects, generally
speaking, no, although people are individuals so what works for one
might not work for another, but generally speaking, no, you'd be able
to have spliff with it."

An estimated five million people in the UK are users of illegal or
street drugs.

Health experts are growing increasingly worried about the affects on
young people's mental health. There is also growing evidence that
contrary to earlier assumptions, cannabis can be addictive.

Varieties of skunk, which contain much higher levels of
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active chemical, are more dangerous
than the cannabis used in the 1960s and 1970s but are now widespread
and often the choice of young people.

Dr Zerrin Atakan, consultant psychiatrist at the Institute of
Psychiatry, said: "Any drug use while the brain is still developing
may lead to structural or functional changes. One Australian study has
shown that heavy cannabis users show clear structural abnormalities of
the brain.

"Another recent study has also shown that cannabis use before 18 can
lead to abnormalities in areas of the brain that control memory,
attention, decision-making and language skills.

"Also, contrary to previously held beliefs, it is now considered that
regular users can develop 'tolerance' to the drug, one of the main
characteristics of addiction. Regular users require higher doses to
become 'stoned'. Some people find it very hard to give it up and
become highly anxious if they do."

According to the Home Office, drug use among all ages, including young
people, has fallen in recent years. The Government, which downgraded
cannabis to a grade C drug in 2004, has recently reclassified it to
B.

A Government spokesman said: "It is completely unacceptable for a
Frank adviser to be giving out wrong, misleading and inaccurate
information. We are urgently looking into the matter and will identify
the person or persons involved and take action.

"Frank is an important resource for young people who need help and
advice about drugs. It is vital that Frank advisers give out correct
and straight forward advice - we have therefore commissioned a review
of the training advisers receive and will act upon it."

[sidebar]

DRUGS HELP: WHAT IS FRANK?

The Frank helpline and website was established in 2003. It was
welcomed as a departure from the outdated "just say no" campaign.

Its aim is to provide young people with the facts about drug use so
they can make informed choices. The non-judgemental approach focuses
on "harm reduction" rather than simply telling young people not to do
drugs.

Frank, which has 75 "fully trained drug workers" manning its helpline,
has received millions of pounds of taxpayers money. In 2008/09 it
received UKP 2 million from the Department of Health, UKP 2.7 million
from the Home Office and UKP 1.8 from the Department of Children,
Schools and Families.

Scientific and other information is provided to Frank from a number of
organisations, including the Scottish Drugs Forum and DrugsScope, a
Government-funded charity, the National Treatment Agency for Substance
Misuse, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and the Forensic
Science Service.

The Scottish Drugs Forum provides a training programme for Frank which
covers themes such as "drugs and their effects", "attitudes and
awareness of drugs", "how problematic drug use affects children" and
"families and child protection". Only individuals who have worked in
areas such as counselling, nursing or social work are recruited to
become advisers.

Frank has run a number of high-profile television advertising
campaigns, pointing out the dangers of cannabis and cocaine.

A recent campaign featured the comedian David Mitchell providing the
voice-over for a dog called Pablo.

Since it was established, it has received more than two million calls
to its helpline and at least 11 million hits on its website.

A survey in 2008 found that 89 per cent of 11 to 21 year olds
recognised the Frank adverts, while 82 per cent were aware of the website.

[sidebar]

FRANK DRUGS TALKS: THE TRANSCRIPTS

The full transcripts of the Sunday Telegraph's phone calls with
"Frank", the Government's drugs helpline.

First phone call:

The Sunday Telegraph: My friend has started to smoke the occasional
joint. Do you think
I should tell his parents about it or my teacher?

Frank: How old is he?

ST: He's 13. I'm worried it's going to change his personality. I have
only seen him do it a few times. Will he turn into a crack addict? He
say's it's not affecting him at all. I'm worried it's going to affect
his personality.

Frank: How often have you seen him smoking?

ST: I have only seen him do it a couple of times. Will he turn into a
crack addict?

Frank: No that's not the way it works. If you use it a couple of
times it doesn't have
to cause any problems. People drink all the time. Alcohol is a much
more powerful drug
than cannabis, and people don't turn into alcoholics and crack
addicts or anything like
that. It doesn't mean he's going to go down the road to destruction.
That's not the way
it works.

ST: I'm worried it's going to affect his school grades.

Frank: Ask him how much does he use. What do you think you will gain
by telling his
parents?

ST: Well I want him to stop it.

Frank: Its up to you, that's personal to you. They won't be able to
stop him unless they
lock him in a room. He's starting to become his own person. You know
if you want to do
something, then you will find a way a round it, don't you? They
[parents] are not going
to be with you all the time.

Frank: How do you feel when he is drinking?

ST: Well, we all drink occasionally.

Frank: But that doesn't worry you at all?

ST: Not as much as cannabis.

Frank: It's a lot more potent than cannabis. It's only when someone
is smoking all day
every day that problems with cannabis will arise. If people use it
every now and again
like they would drink, then it's a less powerful drug then alcohol.
That might help you
put it into perspective. To make your mind up of what you want to do.

ST: I had a talk at school recently and they said if you smoke
occasionally you wont get addicted, is that right?

Frank: Yeah, that's right. Find out what sort of frequency he is
doing? But if he's only
smoking when he goes to parties, then that doesn't mean it's a
gateway to being a crack
addict.

ST: We have started going to a few parties recently and sometimes we
are smoking. But I feel it's better he drinks rather than smokes.

Frank: Why do you feel that?

ST: I feel cannabis will affect him worse.

Frank: That's not the truth. Its not advertised that way by the
government, but that's
not the way it works. You will be able to tell in the morning if you have been
drinking - you might have a hangover. Well you are quite young so you
might not have a
hangover. Alcohol is a powerful drug in what it does on to your body
and how many brains
cells it kills and stuff. Cannabis is not to be taken lightly, but
it's a lot less
powerful. If alcohol were illegal it would be a Class A drug.
Cannabis should just be a
Class C drug. In terms of its affects it's a lot less powerful than drinking.

ST: Should I just let him get on with it? I mean will he get
addicted?

Frank: He wont get addicted, no. Tell him you spoke to Frank and they
told me it's not
as a dangerous as alcohol but they did tell me if it becomes every
day that's when you
start having problems. But they said by using it as recreationally it
is less dangerous
than alcohol, because that's the truth, in terms of the power of the
drug. I mean when
you are stoned you don't lose control as much as you do when you are
drunk. Cannabis
doesn't really get you that high, where you don't know where you are
and what you are
doing or what you are saying. You know you are always in control, so
from that point of
view, it is a lot safer.

ST: I just get quite confused. I'm not sure what to think. Sometimes
it seems to me that alcohol isn't as bad as cannabis.

Frank: That's because you are used to seeing everyone on alcohol. And
you know what's
going to happen. And also because of the advertising campaigns that
are saying it's a
really powerful drug. Alcohol is really addictive. The withdrawals of
alcohol are worse
than heroine for example; people can die when they become addicted to
alcohol and stop
suddenly. There are all sorts of aspects to alcohol we don't know about.

Because we don't know as much about cannabis and what we do know is
put out there by the government and its all about the negative side of
things, then people tend to feel its a lot more strong.

ST: When we had that talk at school, they said it was okay to smoke
occasionally and you wont get addicted. Is that correct?

Frank: Yeah, yeah. Find out what his views are on it.

ST: He says it won't affect him. He's quite good at school and I am
worried it will change his grades.

Frank: Well no more than going out drinking would. Why would it be
different? If he
starts using it more and more, but if he's just smoking when he is at
a party then
that's not a problem - at all.

ST: If I see him doing more, what should I say?

Frank: Speaking with his parents will be a bit strange. You might get
in trouble with
him. Speak to a teacher first.

ST: Our school is telling us its illegal. So I thought about going to
the police about it?

Frank: Why would you go to the police?

ST: Because it is illegal, isn't it?

Frank: Yeah, yeah. But why? So they can catch him with it? Is that
what you mean?

ST: I might get into trouble.

Frank: Underage drinking is illegal and you don't see a problem with
that. And underage
sex is illegal as well, but it doesn't mean it's a really bad thing.
It just means that
for whatever political reasons it's illegal at some point. It is
unlikely the police
would do something about it anyway, in the same way they won't go and
find teenagers
having sex. They are not bothered about that; they are bothered about
the person using
it all the time or supplying - that kind of thing. That's what the
police are there for.

ST: I think it might speak to him about it now, so
thanks.

Second phone call:

ST: Hi, I just wanted to get some advice about my friend. Sometimes we
go out at weekends, and he's started smoking the occasional joint. I
have seen him do it a couple of times. He's a good mate from school.
Should I tell his parents about it?

Frank: How old is he?

ST: He's 13.

Frank: Have you tried talking to him first?

ST: Yeah. But I'm worried it might change his personality.

Frank: Have you had education about it at school? Are you at school with him?

ST: We had a talk at school and they said its okay to have the
occasional joint because you don't get addicted from it.

Frank: The main thing is because your body is so young you don't know
how much damage it
could do. If he's just keeping it to the occasional weekend, then I
can't see it doing
him too much damage. I'm not sure what it would achieve by telling his parents.

ST: He says it doesn't affect him, I don't know quite what it's going
to do

Frank: I would definitely keep an eye on it. Have you got any local
groups you could
speak to?

ST: I don't know there might be. We drink at the weekends.

Frank: Would you tell his parents that he drank? Alcohol is one of
the most dangerous
drugs there is. You need to be careful about everything you do. You
need to look after
each other when you are out.

ST: I'm worried he might turn into a crack addict now he's started on
cannabis.

Frank: That's unlikely. Crack is a long way from cannabis. You need
to put things in
perspective. Nicotine is physically addictive. Cannabis isn't. You
can stop smoking it
any time you want. Alcohol is the same. Cannabis - you get in the
habit of doing it,
because you enjoy doing it. If he's just doing it at weekends, that
should be fine. When
it becomes a problem is when people start doing it all the time.

ST: That's what our school talk was sort of about.

Frank: What did they say? If you get in the habit of doing it
everyday, then it becomes
addictive. It's addictive in a psychological way. What's the issue
here? You're under 16
so cannabis is as bad as cigarettes and drinking.

ST: I suppose I'm worried that you become mental?

Frank: The best way if you are worried, is to keep your relationship
going with him.
Then if does start smoking more. if you fall out by talking to his
parents.. You're
worried about him. But be worried about everything; be worried about
drinking. If you
just keep it at weekends, I don't think it's likely to cause him any
major problems.

ST: He's saying that I should try it. I want to keep in the
gang.

Frank: Just say you tried it before and you didn't like it.

ST: If the cops saw us with a fag, they're not going to do us but if
we were caught with cannabis....

Frank: They would probably take you to the station. And tell your
parents. If its first
offence, you would get a warning and stuff. Just don't feel pressured
to do anything.

Third phone call:

Frank: Can I ask how old you are?

ST: I'm nearly 16

Frank: Oh right you sound older.

ST: I took an E for the first time and I wonder if it will affect my
health in any way?

Frank: Nah. Did it have a name?

ST: I just did it, like.

Frank: Were you with friends?

ST: Yes.

Frank: How did you feel?

ST: Good.

Frank: Thing with Es is that if you get a decent E folk get very kind
of 'ahh the
world's a great place'. Sometimes though there's no quality control.
It used to be UKP 15,
now you can get it for UKP 1. It's hard to know what you are getting.
Bit a coke, Ketamine,
MDMA. It's not like you will always get the same affect.

ST: So there are good ones and bad ones?

Frank: Yes. There are ones that make you a bit tired or folk are
having a good one and
talk about a "smack attack" - there's not actually heroin in it at
all, but folk will be
buzzing, and then you feel really heavy and lethargic. People might
come up and say
"come and dance" and you say "nah" and then in a couple of minutes
you're "hey" again.
But in terms of taking a pill like that, it's not going to effect
your health. You
didn't have any ill effects at all, you felt really good?

ST: I felt ok after.

Frank: Notice a come down or anything?

ST: No.

Frank: A bit tired?

ST: Yes, we were up late.

Frank: Bit of after effect where you're feeling really good and
then... Did you get any
visual things?

ST: No.

Frank: Then what will happen is like it has almost worn off but its
almost like speeding
and you can't get to sleep. Were you dancing and that?

ST: Yes.

Frank: You can imagine why people take them in nightclubs. I'm not
saying it's right but
you can imagine why - music, strobe lights. The down side is that
people think 'I'll
just take a few or a bit of speed'.

ST: You're alright if you don't mix it?

Frank: I can't sit here and say 'it's cool, go and take Es, you're
absolutely fine'. I
can point out the dangers but if you are going to do it, you're going
to do it. My point
is to tell you what to look out for. A good idea is, if you don't
know what it is you
are taking, take a half of one and see how you go and if you are
handling that ok, you
can take the other half. Ideally if you are going to take stuff, if
your mates know the
person. Because if you don't know them they could sell you anything.
They don't care.
Try and get it through someone you know. Or if you know that someone
you know has taken
the pills. Talk to someone you trust.

ST: I'm working for my exams and that, so don't want to do it quickly
but if I did does that mean you're going to get addicted or anything.

Frank: No. You obviously had a really good experience. Its like most
things, if you do
it in moderation, you lessen the chance. It's only when folk do it
all the time. If you
only wanted to go out if there were pills, that's when you know
you've got a problem.
The other thing is, it brings you in to contact with other people
they might come up and
say 'try this coke' - you've just got to be strong in yourself. At
the end of the day I
know where you're coming from - doing a pill and it felt great.
You're doing exactly the
right thing calling up and finding out the facts.

ST: I've got friends who get p----d up every weekend and you're
thinking 'well...'

Frank: They probably spend more money and are more likely to get in
to trouble with the
cops. Google Frank on the website and look up Es and it will tell you
the effects and
what the law is.

ST: what could the coppers do if they found you with
them?

Frank: They're a Class A I think, or a Class B. Let me check, I
should know that. Worst
thing you can do - if you have ecstasy or any drug and you said
they're not mine they
for my mate, that would be intent to supply, which is dealing. End of
the day just say
'no they're mine'.

Bear in mind some are stronger than others.

ST: So you should never do more than one of them?

Frank: Yes. Some folk might think 'I'll do two of these'. Like
Mitzubishis have a logo
on them. If you look closely they can have something stamped on them,
like a dove or a
smiley face. It's Class A drug. Possession can get you seven years,
supplying can get
you life. One problem is they're very rarely pure and can be cut with
all kinds of
things. Physical side effects - your pupils get bigger. Some folk
will be clenching
their jaws like they're chewing. Short term effects can include
anxiety, paranoia, panic
attacks stuff like that. And there's no way you can tell what's in it
until you've done
it, so take half a one or make sure if your mates have taken it
before it will give you
an idea.

ST: But you said short-term effects so there's no need to worry a few
weeks later?

Frank: Yes. You might get hot and dehydrated if you were in a
nightclub, so drink water.
But you know when people die from E - and there have been a few E deaths - it's
generally because they've drunk too much water. Believe it or not.
Sip a pint of water
an hour, don't go drinking 15 pints of water. That'll kill you. Leah
Betts - too much
water. Some folk take it to the max. It has been linked to liver and
kidney problems but
if you are just doing it every now and again... Last thing is
activating infections like
cystitis. I'm not saying its going to happen to you but at least
you're clued up because
you've taken the trouble to ask

ST: What about if you have a spliff after?

Frank: That would be alright. It wouldn't effect it. Say someone had
plenty of coke,
which is a stimulant. Taking uppers and downers what can happen is...
Take for instance
coke and smack. Coke is taking over and your heart is thinking 'I'm
going', but the
smack is working the opposite way and slowing you down. Try not to
mix drugs. Do you
smoke? So you're used to the effect of it...?

ST: Yes, you know, a bit?

Frank: Again I'm not condoning it but it wouldn't spin you out like
another powder or a
pill. If you are asking me if you could have a spliff with it, would
it have any major
effects? Generally speaking, no, although people are individuals so
what works for one
person might not work for another, but generally speaking, no, you'd
be able to have
spliff with it.