Extract from "Regular Users: Self-reported drug consumption patterns and attitudes to drugs among 1333 regular cannabis users - Atha MJ & Blanchard S (1997) IDMU publications" - 1994 data.

The full text of 'Regular Users' is available on the this site. Our House of Lords submission is reproduced in full, including full literature reviews of many medicinal uses of cannabis, and original research into characteristics of users reporting various medicinal benefits or who cite medicinal use as a primary reason for using cannabis.

1994 Survey (Regular Users I)

Home Grown

Home cultivation of cannabis is very common, 60% of respondents had grown at least some of their own cannabis at some time. Half of those had grown less than 5 plants on the most recent occasion, and the average grown was 19 plants, with daily users (who grew) averaging 23 plants, whereas experimental users (who grew) averaged 5.5 plants. Most of this home growing would be to attain self-sufficiency, rather than intended for profit, where harvests would be larger and more consistent.

A large majority (75%) of growers did so indoors, 77% using sunlight either exclusively or in combination with lights. High-intensity discharge lights, such as metal halide or high pressure sodium, had been used by one grower in six (17%). One in three growers (35%) had used "pedigree" seeds such as 'Skunk' or 'Northern Lights' either exclusively or in combination. Those who grew more were more likely to have tried combinations of seed sources and growing methods.

The more cannabis they bought and used in general, the more likely respondents were to have grown their own, and the more plants they had grown. Those who had grown 10 or more plants were significantly heavier users (average 37g/month) than non-growers (20g). Those who had never grown any also reported buying less and spending less on cannabis than growers. However, they spent more per gram (Tables 4.11-4.14).

1997/98 surveys

The 1997 survey (Regular Users II) shows that domestically produced cannabis (i.e. "skunk" and "home grown") had significantly increased market share since 1994 from roughly a fifth to a third of all UK consumption, mainly at the expense of imported bush. Growers were also three times as likely to have been "busted" (average 5.7% probability per year of being busted compared to 1.9% for non-growers).

Data from the 1998 survey (Regular Users III) is nearly ready for analysis, as the last few questionnaires are arriving. If any readers still have survey forms, please send them back by the end of February. This survey included more detailed questions on growing, driving and political views.

1999 Survey

It is important to support the Regular User surveys as these represent the only independent source of drugs prices and consumption data in the UK, which are now widely accepted by the courts in preference to speculative police valuations.