WRITTEN EVIDENCE FOR THE HOUSE OF LORDS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SELECT COMMITTEE

 Sub-Committee I: Cannabis.

 Submission of the Independent Drug Monitoring Unit (I.D.M.U.)

The Independent Drug Monitoring Unit (I.D.M.U.) is an independent research consultancy conducting original research, including large-scale surveys of drug users, and providing expert evidence to the courts in criminal cases involving controlled drugs. We seek to provide independent and impartial advice and information on issues surrounding illegal drugs to all parties within the debate on drugs policy.

The main service provided by I.D.M.U. is expert evidence to the criminal courts on most aspects of drug misuse, including comment on consumption patterns, valuations, effects, paraphernalia and yields of cannabis cultivation systems. This is based on existing published studies and our own independent research projects.

I.D.M.U. is a commercial organisation not currently receiving any official or charitable funding. Research is currently funded as research/development expenditure paid for by fees derived from legal consultancy activities.

Matthew Atha (BSc MSc MEWI) is the proprietor/director and principal consultant with I.D.M.U., with 16 years experience of research into cannabis consumption and drug policy.

This document has been prepared with the assistance of Sean Blanchard, an independent drugs researcher who is also co-author of Regular Users and other I.D.M.U. surveys, and Benjamin Ganley, freelance journalist.