Charles Walker questions the Health Secretary about funding for education on the mental health risks of cannabis use.

Mr. Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding will be made available in the forthcoming financial year to (a) educate the public on the risks of cannabis use, (b) fund primary research into the link between cannabis and psychosis and (c) assist mental health service users to discontinue their cannabis use. [184181]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Department will be making an announcement shortly on how much funding it will making available to the FRANK campaign in 2008-09.

The FRANK campaign is the key mechanism used by the Government for making the public aware of the harms associated with drug use.

In 2007-08 the Department made £2 million available to the FRANK campaign. We are not able to provide a breakdown of spend by individual drug but in 2007-08 there was an enhanced focus on cannabis within the FRANK programme.

In addition to this funding the Department for Children, School and Families and the Home Office also invest resources for the purpose of educating the public on the use of cannabis.

Implementation of the Department's research strategy "Best Research for Best Health