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Paul Fisher, diagnosed as a schizophrenic after years of drug abuse, committed suicide at the age of 34
A CANNABIS smoker killed himself after years of drug abuse turned him into a paranoid schizophrenic.
Paul Fisher smoked the drug for 10 years before he tragically took his own life as his mental state worsened.
Now his distraught mother is calling for a change in drug laws in order to prevent more people falling victim to cannabis.
Mr Fisher, 34, was first diagnosed as a schizophrenic in October 2003 after he became paranoid.
He spent six months at the private Priory clinic at Hove before being transferred to Riverdene adult mental health rehabilitation unit in Coldeast Way, Sarisbury Green.
But staff – who disputed his original diagnosis and said he was suffering from mental and behavioural problems related to substance misuse – discharged him into the community after eight weeks.
He sought help from a consultant psychiatrist six months later after his condition deteriorated.
Dr Anna Mylnick – who confirmed Mr Fisher was a paranoid schizophrenic – prescribed anti-psychotic medication as well as referring him to the community psychosocial team in Portsmouth.
However Mr Fisher did not collect his medication and he also failed to turn up for at least three further appointments.
An inquest into his death in Portsmouth heard that Mr Fisher had smoked cannabis for about 10 years but had stopped taking the drug about six months before his death.
His condition gradually deteriorated and he cut his throat at his home at Clarendon House, Clarendon Road, Southsea, on July 4 2005.
Mr Fisher was rushed by ambulance to Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, where he was pronounced dead.
A post-mortem examination revealed he died from blood loss caused by the three-and-a-half inch laceration to his neck.
Coroner David Horsley recorded a verdict that he took his own life as a result of his illness.
Now hismum, Carol, 61, is calling for a change in the law to deter other people from taking the drug.
Cannabis has been a class C illegal drug since 2004 and results of a government review on whether it should be reclassified are expected next year.
Mrs Fisher, from Abshot Road Titchfield Common, said: 'People don't understand what cannabis can do to them. I think it is terrible that it has been declassified.
'If Paul hadn't smoked cannabis he would be here today. My Paul was kind, considerate and well mannered. He wouldn't hurt a fly. He helped everybody else but he just couldn't help himself.
'When he had been taking drugs he changed. He was argumentative and withdrawn. He would lock himself away in a room all day and he wouldn't consider anybody else. He changed completely.
'People need to know this drug destroys lives – it destroyed my son and the lives of people around him.
From being a perfectly lovely young man Paul ended up becoming ill and killing himself.
‘Cannabis is as bad as heroin – why can’t it be treated as the same class of drug?’
Portsmouth South MP Mike Hancock said: ‘At the moment we punish the users but not the dealers. I support the government review that is taking place and I believe this should be a case study for parliamentary review.
‘If there is strong evidence to support the case this poor man suffered from schizophrenia as a direct result of cannabis use it deserves close scrutiny and should form part of the evidence the government takes into consideration when the future classification of cannabis is discussed.’
Portsmouth North MP Sarah McCarthy-Fry said: ‘I am desperately sorry for Paul Fisher’s parents and commend what they are doing to raise awareness.
‘I support the review the government is doing and I think cannabis should be reclassified, both because of the link between the drug and mental illness and the growing strength of cannabis.’
Substance misuse manager for the Safer Portsmouth Partnership Alan Knobel said: ‘There are much stronger strains of cannabis around now - such as skunk - that are much more hallucinogenic, so it is only right to review whether it should remain a class C drug.
‘At the moment someone can be given just a reprimand or warning for possession, whereas if it was a class B drug that person could be arrested and charged.
‘Britain had one of the strongest laws on cannabis until it was regraded but we still have one of the highest numbers of users in Europe. If having stronger laws doesn’t act as a deterrent maybe we need to do more to educate people about the dangers.’
A CANNABIS smoker killed himself after years of drug abuse turned him into a paranoid schizophrenic.
Paul Fisher smoked the drug for 10 years before he tragically took his own life as his mental state worsened.
Now his distraught mother is calling for a change in drug laws in order to prevent more people falling victim to cannabis.
Mr Fisher, 34, was first diagnosed as a schizophrenic in October 2003 after he became paranoid.
He spent six months at the private Priory clinic at Hove before being transferred to Riverdene adult mental health rehabilitation unit in Coldeast Way, Sarisbury Green.
But staff – who disputed his original diagnosis and said he was suffering from mental and behavioural problems related to substance misuse – discharged him into the community after eight weeks.
He sought help from a consultant psychiatrist six months later after his condition deteriorated.
Dr Anna Mylnick – who confirmed Mr Fisher was a paranoid schizophrenic – prescribed anti-psychotic medication as well as referring him to the community psychosocial team in Portsmouth.
However Mr Fisher did not collect his medication and he also failed to turn up for at least three further appointments.
An inquest into his death in Portsmouth heard that Mr Fisher had smoked cannabis for about 10 years but had stopped taking the drug about six months before his death.
His condition gradually deteriorated and he cut his throat at his home at Clarendon House, Clarendon Road, Southsea, on July 4 2005.
Mr Fisher was rushed by ambulance to Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, where he was pronounced dead.
A post-mortem examination revealed he died from blood loss caused by the three-and-a-half inch laceration to his neck.
Coroner David Horsley recorded a verdict that he took his own life as a result of his illness.
Now hismum, Carol, 61, is calling for a change in the law to deter other people from taking the drug.
Cannabis has been a class C illegal drug since 2004 and results of a government review on whether it should be reclassified are expected next year.
Mrs Fisher, from Abshot Road Titchfield Common, said: 'People don't understand what cannabis can do to them. I think it is terrible that it has been declassified.
'If Paul hadn't smoked cannabis he would be here today. My Paul was kind, considerate and well mannered. He wouldn't hurt a fly. He helped everybody else but he just couldn't help himself.
'When he had been taking drugs he changed. He was argumentative and withdrawn. He would lock himself away in a room all day and he wouldn't consider anybody else. He changed completely.
'People need to know this drug destroys lives – it destroyed my son and the lives of people around him.
From being a perfectly lovely young man Paul ended up becoming ill and killing himself.
‘Cannabis is as bad as heroin – why can’t it be treated as the same class of drug?’
Portsmouth South MP Mike Hancock said: ‘At the moment we punish the users but not the dealers. I support the government review that is taking place and I believe this should be a case study for parliamentary review.
‘If there is strong evidence to support the case this poor man suffered from schizophrenia as a direct result of cannabis use it deserves close scrutiny and should form part of the evidence the government takes into consideration when the future classification of cannabis is discussed.’
Portsmouth North MP Sarah McCarthy-Fry said: ‘I am desperately sorry for Paul Fisher’s parents and commend what they are doing to raise awareness.
‘I support the review the government is doing and I think cannabis should be reclassified, both because of the link between the drug and mental illness and the growing strength of cannabis.’
Substance misuse manager for the Safer Portsmouth Partnership Alan Knobel said: ‘There are much stronger strains of cannabis around now - such as skunk - that are much more hallucinogenic, so it is only right to review whether it should remain a class C drug.
‘At the moment someone can be given just a reprimand or warning for possession, whereas if it was a class B drug that person could be arrested and charged.
‘Britain had one of the strongest laws on cannabis until it was regraded but we still have one of the highest numbers of users in Europe. If having stronger laws doesn’t act as a deterrent maybe we need to do more to educate people about the dangers.’
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