28/10/2013 Inside Out East Midlands

Hello from Stanford in Lincolnshire, coming up in the next half`hour,

claims that cannabis can even affect your IQ, so how bad back why are

people still smoking skunk? It is not unusual for us to see people

smoking 20, 30 joined today, sometimes even 50 joints a day. With

through! Yes! Also tonight, the countdown has begun, but will

Lester's bid to become UK City of Culture Mickey difference? It is a

chance to let other people know what we already know, that Lester really

is a City of Culture. In the story of the steam engine that still holds

a world record. The experience on the footplate, sparks coming out of

a chimney and a roar of the engine must have been amazing. This is

Inside Out is Midlands. Ass`mac is Midlands. `` East Midlands.

How dangerous is smoking skunk? Inside Out has discovered the number

of people in the East Midlands receiving treatment for smoking

cannabis has almost doubled in the past few years. Experts say the

skunk on sale now has been bred to make users as high as possible and

that can seriously damage their mental health. Police! Growing

cannabis is illegal, as is smoking the plant, but millions do it. We

are now practically self`sufficient. It is grown in backyards. We have a

generation of people, 15 to 25`year`olds Gold, who have never

known anything but skunk cannabis. A strong form of cannabis is called

skunk. It was as desperate as watching any drug addicts trying to

get their fix. I think there is eating time bomb in the committee.

Long`term use as bunk is going to have an impact on their health. With

the strong form of cannabis in plentiful supply, the experts are

really concerned that the health message about skunk isn't getting

through. The Derbyshire police drug store, where cannabis seizures end

up. This is the only stuff youngsters can get now. It is

skunk, the female flower on top of a cannabis plant. Steve home has spent

most of his career fighting the illegal drugs trade. He has seen big

changes in the cannabis market. They have become self`sufficient so

rather than try to intercept cannabis at the port, the police now

have responsibility of policing the production of cannabis. It has

become a bigger problem for them to handle. Jacob is 20, and his friend

Jackson is 18. They are students in Nottingham. They've smoked skunk

regularly since their mid`teens, even though it is illegal. They find

it relaxing. You could walk down the main street and someone will

probably pull up in a car and Askew. Each day, someone comes up to me and

asks if I want a smoke, the amount of people who drive around and are

offering it is massive, but that's probably because loads of people

wanted. Even in more upper`class areas, stuff like that happens all

the time. There is the classic line, do you have a Rizla? And then,

do you smoke weed? Paranoia is intense. You think

everyone is talking about you, close friends, family. It is quite a scary

thing. Alex now helps other people with

drug and alcohol problems, but in her teens, skunk locker live in the

wrong direction. I now have a degree of paranoia still, I've watched

people falling out with each other and accusing people of this and that

and questioning friendships that have been around for a long time. It

didn't kind of clicked that it was to do with cannabis and it didn't

make sense, there was no rationalisation behind it. If things

get bad, they can come to our in patient psychiatric resort here. It

can get that bad? Yes. Across the East Midlands, there has been a big

rise in users getting help for mental health problems. The number

of people needing help has doubled in a six`year pay `` period. David

Manley is a consultant mental health nurse to based here at the region's

in`patient unit for drugs and alcohol misuse. We are seeing much

stronger skunk around. It is hybridised, much higher than CHC ``

THC, which causes the trippy attack. It is not unusual for us to see

people smoking 20 to 30 join date and sometimes people smoking over 50

joints a day sometimes even 60 joints a day. The main risk I see

when it comes to cannabis is that you can spend a lot of time sitting

smoking and doing nothing, so it is all down to self`control.

Self`control and personal responsibility. It is such a hot

topic, this conference as Nottingham Trent University focused on

cannabis. Professor Robin Murray is a national expert on the mental

health impact, and along with psychosis he is worried that

teenagers who smoked daily are harming their ability to learn.

There is one good but single study suggesting that if you abuse at

London's `` cannabis in your adolescence you may lose IQ points.

We know some people are vulnerable and some people aren't, so there are

particular gene types that makes some people more vulnerable to going

psychotic when the user cannabis than others. I definitely wouldn't

smoke cannabis if I had a pretty little to schizophrenia. I would

advise people to do, because the risk is high with that disposition.

We also see some people to take a relatively small amount on in

frequent basis but develop significant anxiety problems, and

that has a knock`on effect on their mental health. In the Netherlands,

where they are more liberal about cannabis, we are looking at

classifying skunk alongside heroin, so it is a controlled illegal drug.

There are concerns about the medical impact of skunk, especially an young

people, and that is why there is a debate going on about whether it

would be more appropriate to pacify it `` to classify it among drugs.

Young people are getting a confused message about the impact of skunk on

their lives and the skunk available now is having an impact sooner on

their lives. Nottingham's crime and drugs partnership is working with a

number of services to reduce impacts of cannabis, and notes that some

users have no idea their lethargy, anxiety and paranoia is down to

their habit. We have seen a significant increase with the number

of people referred for treatment. We know they will be dumb in the long

term, we it will impact on their eyes to

scores. There are people who will have psychotic episode later on in

life. Many teenagers who smoke will simply say you're being alarmist.

There is real evidence behind our message, and the long`term impact

here is substantial. Should we be worried about the impact on young

people? We haven't engage with young people, we have only said don't take

rugs, it is bad, and then they go out and experiment, they don't

necessarily get a bad experience and then they ignore those messages

because they say it is rubbish. The average 14`year`old does not worry

if a drug is class a or class B. If they had a proper education about

the different types of cannabis and the risks of heavy skunk use, then I

think we would see a change. I'm not ashamed that I smoke cannabis. It is

the same with paracetamol, any drug, if you misuse of those bad for

you. On average it is 12 years before a regular cannabis user seeks

treatment. I worry about the fact it is so readily available and it is

the norm to people, and that is quite scary. But Jacob and Jackson

believe they know what they are doing. I imagined when I am retired

and old I will probably enjoy it as a creature comfort. Still to come

tonight, we're on that train that steamed into the record books 75

years ago. They say it will put Leicester on

the map, showcasing its culture and regenerating the economy. Next

month, those bidding to become the UK's City of Culture will find out

who has clinched that title, what would it mean if Leicester one? We

have excuse of Access behind`the`scenes. We're through.

Yes! Euphoria in June as Leicester made it onto the government short

list of four cities. It has given us the opportunity to let people know

this `` that Leicester is the City of Culture. We have Richard III and

amazing different aspects of our history that will make the perfect

story. That will showcase it to the rest of the world. Would winning

actually change the future of the city? How much effort is going on

behind the scene to make it happen? It started when the team visited the

first and current UK City of Culture, Londonderry `` Derry

Londonderry. This was the start of a 36 hour performance, orchestrated by

the man who scripted the London Olympics opening ceremony. The bid

team come from a variety of backgrounds, cultural and political.

It is a hit at nuts and bolts, how the funding works. It is also seeing

the look on people pass might faces and the intrigue people have in what

is going to happen. `` people 's faces. For years the image of the

city in Northern Ireland was one of conflict, but it beat three other

places to become the UK City of Culture, an idea backed either

government. When they were awarded City of Culture, the judges

described it as a cultural tooled ring the community together. Areas

of the city have been transformed, including the construction of the

peace Bridge. The title is meant to stimulate economic and social

growth. This is one of the ways, attracting tourists through major

national event. It has not been plain sailing. The coach company who

ran the year fell short of sponsorship and had to cancel event

will stop `` the company. The team have joined delegates from the

European cities trying to learn from the experience of Derry Londonderry.

It was about telling a news story about the city and changing the

conversation. With no financial contribution from the UK government,

there is a lot to think about. What we have learned from them, they were

late to start, and they did not have clear guidance, where to go, and

having sponsorship raised. To have a cohesive land to bring marketing,

programming, transport and the community together, said that there

is a vision to work towards. Hosting the year is a potential Mac that the

media coverage and a chance to present a different side of the

city. The big question is of legacy and whether Derry will continue to

thrive when it is no longer in the spotlight. It has been five years

since Liverpool has been in the spotlight as European capital of

culture. You have to keep watching the programme. It was the Merseyside

media mogul 's idea to have a UK version of the title. The reason I

put it forward to the government was because I had seen the impact of

what it had done in Liverpool, so why wait for the European award, why

not have a UK award? And building up excitement around the project. Do

you feel Liverpool has changed? The biggest change 2008 brought about

was not the hard investment and infrastructure, which was easily

welcome. It was not any great number of jobs created, there were not. The

issue was that we had forgotten who we were. The great tradition of

culture, entertainment, creativity, and that brought it all back. Back

in Leicester it is late August and there are passionate discussions

about which programme ideas should make it into the bid. It seems to me

that the outdoor spectacular is one of the wings that `` one of the

things that makes us distinct. It has to be an accessible destination.

They are keen on the city being inclusive, and the perceptions of

religious tolerance. I think we have wandered away from what makes us

unique. It is hard. A lot of people expect a lot from this. There are a

lot of people who want ideas to be considered. A lot of what we try to

do is set the framework for how things can be delivered and be

success. While the ambition of the Leicester might be grand, hosting a

year of cultural programming comes at a cost. The government requires

the winning city to spend a minimum of ?10 million, with the

responsibility falling on the shoulders of the already stretched

city council. Recognising that we have to find the ?10 million and

underwrite the bid is not the same as having to find ?10 million to pay

for it. I am confident we will have support from the private sector, and

national agencies to help. Not everyone is convinced it is the

right investment. Ten minutes from the cultural Quarter is the Saint

Matthews estate, one of the most deprived in the country. This woman

runs the tenants Association and has lived here for 40 years. While she

welcomes the idea of the City of Culture, she says there are more

pressing issues the council should invest in. It came at the wrong

time. When you look at the welfare reform coming in, how can you

justify that? When you look at the bedroom tap. People who are

homeless. I think it came at the wrong time `` bedroom tax. It is

September and the final bid is being sent off in style by a local band.

They brought creative ideas and determination that Leicester and

Leicestershire will have a need to be proud of. The team are counting

down the days. They will be back in Derry in November to pitch against

rival cities, including Dundee. If Leicester win, the year as City of

Culture will start with a blaze of light, in 2016. We do not mind

confessing that we are biased on this one, so good luck, Leicester.

This railway line has a special place in history. We are north of

Stanford. On the track a world record was set which has not been

beaten, 75 years ago. The railway world has celebrated that

achievement in style. It was on Mallard that the driver set up a

speed record that has not been beaten. The experience as they come

out of the tunnel with the sparks flying from the chimney and the roar

of the engine, it must have been amazing. As far as they were

concerned, it was just another day at work. It is 1938 and Neville

Chamberlain declares peace in our time. The high Row has just been

invented. This is the best way to travel `` Biro pen. The company with

the fastest trains could attract more passengers. What better way

than to have the fastest locomotive? It has run the Pacific

at 113 and the Germans took the record higher and Sir Nigel Gresley

said he thought they could go for 130 mph. Sir Nigel Gresley, the

engineer, was from Derbyshire. He grew up here. He lived with his

father in the rectory, a vicar. He was looked upon as one of the

greatest locomotive engineers ever. He was the chief engineer for the

LNER and have the perfect candidate for the steam record, a streamlined

a four Pacific called place mat row. It was in the peak of condition, not

very old. `` Mallard. It was the ultimate development. It could run

hard and fast and do that for a long time. The record attempt was made in

secret under the guise of a test on Stoke bank, south of Grantham. It

was ideal, straight and for fast running and downhill. A specially

equipped carriage recorded the speed. You have a mobile laboratory.

It was state`of`the`art technology. They knew the engine was going for

it. The experienced driver and fireman were on the footplate. It

was a dangerous run. Trying to shovel coal at that speed with

vibration and movement, it must have been hair raising. These would have

been going haywire. 123 an hour, 124, 125. And they tell me they held

their breath. 126 mph. Mallard had done it. 126 miles an hour. The

record wrought the locomotive fame around the world. People have said

could you not think that Sir Nigel Gresley had put an engine like

Silver on the train, why have it named after a duck? The driver and

fireman became national heroes. To them it was another day at work. It

was, you never guess what we did, we broke the world record today. That

was it. He was not a man who looked for the limelight. He was reasonably

proud. He was not a man of a lot of fuss. He was ordinary like that.

Mallard Paul's express trains until 1963 `` true express trains. It was

then sent to a museum. Two other locomotives of its type which it too

broad, but most were scrapped. In the 1980s, Mallard steamed again and

is now a star exhibit at the National Mall Way Museum. A sign

shows where the run took place. `` National Railway Museum. Because we

could not use the full`size locomotive, I brought a group to do

the re`enactment with models. That model is holding a replica of the

train. It is a model, at the speeds they are trying to get to is the

equivalent of the record and it is proving difficult to achieve. We do

have failures. Just like a real train. We need another ready and

prepared. It is nerve wracking to achieve this in front of an

impatient public. The real thing is visiting Grantham a few miles from

where the record was broken. It is nice to see it in pristine order.

They were not as clean as this in my day. This man was a fireman on the

locomotive in the 1950s and 1960s. It was hard work. But it was your

effort. It was what you put into it that made the locomotive what it

was. When you were experienced, a little bit and often in the right

places, and you were OK. In its working life, Mallard clocked up a

million miles. Many of them on the east Coast mainline. Grantham was

where they changed locomotives. They would turn them around. That saved

them taking coal to London to do it there. Back at the Museum, they are

ready to try again. I do not know what speed it did. As you have seen,

we have broken the speed record in model form. We will do it every half

an hour for the next two days. The highlight of the year has taken 18

months to achieve. There are six surviving similar locomotives and

the plan is to get on together for the first time since the end of the

steam age. To have been shipped back from Canada and America to be here

today. We have been through so much trouble to get it to England. We

have two take it out of our specially built building. There were

no doors to take it out. We have two have it shipped to Canada and onto a

freighter and out here. It took several months. People have come

from around the world. Many are old and not to remember place mat row

from the steam days. `` Mallard. I am here because I love these

locomotives. My son is named after Sir Nigel Gresley. It is something I

thought I would not see. I have seen the UK examples, but I did not think

I would see the American and Canadian. They are back together,

separate `` celebrating the people and the locomotive that broke the

record. Sir Nigel Gresley was one of the finest of locomotive engineers,

if not the finest in my opinion. He would not be able to comprehend the

fuss that is going on for something he did day in, day out, and

everybody being here, and being the centre of attention. That would not

be his kind of thing. It is the zenith of steam locomotive

development in the country, the A4. Nothing can go faster than that and

will not go faster than that. It is a record that will stand for all

time. That is it for the autumn series. We will be back in January.

If you have a story, contact me at...