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Six Thai monks defrocked for drug and alcohol parties: police BANGKOK (AFP) - A group of Thai Buddhist monks has been arrested and defrocked after holding a spate of rowdy drug and alcohol parties, police said. The group of six monks at a temple in Ratchaburi west of Bangkok was arrested Friday night after local villagers complained about their wild behaviour and drug-taking, said Police Major Annop Nuamnaka. "Villagers are fed up with the monks at this temple as they always make loud noise when they drink and take pills," Annop told AFP. He said five of the saffron-robed monks...

Cannabis poses a greater threat to health than tobacco, lung experts have warned. The warning comes on the day that Home Secretary David Blunkett is due to make a Commons statement about the future of government drug policy. Many young people are simply not aware that smoking cannabis may put them at increased risk of respiratory cancers and infections . Dame Helena Shovelton: The Home Affairs Select Committee has recommended that cannabis is downgraded from a class B drug to class C. This would mean that possession would lead to a caution, rather than arrest. The British Lung Foundation is...