Pubdate: Wed, 24 Oct 2007 Source: Scotsman (UK) Copyright: 2007 The Scotsman Publications Ltd Contact: http://members.scotsman.com/contact.cfm Website: http://www.scotsman.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/406 Author: Lindsay McIntosh Referenced: The Impact of Heavy Cannabis Use on Young People http://www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/eBooks/2109-impact-cannabis-youth.pdf Alert: Please Refute Reefer Mania www.mapinc.org/alert/0351.html Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/psychosis (psychosis) CANNABIS SETS DEPRIVED ON A SPIRAL OF DECLINE DEPRIVED youngsters who become involved in heavy cannabis use are less likely than their peers to be able to pull themselves out of the downward spiral the drug causes, a new study has found. The report, for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, also warns that drugs workers may not be treating cannabis users' concerns about their behaviour seriously enough. Researchers from the University of Bedfordshire discovered heavy cannabis abuse among vulnerable young people could worsen their existing social problems, such as low educational achievement, homelessness and unemployment. Professor Neil McKeganey, of the University of Glasgow, who oversaw the project, said not enough studies had examined the lives of heavy users. He said: "It is clear that at a high level of consumption, cannabis can cause major problems and exacerbate problems that are already there, particularly in the transition to adulthood - doing well at school, getting into employment, forming relationships. Cannabis can overtake the more normal aspects of their lives. "When the individual has very few alternative positive activities, the cannabis can acquire a momentum of its own and become increasingly important for that individual, causing them to disengage from more public activities. "For young people with more positive life choices, it's easier for them to recognise their cannabis consumption can impact their life choices and they start to consume less." David Liddell, director of Scottish Drugs Forum, said the issue should be looked at "the other way around" - with social problems being factors in development of problematic drug use. He said: "There are strong links between poverty, deprivation and lack of aspiration and the onset of serious drug problems. What we need to do is to intervene earlier in the lives of our most vulnerable young people." The report also suggests youth workers see cannabis use as a less serious problem than cocaine or heroin abuse. The researchers say this may be because of their differing experience of cannabis, which was not available at such a high strength in previous decades. Dr McKeganey said: "It's really quite worrying. It suggests service providers need to be much more attuned to what young people are saying about their cannabis consumption, and if they are saying they are having difficulties then the service provider shouldn't be thinking that's probably OK because they are not using heroin." The Growing Evidence THE Joseph Rowntree Foundation research is the latest in a long line exposing the detrimental effects of cannabis. New Zealand researchers found young users risked later substance use, juvenile offending, severe truancy, school dropout, anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. Andrew Johns, of London, found short-lived adverse effects included psychotic states and regular users risked dependence. And a Department of Health study this summer warned smoking a single joint raised the risk of schizophrenia by more than 40 per cent. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake