Pubdate: Mon, 30 Jul 2007 Source: Independent (UK) Copyright: 2007 Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd. Contact: http://www.independent.co.uk/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/209 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n880/a07.html Author: Charles Montgomery CANNABIS AND SCHIZOPHRENIA Cannabis Is Causing Treatment-Resistant Forms of Schizophrenia Sir: It is true that cannabis cannot "cause" schizophrenia, largely an inherited condition (report, 21 July). What cannabis does is to increase the risk of a first-episode psychosis in people genetically predisposed to developing schizophrenia. There is undoubtedly a trend for young people to be first exposed to cannabis at an earlier age, in their early teens or before. First, it brings forward the onset of schizophrenia in those predisposed individuals, producing forms of the illness more likely to be treatment-resistant. Second, the effect of cannabis on the still developing brain is largely unknown. There are two large categories of young people who develop psychosis, distinct from schizophrenia: one, triggered directly by cannabis use, is "drug-induced psychotic disorder", and in the other, "acute and transient psychotic disorder", cannabis is often implicated. Both conditions can be debilitating, with frightening symptoms lasting months, and huge disruption to family and college life, often requiring admission to in-patient mental health facilities. The work of my team, which was set up to help young people (aged between 15 and 35) suffering their first-episode psychosis would be greatly reduced if cannabis did not exist. The"skunk" now plentiful in Britain, three times the strength of the usual "home-grown" variety, induces paranoia and hallucinations more frequently. It is similar to the difference between knocking back two pints of ale and two pints of wine. Unless we are able to develop creative programmes for really engaging young people with this issue in schools and colleges more youngsters' careers will be blighted and more families will suffer the misery of preventable mental illness. Dr Charles Montgomery Consultant Psychiatrist, Wonford House Hospital, Exeter - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake