Make users aware of risks - Changing perception of cannabis

THERE are few endeavours that can seem as pointless as one generation telling another how to live, how to behave and how not to risk their health by misusing drugs. Every family in Ireland has been bruised by alcohol abuse nevertheless, many of us love a drink and enjoy occasional indulgences.

The situation around “soft” drugs is less clear. Those who advocate the legalisation of cannabis suggest it is less dangerous than alcohol. Even if that is true it hardly seems wise to suggest that a drug should be legalised because it does less harm than the most destructive agent in this society.

A survey, carried out amongst 400 secondary pupils in Dublin’s north inner city, which found that cannabis is “not really” seen as a drug must be a cause for concern.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists warns that there is evidence that people with serious mental illness, including depression and psychosis, are more likely to use cannabis or have used it for long periods. Regular use of the drug has appeared to double the risk of a psychotic episode or long-term schizophrenia, says the RCP. They refer to a study of 1,600 Australian schoolchildren, aged 14 to 15 over seven years, which found that adolescents who used cannabis daily were five times more likely to develop depression and anxiety. It would be foolish to imagine that people will not use cannabis, but if they were fully aware of the risks, the drug might be used with more caution and do less damage.