Cannabis in Australia

Cannabis use among Australian youth is having horrible effects on the minds, lives and future of users.

Children as young as 10 years are using cannabis and presenting to health authorities with problems of psychotic disorders as well as long term motivational and organisational problems.

The child brain whilst still developing is more seriously affected by cannabis use and according to experts is much more of an insidious poison for youths under 21.

Cannabis use changes the way the adolescent brain develops by affecting the chemicals that affects the brains development.

Sixty per cent of young people are using cannabis, which is now more potent and available through bongs and other forms of ingestion, which deliver larger doses of toxins to the brain.

Cannabis is highly addictive and young people are using cannabis more heavily.

By the time they reach their mid thirties heavy cannabis users are in and out of psychiatric hospitals, living alone, unemployed with few friends and on social welfare.

(Source: Messing With Heads, ABC Four Corners 7 March 2005)

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-

Cannabis users should be directed into detoxification and rehabilitation programs so as to reduce the increasing number of cannabis users.

These detoxification and rehabilitation programs for cannabis users do not exist in Australia, but are available overseas.

Rehabilitation programs should be based on getting cannabis users off drugs permanently before further problems develop.