Cannabis Leads to Psychotic Episodes

A study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry claims that cannabis with higher THC levels commonly known as skunk is seven times more likely to trigger psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia.

Psychotic episodes like psychosis, schizophrenia, hearing voices and paranoid illusions were part of the effects of the higher THC levels.

Cannabis with a higher THC level contains as much as 18 per cent of THC which is more than 4 times stronger than normal cannabis.

Researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry in London analyzed the cannabis consumption of users with an average age of 25 years who were admitted with the first episode of psychosis as part of the study.

(Source: Guardian newspaper UK, 1 December 2009).

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-

Cannabis must remain an illicit and illegal drug.

The mental illnesses associated with cannabis have been confirmed by other scientific studies

Cannabis use also causes cognitive impairment, car crashes, respiratory disease, depression, suppression of the immune system, suicide and cancer.

Australia needs to reduce the number of cannabis users in order to prevent these impacts in our community.

World’s best practice has shown that diversion of identified cannabis users into detoxification and rehabilitation is the most effective way to reduce the number of users.

As cannabis is the most common illicit drug use