Twitter

Toxic Cannabis

A recent review of medical evidence about cannabis has confirmed its toxic impact on the human body.

Cannabis use is associated with psychiatric, respiratory, cardiovascular, bone and cancer conditions.

Major long term psychiatric conditions caused by cannabis include depression, anxiety, psychosis, bipolar disorder and lack of motivation.

Respiratory conditions linked with cannabis include lung density, lung cysts and chronic bronchitis.

Eight types of cancer have been linked to cannabis use including cancer in babies that were exposed in the womb.

Reduced bone density and inhibition of bone marrow is also linked to cannabis use.

Cannabis use is also linked to heart conditions like hypertension, heart attack and disease.

The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime estimates that there are 165 million users of cannabis worldwide.

(Source: Chronic Toxicology of Cannabis, Clinical Toxicology, Vol 47, June 2009)

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-

This review study written in Australia is a clear summary of the 5198 medical papers outlining the toxic effects of cannabis use.

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in Australia and the widespread identified medical harms to cannabis users can be prevented by early intervention programs.

Australia must reduce the demand for cannabis by getting our cannabis users off drugs by court ordered detoxification and rehabilitation.

Twitter

Cannabis Use World Leader

Australia ranks amongst the world's top cannabis users.

Australia, New Zealand and North American are the leading nations for cannabis use in the world.

A paper published in the medical Journal, The Lancet, report one in ten cannabis users are addicted and are at risk of chronic bronchitis and psychotic symptoms.

In 2007 more than nine per cent of Australians aged 14 to 65 years had reported using cannabis in the previous year.

(Source: Melbourne Herald Sun, 17 October 2009)

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-

This high cannabis use will have profound impacts on user's health and welfare.

Medical studies have shown that cannabis use causes cancer, respiratory, cardiovascular, psychiatric and bone toxicity.

Cannabis suppresses the immune system leading to more illnesses.

Psychiatric effects of cannabis use include depression, anxiety, psychosis, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Cannabis is a known gateway drug to other illicit drug use.

Australia needs to reduce the demand for cannabis and reduce the number of cannabis users in the community.

Court ordered and supervised compulsory detoxification and rehabilitation will help users to keep away from cannabis.

A clear message of the damage of cannabis use is needed to deter children from ever commencing to use cannabis.

Twitter

Select from the Listing below

Twitter

Cannabis Tougher Laws

Western Australia is to introduce tougher laws against cannabis.

The legal personal possession limit will reduce from 30 grams to 10 grams.

The sale of all smoking equipment will be banned.

Selling a cannabis smoking implement to a minor will incur a $10,000 fine.

Anyone caught with a small amount of cannabis will have to undergo counseling and not offend again for three years to clear their criminal record.

The government and medical authorities admit that cannabis today is far more potent and lethal than the cannabis of the 1960s or 1970s.

Almost 80 per cent of admissions to psychiatric hospitals are drug related.

(Source: The Australian newspaper, 11 October 2009)

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-

These proposed new laws are aimed at reducing the usage of cannabis.

The laws confirm the medical proven harms of cannabis.

Cannabis users should be diverted into court ordered and supervised detoxification and rehabilitation programs that remove the harms.

By reducing demand for cannabis the number of users should reduce and the admissions to mental hospitals should also reduce.

Compulsory detoxification and rehabilitation will help children to keep away from cannabis by sending a clear message of the damage of cannabis use.