CANNABIS

Soft drug, hard facts

lannabis reniiiins the mcist vvidely used genetic vuinerahility to drug misuse. Prashant Phillips
illicit drug in Europe, with consumption Wliile there was a general consensus that
Iratcs continuing to rise. With debate cannabis can trigger an acute psychotic reports from a
raging in the UK over plans to lessen the reaction in healthy individuals, the prevalence,
penalties for cannabis use, in Europe the incidence and mechanism of tliis reaction are major European
agenda is much mt)re wide-ranging. Two years completely unknown, and warrant further conference on
ago, health miiiisters from countries including investigation. It is also unclear what doses or
the NethcrlaTids, Germany and Belgium jomed types of cannabis are uivolved, what 'type' cannabis, which
forces to cal! tor a scientific: conference on the (heavy, regular, infrequent) of users these acute
subject. On top of this, a task force, established psychotic reactions ocair in, and how objective looked at the
last year, asked a team of 50 international reports of tliese reactions are.
scientific experts - of which 1 was one - to
relationship
Wlien considering persistent psychotic
examine key questions. This article reports illness, current evidence suggests it is between the
from The international Scientific Conference on extremely unlikely that cannabis use can
Cannahis, held in Biiissels in Febjaiary, and independently cause a persistent clironic drug and
discusses some crucial findings from the psychotic illness such as schizophrenia; but its
scientific task force.
psychosis
role as a risk factor in the onset of
Over 45 million people in Europe say tliey scliizophrenia remains miclear and
have 'ever' used controversial. Tlie
cannabis - tills figure temporal relationship
does not tx'flect how between cannabis anci
many people ai'e regular schizophi'enia remains
users or how many hotly disputed.
encounter mental Critically, although
difficulties. Cannabis epidemiological
use tends to diminish evidence shows that
with age (in the 1990s the prevalence and
the UK and Ireland incidence of cannabis
R E F E R E N C E S
reported the highest use use is uicreasing, there
rates among secondar}' is no similar increase
school students). Results Evidence suggests that independent cannabis in the incidence rates Drogues lUcih's. Bnnmn'trc Siuites,
use is unlikely to cause schizophrenia Premier Rfsultati 2000. Vanves:
from the British Crime of psychotic ilbiesses, Editions du CHES.
and schizophrenia in particLilar. Tliere Home Office (2tX)0) Drug Misuse
Sumy 2000 (Home Office 2000) show 27 per
Dt'dnn-d in 2000. Results from the
cent of those aged from 16-59 ha\ e 'ever' used remains a debate about whether or not British Crime Survey, London,
cannabis, while 44 per cent of those aged from cannabis use is harmful to those with Home Office.
16-29 have 'ever' used the drug. Of the latter schizophrenia. Current thinking is split, with Home Office Research,
DrMoprnmt and Statistics
group, 22 per cent used cannabis in tlie last various studies producing significantly
Dirsdorate (2001). London, Home
year, and 14 per cent in the last month (Home different findings. Office.
Office Research 2000. This is likely to be an It is probable that a worsening of symptoms
Luiderestimate, given anxieties about disclosing and illness course occurs in some people with
illegal drug use.
THE AUTHOR
schizophrenia who use cannabis. It is also
Tiie conference heard there is no convincing probable that, for some, use relieves negati\'e Prashant Phillips
evidence that cannabis acts a 'gateway' to other symptoms, unpleasant affective states and the Research Fellow and
illicit drug use, although there is clearly a side effects of anti-psychtitic medicines. (Hon) Clinical Nurse
correlation between cannabis and other dmg Tiie conclusions of the European scientific Specialist, University
use. It was noted that most cannabis users do task force, ajid conference comments will College London and
not go on to use other illicit drugs, and that shortly be a\'ailable. Eurdier research is Camden & Islington
more reliable markers (of progression to other planned, as arc further collaborative projects Mental Health NHS Trust
drug use) include the presence of stKial witliin the EU aiming to develop an evidence- p.phillips@ucl.ac.uk
deprivation, (childhood) conduct disorder and based, yet also democratic cannabis policy ^

A p r i l 21102 Vol 3 No 7