GPs 'should address cannabis use'

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2005-01-17 11:43pm

Doctors should quiz younger patients about cannabis use, senior GPs say.

The rising availability of strong cannabis was putting teenagers at risk, Dr Clare Gerada, head of the Royal College of GP's drug misuse unit, said.

Cannabis was "more popular among young people than cigarettes and higher potencies more widely available than ever before" she warned.

It is thought that two in five 15-year-olds in the UK have tried cannabis - the highest rate in Europe.

Psychosis risk

GPs will be told at a conference being held in London on Tuesday that they should look to reduce the harm caused by cannabis.

It follows a warning from Dr Gerada that high-strength cannabis was becoming "the norm rather than the exception".

She said: "There is evidence that high levels of use, especially among teenagers who are physically and mentally still developing, carries with it the increased risk of psychosis and respiratory conditions such as asthma.

Traditionally GPs have shied away from questioning patients about drugs because of a lack of knowledge of the issue and concerns about patient confidentiality.

The potential harm from using cannabis has been the topic of much research over recent years.

Several studies have linked it to mental health problems, such as depression and schizophrenia, and respiratory illness.

A spokeswoman for the charity Drugscope welcomed the move by family doctors.

She said: "GPs are often the first point of call when people have problems, they are trusted and well-respected so they are the right people to address these issues."

But Drugscope said it was important to recognise that using cannabis did not necessarily cause the health problems but just made them more likely if a user had a history of problems.

BBC

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2005-01-18 12:11am

How many pothead-cum-psychotics exist, I mean really?

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2005-01-18 12:14am

Illuminatus Primus wrote:How many pothead-cum-psychotics exist, I mean really?

I know a couple unfortunately. It happens, you get a kid that's messed up and add pot during puberty and they can turn out really fucked up. Makes sense, same's been said of alcohol for a while now.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2005-01-18 12:17am

That sounds fishy. You have budding psychotics who smoke weed and you assume exposure to cannabinoids causes the maturation and progression of illness as opposed to drug abuse in general being among the symptomatic behaviors of psychotics and other emotionally or mentally unwell people? What of psychotics who progress and do not smoke weed?

Correlation != causation.

Chmee · Post by **Chmee** » 2005-01-18 12:20am

My GP always asks .... he never knows where to get the good stuff.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2005-01-18 12:21am

Illuminatus Primus wrote:That sounds fishy. You have budding psychotics who smoke weed and you assume exposure to cannabinoids causes the maturation and progression of illness as opposed to drug abuse in general being among the symptomatic behaviors of psychotics and other emotionally or mentally unwell people? What of psychotics who progress and do not smoke weed?

Correlation != causation.

If the studies are similar to those that have said the same about alcohol, the developing brain is impaired in a way that worsens the condition. If effectively exagerates and speeds the natural progression.

Tom_Aurum · Post by **Tom_Aurum** » 2005-01-18 12:28am

Funny, I've actually had a doctor reccomend the stuff to me in his indirect sort of way. Then again, I'm nowhere near a teenager.