BMJ 2015;350:h1668 doi: 10.1136/bmj.h1668 (Published 30 March 2015)
Page 1 of 1
Letters
LETTERS HIGH POTENCY CANNABIS
Need for a comprehensive national survey of cannabis use Ian Hamilton lecturer in mental health Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK
Hall and Degenhardt rightly draw our attention to the risks associated with cannabis use and to the evidence that has accumulated so far.1
It is crucial that we communicate these risks in a straightforward and honest way if policy makers and clinicians are to be viewed by young people as credible on this subject. The obvious danger is that any discrepancies between young people’s experience of cannabis and the advice they are given could affect their decisions about using other substances. Official advice often fails to acknowledge that drugs offer pleasure as well as problems, with the UK government sponsored website FRANK being a case in point. The classification of cannabis under the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act has changed three times in the past 11 years. The last move upgraded cannabis back to a class B drug because of increasing concerns about its link with mental health problems, psychosis in particular. However, our analysis showed that these changes in the classification of cannabis had the opposite effect to that predicted on admissions to hospital for cannabis psychosis.2
Hall and Degenhardt are also right to point out that the debate about cannabis and psychosis has distracted us from noticing the increasing number of people seeking specialist drug service treatment for problems with cannabis.3
We urgently need a comprehensive national survey of cannabis use to distinguish the type of cannabis used. This would improve our understanding of the extent of use not only of high potency cannabis but of all varieties of cannabis. Competing interests: None declared. 1 2 3
Hall W, Degenhardt L. High potency cannabis. BMJ 2015;350:h1205. (4 March.) Hamilton I. Lloyd C, Hewitt C, et al. Effect of reclassification of cannabis on hospital admissions for cannabis psychosis: a time series analysis. Int J Drug Policy 2014;25:151-6. Hamilton I, Lloyd C, Monaghan M, et al. The emerging cannabis treatment population. Drugs Alcohol Today 2014;14:150-3.
Cite this as: BMJ 2015;350:h1668 © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2015
[email protected] For personal use only: See rights and reprints http://www.bmj.com/permissions
Subscribe: http://www.bmj.com/subscribe
Page 1 of 1
Letters
LETTERS HIGH POTENCY CANNABIS
Need for a comprehensive national survey of cannabis use Ian Hamilton lecturer in mental health Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK
Hall and Degenhardt rightly draw our attention to the risks associated with cannabis use and to the evidence that has accumulated so far.1
It is crucial that we communicate these risks in a straightforward and honest way if policy makers and clinicians are to be viewed by young people as credible on this subject. The obvious danger is that any discrepancies between young people’s experience of cannabis and the advice they are given could affect their decisions about using other substances. Official advice often fails to acknowledge that drugs offer pleasure as well as problems, with the UK government sponsored website FRANK being a case in point. The classification of cannabis under the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act has changed three times in the past 11 years. The last move upgraded cannabis back to a class B drug because of increasing concerns about its link with mental health problems, psychosis in particular. However, our analysis showed that these changes in the classification of cannabis had the opposite effect to that predicted on admissions to hospital for cannabis psychosis.2
Hall and Degenhardt are also right to point out that the debate about cannabis and psychosis has distracted us from noticing the increasing number of people seeking specialist drug service treatment for problems with cannabis.3
We urgently need a comprehensive national survey of cannabis use to distinguish the type of cannabis used. This would improve our understanding of the extent of use not only of high potency cannabis but of all varieties of cannabis. Competing interests: None declared. 1 2 3
Hall W, Degenhardt L. High potency cannabis. BMJ 2015;350:h1205. (4 March.) Hamilton I. Lloyd C, Hewitt C, et al. Effect of reclassification of cannabis on hospital admissions for cannabis psychosis: a time series analysis. Int J Drug Policy 2014;25:151-6. Hamilton I, Lloyd C, Monaghan M, et al. The emerging cannabis treatment population. Drugs Alcohol Today 2014;14:150-3.
Cite this as: BMJ 2015;350:h1668 © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2015
[email protected] For personal use only: See rights and reprints http://www.bmj.com/permissions
Subscribe: http://www.bmj.com/subscribe
