Young cannabis users 'suffer from paranoia and blackouts' » Health » 24dash.com

Anti-drug campaigners have called for urgent research into the effects of cannabis on teenagers' mental health after a survey found half of young users suffer paranoia and blackouts.

More than 80% of young people in their teens and early 20s polled by children's mental health charity YoungMinds had tried cannabis, and 80% of those had done so before they were 18.

Half of those who used the drug reported having negative experiences as a result, including vomiting, paranoia and fainting.

The charity today released new guidance for young people and professionals on the effects cannabis can have on mental health.

Barbara Herts, YoungMinds' chief executive, said: "Many young people are experimenting with cannabis from a young age.

"We are extremely concerned that there is still very little known about the effects of cannabis on the developing teenage brain and it is crucial that more studies are carried out in this area.

"We know that if young people use cannabis regularly or heavily they are at least twice as likely to develop a psychosis by young adulthood than those who don't smoke.

"Young people, their parents and the professionals working with them need to understand the issues surrounding cannabis use and the potential dangers to their mental health and well-being."

Virtually all of the research on both short-term and long-term cognitive effects of cannabis had been conducted on adults, YoungMinds said.

However the young, developing brain could be much more vulnerable to its effects.

There was evidence that cannabis not only worsened existing mental health problems, but could trigger some conditions.

Martin Barnes, chief executive of DrugScope, said he supported calls for more research.

He said: "This survey highlights the need to do more to inform young people of the potential risks and harms associated with the use of cannabis, and although cannabis use has been falling among young people over recent years, and is now at its lowest level for nearly a decade, we cannot be complacent.

"There is evidence that cannabis not only worsens existing mental health problems but may trigger - although the risk is thought to be small - some conditions such as schizophrenia.

"We support calls for more research into the possible long-term effects, particularly of drug use among children and young people."

Shadow home affairs minister Damian Green said: "This shows the extreme danger of a relaxed attitude to drugs.

"Significant numbers of young people suffer long-term damage from the use of these so called 'soft drugs' and the Government should have been more careful when it sent out the signal that these drugs were no great problem."

YoungMinds questioned 727 people in their teens and early 20s for the survey.

Copyright Press Association 2006.