Cannabis increases depression

A 15 year study reported in the December 2001 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry showed that –

1. Adults who abuse cannabis face an increased risk of depression.
2. Adults abusing cannabis that were not depressed when the study began were 4 times more likely to be depressed 15 years later.
3. Cannabis smoking adults were likely to have suicidal thoughts.
4. Cannabis smoking adults reported a loss of interest in things that had previously interested them 15 years before.
5. Individuals that had used amphetamines and opioids were 8 to 10 times likely to be abusing cannabis 15 years later.

Present policies are not working to deter cannabis use.

Existing cannabis cautioning programs should be scrapped.

People caught with any cannabis must be diverted into detoxification programs followed by comprehensive drug free rehabilitation.

People caught with 2 grams of cannabis or more should face prosecution for trafficking.

Cannabis of 2 grams can produce a traffickable quantity of 20 cannabis cigarettes.

Cannabis detoxification and rehabilitation must be court ordered and supervised.