Cannabis linked to police killing

The man that executed a Victoria policeman with his police service revolver had psychiatric problems.

The police killer had battled an addiction to cannabis and used other illicit drugs as well as abusing prescription medication.

Police confirmed the cannabis link with the psychiatric problems as a possible cause of his mental illness.

(Source: Melbourne Herald Sun 27 April 2005)

A quarter of teenagers that smoke cannabis are genetically vulnerable to psychotic illnesses later in life.

A common gene called COMT makes people 5 times more likely to suffer from cannabis induced mental illness such as schizophrenia according to the Institute for Psychiatry in London.

(Source: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_24067.html)

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-

The link between cannabis use and psychiatric problems, mental illness and psychosis are confirmed with many recent scientific studies.

The evidence is that cannabis IS addictive.

Scientists claim that the cannabis link is only to those that are vulnerable, but who can predetermine the genetic vulnerability?

The ABC Four Corners program on 7/3/05 confirms that the cannabis induced psychosis is having a large impact on the users of cannabis.

The cannabis induced psychosis is also having a fatal impact in the wider community with crime being committed by users.

Cannabis users must be diverted into detoxification & rehabilitation to treat the addiction and also the mental illnesses caused by cannabis.