Pubdate: Thu, 20 Jan 2005
Source: Mercury, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2005 News Limited
Contact:  http://www.themercury.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/193
Author: Nick Clark
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

CALL TO RAISE NOUS ON POT

TASMANIANS need to be better educated about the dangers of smoking 
cannabis, the State Opposition says.

New fears about the dangers of using the drug showed why the State 
Government needed to get serious about the use of cannabis, said Opposition 
health spokeswoman Sue Napier.

The Mercury reported yesterday that new British research had found one in 
four cannabis users faced alarmingly higher risks of mental illness, 
disproving the belief it was a harmless drug.

"A lot of young people think it is a safe drug, it is not. It is very much 
associated with mental illness and the potential for psychotic disorders 
and it might partially explain the high suicide rate in the 25 to 34 age 
group," Mrs Napier said yesterday.

Deputy Premier David Llewellyn said there were already drug education and 
awareness campaigns.

"The schools drug education program covers all schools in Tasmania from 
kindergarten to Grade 12 across government and independent schools," he said.

"The program includes components on the dangers of legal and illicit drugs 
including cannabis."

Mrs Napier said education rather than tightening laws should be the first 
response.

"No one has been really warning young people about the mental health 
dangers of cannabis and we need a full strength public awareness campaign," 
she said.

The study by the London Institute of Psychiatry suggested 25 per cent of 
the population had a strong genetic predisposition to suffer mental health 
problems after smoking cannabis.

"Cannabis is a contributory cause of schizophrenia and some people have a 
greater genetic predisposition," said Prof Robin Murray.

Mrs Napier said in some schools students arrived back after holidays 
"bonged out".

She said she supported the concept of diversionary conferencing where 
police counselled first-time pot users rather than charging them.
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MAP posted-by: Beth