Wayne Hall1. 1. School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Herston Road, Herston QLD, 4006, Australia. w.hall@sph.uq.edu.au
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The adverse health effects of cannabis are a source of contention in debates about policies towards the drug. METHODS: This paper provides a review of epidemiological evidence on the major adverse health effects of cannabis use and considers its implications for policy. RESULTS: The evidence strongly suggests that cannabis can adversely affect some users, especially adolescents who initiate use early and young adults who become regular users. These adverse effects probably include increased risks of: motor vehicle crashes, the development of cannabis dependence, impaired respiratory function, cardiovascular disease, psychotic symptoms, and adverse outcomes of adolescent development, namely, poorer educational outcomes and an increased likelihood of using other illicit drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Politically, evidence of adverse health effects favours the status quo in developed countries like Australia where cannabis policy has been framed by the media as a choice between two views: (1) either cannabis use is largely harmless to most users and so we should legalize, or at the very least decriminalize its use; or (2) it harms some of its users so we should continue to prohibit its use.
BACKGROUND: The adverse health effects of cannabis are a source of contention in debates about policies towards the drug. METHODS: This paper provides a review of epidemiological evidence on the major adverse health effects of cannabis use and considers its implications for policy. RESULTS: The evidence strongly suggests that cannabis can adversely affect some users, especially adolescents who initiate use early and young adults who become regular users. These adverse effects probably include increased risks of: motor vehicle crashes, the development of cannabis dependence, impaired respiratory function, cardiovascular disease, psychotic symptoms, and adverse outcomes of adolescent development, namely, poorer educational outcomes and an increased likelihood of using other illicit drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Politically, evidence of adverse health effects favours the status quo in developed countries like Australia where cannabis policy has been framed by the media as a choice between two views: (1) either cannabis use is largely harmless to most users and so we should legalize, or at the very least decriminalize its use; or (2) it harms some of its users so we should continue to prohibit its use.
Authors: Stacy Salomonsen-Sautel; Joseph T Sakai; Christian Thurstone; Robin Corley; Christian Hopfer Journal: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2012-05-26 Impact factor: 8.829
Authors: Kimberly M Caldeira; Amelia M Arria; Hannah K Allen; Brittany A Bugbee; Kathryn B Vincent; Kevin E O'Grady Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2017-09-18 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Tracy J Evans-Whipp; Stephanie M Plenty; Richard F Catalano; Todd I Herrenkohl; John W Toumbourou Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2015-03-19 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Daniel Fuster; Debbie M Cheng; Donald Allensworth-Davies; Tibor P Palfai; Jeffrey H Samet; Richard Saitz Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2013-09-19 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: David Hoskins; Brandon D L Marshall; Daphne Koinis-Mitchell; Katharine Galbraith; Marina Tolou-Shams Journal: Child Psychiatry Hum Dev Date: 2019-06