Psychiatrists say cannabis is gravest threat to youth mental health
Hospital admissions of young people with a cannabis-related diagnosis increased by 300% between 2005 and 2017. By Gráinne Ní Aodha Tuesday 4 May 2021, 9:56 AM 4 hours ago 25,107 Views 124 Comments
THE COLLEGE OF Psychiatrists of Ireland (CPsychI) has warned that cannabis represents the “gravest threat to the mental health of young people in Ireland today”, saying that the combination of increasingly potent strains of the drug, and a widespread conception among the public that it is harmless, are having “devastating” effects.
The CPsychI has released a leaflet for the public called ‘Cannabis and your Mental Health’, looking at cannabis use in Ireland, its general risks, and its effects on mental health.
Cannabis is ‘gravest threat to young Irish people’s mental health’, warns College of Psychiatrists Ireland
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The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland (CPsychI) has warned that cannabis represents the “gravest threat to the mental health of young people in Ireland today”.
The CPsychI says that the combination of increasingly potent strains of the drug and a widespread conception among the public that it is generally harmless have had devastating effects.
The warning was made at the launch of two new and detailed information leaflets on cannabis, aimed at the general public and medical professionals. The public-facing leaflet, entitled “Cannabis and your Mental Health”, examines cannabis use in Ireland, its general risks, and its effects on mental health.
The CPsychI issued the warning as part of a new public health awareness campaign, saying the cannabis available today is not the same as people might remember from 20 or 30 years ago.
In a new report, the college said hospital admissions of young people with a cannabis-related diagnosis have quadrupled over a 12-year period.
It has called for the government to conduct an urgent review into cannabis use in Ireland and has also begun its own information campaign on the dangers of cannabis.
“Cannabis represents the gravest threat to the mental health of young people in Ireland today, Dr William Flannery, President of the CPsychI and Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist, said.