FOCUS ON CANNABIS HEALTH EFFECTS

The health effects of cannabis use and education of young people made up
the bulk of submissions at yesterday's health select committee inquiry
in Dunedin into cannabis use.

Several committee members explored links between cannabis and cigarette
use and compared short and long-term health problems.

These were presented by Dunedin School of Medicine Associate Prof Robin
Taylor, of the Department of Respiratory Medicine, whose submission was
on behalf of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, and
Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand.

Prof Taylor said biopsies had shown "identical" health problems between
cannabis and tobacco users, in the short to medium term.

"The long-term effects of cannabis smoking are likely to be just as
harmful as tobacco."

He said adequate data to validate his claims would not be available for
25 to 30 years, but chronic bronchitis, emphysema and lung cancer could
be the long-term effects.

A United States study in the late 1970s showed five cannabis joints a
week were the equivalent of smoking 10 cigarettes each day.

A 1988 study showed one joint had three times the carbon monoxide gas of
one cigarette.

When asked about the acceptance of cigarettes by society 100 years ago,
Prof Taylor said they should have been made illegal.

He said society now realised the harmful effects of tobacco use after 40
years, and it was "highly likely" cannabis use would show similar
effects after the next 40 years.

He recommended possession continue to be prohibited, but by civil rather
than criminal law, while cultivation, supply and sale continue to be
criminal offences.

Several individuals made submissions, all in favour of
decriminalisation.

When asked to suggest a minimum age, replies from submitters varied from
between 14 and 18 years old.

Prof Paul Smith, of the University of Otago's department of pharmacology
and toxicology, said in his submission cannabis use was not safe, but
should be decriminalised.

He said it was unlikely decriminalisation would encourage or promote
cannabis use.