DRUG LINK TO PSYCHOSIS

More than 40 per cent of young people who suffered a severe mental
disturbance used cannabis weekly, a study has found.

The research, conducted by the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention
Centre and Melbourne University, also found that 18 per cent of young
people seeking help for psychosis had used cannabis within the previous
four weeks.

The Cannabis and Psychosis Project will be presented today at the
International Conference on Drugs and Young People at the Melbourne
Convention Centre.

Project coordinator Kathryn Elkins said the study charted the progress of
193 young people aged between 15 and 29 after their first psychotic
episode. Ms Elkins said cannabis was the most abused drug among the group
with more than 50 per cent unable to quit using the drug, even after
serious psychotic episodes.

Ms Elkins said some quit when they realised that cannabis contributed to
their depression and increased the risk of suicide.

"However, our concern was that many young people were unable to quit," she
said.