DOPE AND DEPRESSION LINKED

STUDIES of chronic cannabis users were reinforcing the belief that daily
marijuana smoking could cause depression and possibly suicide in young
adults, mental health group beyondblue said.

Beyondblue spoke out today after Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital
released an outline of a seven-year study research program on 2,000 young
adults.

The director of the hospital's Centre for Adolescent Health, Professor
George Patton, said the research produced strong evidence that heavy
marijuana users were more prone to depression and mental problems.

Details of the study will be published in an international medical journal
next month.

Beyondblue chief executive, Professor Ian Hickie, said depression and
anxiety were the most common mental health problems encountered by young
Australians, affecting 10 per cent of children and up to 20 per cent of
adolescents.

Prof Hickie said there was growing evidence, compiled by Australian and
international research groups, that linked marijuana use and depression.

Cannabis smokers who were depressed had impoverished social lives, fared
badly with their education and had trouble with work, beyondblue said in a
statement today.

Gus Lee, 39, was now building a home renovation business, a venture he said
was impossible during 21 years as a heavy marijuana smoker.

"I'd get stoned and have a good idea of doing something and a few hours
later I'd still be on the couch," he told ABC television.

"I wore out a couch and a remote control unit from lying there daydreaming
about all the things I was going to do.

"I certainly had suicidal thoughts a lot of the time and acted on it a
couple of times."

Mr Lee said after a serious suicide attempt five years ago which landed him
in a psychiatric ward he stopped smoking cannabis and began developing his
home renovation business.

Dr Jane Burns, manager of beyondblue's youth agenda, said research was
confirming theories that regular marijuana use, like regular alcohol
consumption, heightened sensitivity to depression and anxiety and placed
young people at greater risk of suicide and suicidal behaviour.

Prof Patton said the Royal Children's Hospital study was the best evidence
yet that cannabis was a health risk which led to mental illness and depression.

It has not so far been proven that cannabis use causes depression.

Rather, it is thought that depressed people might have turned to it for
relief or that some personality types could be prone to both cannabis
dependence and depression.

He said occasional or experimental use probably had no effect on mental
health at all.