BIPOLAR MEDICATION HELPS ADDICTS QUIT CANNABIS

A COMMON medication used to treat people with bipolar disorder could
help cannabis addicts kick the habit without suffering withdrawal
symptoms such as aggression and depression, a study has found.

Researchers at Corella Drug Treatment Services and the University of
NSW studied 20 people who used cannabis every day for at least nine
years, prescribing them 500 milligrams of lithium twice a day for
seven days. They found that three months after the treatment most of
the users were smoking cannabis less often, and many had given up completely.

Cannabis is the most commonly abused illicit drug in Australia, and
the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre estimates that one in 10
people who try it will become addicted.

Heavy users who try to give up usually experience marked disturbances
in mood, sleep and hostility, which can cause them to relapse, making
recovery more difficult, but the chief investigator of the study, Adam
Winstock, said yesterday that the possibility of finding an effective
treatment to manage withdrawal was exciting. "This was a very small
trial, and it was carried out in hospital with people who were highly
motivated and did not have mental health problems or used other drugs,
so it had its limitations, but I'm hoping the results can be matched
in a controlled trial next year because we were very impressed with
the outcome." Dr Winstock said.

All the participants reported they had been abstinent for an average
of 88 per cent of the days since their treatment, and 29 per cent had
not used cannabis at all. Studies in rats had shown they experienced
an increase in levels of the hormone oxytocin when given lithium
during withdrawal from cannabis. Oxytocin is dubbed the "happy
hormone" and is released during lactation, orgasm, childbirth, hugging
and touching and can produce feelings of wellbeing.

"When the rats were made to go through withdrawal without lithium they
appeared to be aggressive and moody, but when they were given lithium
they were a little more chilled," Dr Winstock said. "Many people say
they smoke a lot of pot because they are depressed, but the truth is
that most people in our trial cheered up significantly when they
stopped. The bottom line is that quitting can be difficult, but there
is help available, and if people do stop smoking pot every day most of
them get a lot happier and get a lot more out of their lives," Dr
Winstock said.

Those with an addiction to cannabis are urged to contact Quitline on
137848.