MIX RAISES SUICIDE RISK: CORONER

Cambridge Coroner Jocelyn Cooney has warned people with emotional difficulties not to use alcohol and cannabis together as it increases the risk of suicide.

Her comments come after a recent suicide involving both drugs.

At the inquest Ms Cooney included an ESR report which said "a depressed person under the influence of alcohol and cannabis is more likely to commit suicide than one not influenced by these drugs".

Ms Cooney suppressed all details of the deceased, and how the person died but said she wished to highlight the dangers of those with emotional difficulties using both the drugs.

She said the dead person's blood contained 147mg of alcohol per 100ml and also tested positive for the presence of cannabis.

Ms Cooney quoted an ESR report, written by Dr Helen Poulsen, which said while cannabis didn't cause depression that leads to suicide, a higher proportion of the people that might use cannabis had suicidal tendencies than those not using the drug.

The report said there might be a stronger link between alcohol abuse and suicide than cannabis and suicide, but using cannabis with alcohol tended to accentuate some effects of alcohol.