TEEN CANNABIS USE 'NORMAL'

Smoking cannabis has become a "normal" teenage experience with nearly 70 per
cent of young people trying the drug before the age of 21, according to a
new Christchurch study.

The Christchurch Medical School's Health and Development Study followed 1265
people since their birth.

Its findings were based on participants' cannabis use between the ages of 15
and 21.

By the age of 21, 73 per cent of males and 65 per cent of females had used
cannabis. While the majority of the group were occasional users (24 per cent
had used cannabis on fewer than 10 occasions), nearly 10 per cent showed
clear symptoms of cannabis dependence. For Maoris the number of dependent
users was much higher at 15 per cent.

The study, published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, concluded that the
results could be used to support the view that cannabis use should be
decriminalised "since use is widespread and the majority appear not to
suffer harmful consequences".

But it said the use of cannabis was not without risks, and for a minority it
caused significant problems.

"Decriminalisation will only further increase these problems by increasing
the availability and social acceptability of cannabis use," the study said.

The Government is considering a revamp of cannabis law and has signalled it
could move towards partial decriminalisation so people would not get a
criminal conviction if found with small amounts of the drug.

Executive director of the Christchurch study, David Fergusson, said he was
cautious about decriminalisation because its long-term consequences in this
country are unknown.

"We should not rush in to decriminalisation or legalisation but look at
reducing legal penalties and working to contain supply," he said.

"There's certainly a need for policy makers to be aware that there's a large
number of young people using cannabis."

Professor Fergusson said the decision to decriminalise involved weighing the
rights of the majority, for whom cannabis was unlikely to cause problems,
against the risk to vulnerable minority.

"The more cannabis you have around, the more cannabis-related problems you
will have," he said.

Green Party co-leader Rod Donald said the study's findings confirmed that
the current law was not working.

"Too many young people have access to cannabis."

The Greens support decriminalisation of cannabis for personal use for adults
older than 18.

Mr Donald said cannabis use among young people was so widespread that
decriminalisation could not make it worse. "I wonder whether the drug would
lose some of its glamour if it was decriminalised?"

He said levels of tobacco and alcohol dependency among young people were far
higher than with cannabis. "There are much bigger problems with alcohol and
tobacco, and the consequences are far greater than cannabis."

Commissioner for Children Roger McLay, who is opposed to decriminalisation,
said the results of the study were a "chilling reminder" for MPs in light of
the cannabis law review. He said the teenage years were "the worst time for
them to be dabbling in such substances".

A disadvantaged background, adolescent risk-taking behaviour, and conduct
problems were key predictors of heavy cannabis use in the study group.