STUDY FINDS 70% TRY CANNABIS

Wellington: Nearly 70% of people have used cannabis by the age of 21 and 9%
are dependent, according to a new study.

The findings come from Christchurch medical school's Health and Development
Study, which has followed 1265 people since their birth in 1977.

The New Zealand Herald reported that the findings, published in the New
Zealand Medical Journal, were based on participants' cannabis use up to the
age of 21.

Commissioner for Children Roger McClay said the figures were a "chilling
reminder" for MPs in light of the cannabis law review.

The Government is considering a revamp of cannabis law.

The Christchurch study found 73% of males and 65% of females had used
cannabis by age 21. Maori were more inclined to have used the drug and 15%
were considered dependent users, compared with 8% of non-Maori.

Overall, 23% of participants estimated they had used the drug at least 100
times since they were 14. Males were the heaviest users.

The study deduced the level of cannabis use showed it had become a "normal"
teenage experience. But it also warned about cannabis risks, pointing to
users' dependency on the drug.

The report said it was arguable the relatively high rate of dependency
resulted from easy availability of cannabis and that decriminalisation would
increase the problem by boosting access and social acceptability.

Study head Prof David Fergusson said the findings also supported the
"gateway theory" - that heavy cannabis users were 60 times more likely than
non-users to take other illicit drugs such as Ecstasy and LSD.

The study, and a previous one with similar findings from Dunedin, found
young people who became dependent or high cannabis users tended to have
socially disadvantaged backgrounds, a history of conduct problems and had
dropped out of school early, he said.

Mr McClay, an opponent of decriminalisation, said people's teenage years
were "the worst time for them to be dabbling in such substances".

Prof Fergusson said the study found that, by the age of 21, more than 20% of
participants met criteria for nicotine dependence. By the same age about 22%
met criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence.

"[But] the issue is not whether we have alcohol, or cannabis or tobacco -
we've got alcohol and tobacco. The issue is whether we should have a third
drug to add to the existing mix," he said.