MORE DRUG USERS SEEK TREATMENT

Drug agencies across Victoria will be issued with guidelines on how to
treat cannabis users, following an increase in the number of people
seeking help to beat their habit.

Department of Human Services figures show an increased number of
people attending drug treatment services are identifying cannabis as
their main problem drug.

In 1993-94, the figure was 11.2 per cent. In 1997-98, it was 13.6 per
cent or 616 people.

In response, the State Government has funded the Turning Point drug
and alcohol centre to develop cannabis treatment guidelines for
Victoria's drug agencies.

The agencies have previously had no protocols for dealing with
cannabis users. This is the first time tested guidelines will be available.

A senior research officer at Turning Point, Mr Ernie Lang, said
cannabis was more readily available than ever before.

``Users say cannabis is stronger than it was last year, two years ago
or 10 years ago,'' he said. ``There's some indications that cannabis
dependency is increasing.''

Cannabis is Australia's most widely used illicit substance. The 1998
National Drug Strategy Household Survey found 39per cent of
Australians aged over 14 had tried cannabis, and 2.7million people, or
18per cent of the population, had used it in the past 12months.

The drug is most commonly used by those aged 14 to 29. The 1998
household survey found 35per cent of youths had used the drug in the
past 12 months, a rise of 4 per cent over three years.

Turning Point's director and a member of the advisory council,
Professor Margaret Hamilton, said that for too long cannabis had been
depicted as either a demon drug or a harmless weed. ``A more rational
position is that it's not harmless, it's clearly a drug with potency,
however the majority of recreational users don't experience harm.

``But there will be some who will use in a way that will lead them to
be dependent and have problems, and that group needs to be identified
and have treatment made available to them.''

Research has found that cannabis-related problems are most likely to
effect regular users. Some found their short-term memory and
concentration was impaired. Others suffered respiratory disorders,
anxiety or depression. Cannabis may be a factor in some psychotic episodes.

A research psychologist at the National Drug and Alcohol Research
Centre, Ms Wendy Swift, has found that long-term users often become
tolerant to the drugs' effects. ``They don't feel high any more,'' she
said.