LIVE-IN COURSE TARGETS MARIJUANA ADDICTS

AUSTRALIA'S first treatment program for cannabis users who want to quit has
begun at Port Adelaide.

The Archway Rehabilitation and Community Service will provide eight-week
residential and outpatient course for about 120 people a year.

The program was modelled on those run by the Betty Ford Clinic is the United
States and the US armed forces' program for treatment of drug addiction, the
coordinator, Mr Nick Gill, said yesterday.

The courses, the first of their kind in Australia, will target the 10 per
cent of cannabis users who become dependent on the drug.

Mr Gill said alcoholics with a secondary dependence on cannabis would also
be treated.

"It has been shown that 36 per cent of (cannabis) users say they are unable
to stop drinking once they start," he said.

"Thirty-four per cent of those had caused or received injury as a result of
their drinking."

Mr Gill said 9 per cetn of alcohol-cannabis dependent dependent users said
they "needed a morning drink to function".

"Cannabis is as addictive as alcohol for people who have a disposition to
addiction," he said.

"For every person who is dependent, they have a significant, disruptive
effect on the lives of at least 10 other people."

Cannabis addicts usually smoked every day, and suffered decreased short-term
memory, low attention span, and difficulty with learning and complex tasks.

Those suffering from "full-blown cannabis psychosis" - usually long-term
users who took large concentrations of the drug - were likely to become
incoherent and violent, and risked a greater predisposition towards
schizophrenia.

People seeking admission to the program would be screened for cannabis
dependency and be required to submit urine samples for analysis.

Those with the most severe dependency would be offered a place in the
residential program, while other would undertake an outpatient program.

Mr Gill said the first residential program had begun two weeks ago for
patients aged 20 and over.

However, the service would accept users aged 18 and over for outpatient
clinics.

The program will be launched on February 8 by the Anglican Archbishop of
Adelaide, Dr Ian George.