BIG RISK TO YOUNG FROM CANNABIS USE

Early and heavy cannabis use is more likely to lead people to use other
illicit drugs, a Christchurch study has found.

The latest research from a Christchurch School of Medicine and Health
Sciences study tracking 1265 children for 25 years shows "strong evidence"
that cannabis acts as a gateway to other drugs, particularly among young,
heavy users.

David Fergusson, who heads the study, yesterday told the Australasian
Society for Psychiatric Research conference in Christchurch that 71 per cent
of the 14 to 15-year-olds who used cannabis weekly had used other drugs.

Half of the 14 to 15-year-olds who used cannabis monthly also used other
drugs - and were 38 times more likely to use other drugs than their peers
who had never used cannabis.

"It does indeed suggest that the heavy use of cannabis does increase your
likelihood of using other illicit drugs," Professor Fergusson said. "It is
the first step along the way to illicit drugs."

Young cannabis-users were much more likely to use other illicit drugs than
older users.

Among 17 to 18-year-olds, weekly cannabis-users were nearly 53 times more at
risk of using other drugs than peers who did not use cannabis, compared with
20 to 21-year-old weekly cannabis-users who were only 12 times more at risk
than their non-cannabis-using peers.

"The young ones appear to be more susceptible," Professor Fergusson said.
"The younger you start the worse it gets."

By the age of 25, more than two in five of the study group - 42.2 per cent -
had used other illicit drugs. A quarter of them had used amphetamines and
more than a third had used Ecstasy, LSD, and other so-called party drugs.
One in 10 had a history of abuse or dependence.

Earlier findings from the same study have shown that regular or heavy use of
cannabis, particularly at a young age, was associated with increased risks
of crime, depression, suicidal behaviour, psychosis, and educational
failure.

Professor Fergusson said the fact that the risks were more marked the
younger someone started using cannabis highlighted that cannabis laws needed
to focus on reducing use by young people.

Geoff Howard, branch manager of Drug Arm, a support group that works in
schools, sees children as young as 12 who smoke cannabis and 15 to
18-year-olds who have a serious cannabis dependence.

"The big thing with these kids is it saps their motivation. You can see
their potential just being sapped right out of them."

Yet the Christchurch study shows cannabis use is widespread, with
three-quarters of the young people having used it by the age of 25.

Professor Fergusson said many may have used it only once but heavy use was
not uncommon. Nearly one in 10 developed dependence by the age of 21 and,
among young Maori men, about a quarter had heavy use.

"Most young people smoking cannabis will not suffer any harm, but the more
people taking risks, the more the risk of consequences. If enough are doing
it, all these risks are adding up. We may have a growing problem with few
solutions."

The current cannabis laws were not working, and might be exacerbating wider
drug use, he said.

Because cannabis was illegal, to buy it, people had to get involved in the
illegal drug culture where they were offered other drugs.

This year, The Press reported that some of the biggest increases in
methamphetamine use are among 15 to 17-year-olds - who typically buy
cannabis from tinny houses.

Massey University researcher Chris Wilkins said teenagers were becoming more
exposed to methamphetamine through the tinny house network.