Page 361 - Week 01 - Thursday, 13 February 2020
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(3) Was the advice that the Minister provided to the Government consistent with the research that the Commonwealth Minister for Health forwarded to the Chief Minister.
(4) What studies has the Government undertaken to assess whether the legalisation of cannabis will lead to (a) increased levels of usage and (b) therefore increased demand for mental health services; if none, why.
If studies were undertaken (a) what were the outcomes and (b) to what extent did they inform the government’s position on legalisation of cannabis.
(5) What consideration was given to whether the Government’s legalisation of cannabis would be perceived by the public as giving permission for, or condoning, its use; if none, why; if consideration was given, (a) what was the outcome and (b) what did the Government do to mitigate those perceptions.
(6) What education programs about the risks of using cannabis will be mounted before the legislation to legalise cannabis becomes law.
Ms Stephen-Smith: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
1. Based on its reviews of the evidence on the health effects of cannabis, The World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded that: “cannabis use can exacerbate schizophrenia in affected individuals”.
In addition, The US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (US National Academies), based on a review published in 2017, concluded that: “Cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychoses; the higher the use the greater the risk.”
The National Academies also noted that the relationship between cannabis, cannabis use disorder and psychoses is likely to be “multidirectional and complex”, and that genetic factors may influence risk. The National Academies committee also remarked that: “it is noteworthy to state that in certain societies, the incidence of schizophrenia has remained stable over the past 50 years despite the introduction of cannabis into those settings.”
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has estimated that 1.6 per cent of the burden of disease due to schizophrenia in Australia is attributable to cannabis use, based on 2011 Australian data.
With regard to mental health conditions other than schizophrenia, the US National Academies 2017 review concluded that:
• Cannabis use does not appear to increase the likelihood of developing depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder;
• For individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorders, near daily cannabis use may be linked to greater symptoms of bipolar disorder than non-users;
• Heavy cannabis users are more likely to report thoughts of suicide than non-users; and
• Regular cannabis use is likely to increase the risk for developing social anxiety disorder.
It should be noted that ‘disorders’ are more severe longer term health effects, and may differ from immediate effects.
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