The Minster Practice, Lichfield

Updated 02/08/2006

Cannabis

80% of new psychosis cases report a history of cannabis use. This connection was not thought to be a cause and effect link. Perhaps people more likely to develop psychosis may be more likely to smoke cannabis. However, the latest evidence from several studies shows that people who used cannabis in their teens were up to 7 times more likely to develop psychosis, delusional episodes or manic depression. This news came at a time when the drug was being reclassified (January 2004). See drug penalties for more information.

The reclassification does NOT legalise cannabis but reduces police powers and penalties in some circumstances. The under 18s will still be arrested by the police. The message was confusing so a £1 million publicity campaign started at the end of January to attempt to correct the impression that cannabis was being made legal.

Smoking cannabis is NOT safer in terms of lung disease than smoking cigarettes. A report from the British Lung Foundation made this clear in January 2004.

Support groups

See Medical Internet Links and Support and Self Help Groups

Medical uses of cannabis

The component in cannabis that helps multiple sclerosis sufferers is now awaiting licensing by the MHRA and should be available on prescription by the end of 2004. Called Sativex, it does not contain any of the chemicals responsible for the "high".

Cannabis linked to risk of miscarriage in US study

02/08/2006 The Guardian
In a widely-featured story in today's newspapers it is reported that women who smoke cannabis in the early stages of pregnancy could risk miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy. Research led by Dr Haibin Wang and Dr Sudhansu Dey from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, suggests that THC, the active ingredient in the drug, can retard embryo development and prevent it from reaching the womb, leading to ectopic pregnancies, where embryos develop outside the womb. THC (or tetrahydrocannabinol) affects the system because it is chemically similar to signalling molecules in the body called cannabinoids. One of these, anandamide, controls development of the embryo by binding to receptors on it. The level of anandamide in the reproductive system is crucial for normal development. However, if THC swamps the system, it disrupts this fine control. When pregnant female mice were exposed to THC, the drug did exactly that, and researchers found that this, in turn, led to embryos remaining in the fallopian tubes instead of becoming implanted in the womb. Embryos recovered from the treated mice also showed signs of apoptosis - a natural process by which defective cells destroy themselves. Previous research has found that male cannabis smokers produce less semen, containing fewer sperm. The two lead doctors said: 'our observation of mice exposed to excessive THC raises concern that the adverse effects of maternal use of marijuana could be seeded very early in pregnancy'. The results are reported in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. The same applies to the new anti-obesity agent rimonabant (Acomplia) as it is derived from cannabis.

Send mail to webmaster @minster.org.uk with questions or comments about our website. N.B. Website is for practice patients ONLY.
Copyright © 1997-2007 Dr Michael Causer Click here for full copyright notice & site warning.
Homepage last modified: August 25, 2008.