New cannabis information centre

[Al B. Fuct]

From the ABC:

 

New cannabis information centre

Source: PM

Published: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 6:26 AEST

Expires: Tuesday, May 27, 2008 6:26 AEST

 

For decades the debate has raged about the potential harms of marijuana now there's an attempt to create the definitive information collection. The number of marijuana smokers is already falling in Australia, but the Federal Government is pumping $14-million into a new cannabis research centre.

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Can't be anything but good.

 

Too many zero-tolerance drug policy advocates have been able to use the 'no evidence of harmlessness' crutch because too many governments have actively interfered with cannabis research, preventing the assembly of a credible body of evidence.

 

However, keep in mind that this study is being done by the government's 'National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre.' Whatever they come up with will be biased toward reduction or cessation of cannabis use, sort of out of the universal 'drugs-r-bad-mkay' box.

 

They probably won't take into account that many cannabis users self medicate for physical or psychological discomfort. If these people were not using cannabis, they'd be on prescription meds from their GP. Not surprisingly, lots of self-medicating cannabis users are using cannabis because they've danced down the rosy garden path of prescription medication for their condition and find cannabis works better, with fewer side effects.

 

$14m really isn't much for a job this size. Let's hope this sees some greater funding in future budgets.

[mull]

Interesting article Al. The author slightly missed to begin with..

 

 

"MICHAEL TURTLE: -- snipped -- The main aim of the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre is to use scientific research to provide the public with accurate information about the drug."

 

 

Which he was sort of job summarizing for our dear friend Jan from NCPIC, whose real mission is this -

 

"The NCPIC mission is to reduce the use of cannabis in Australia by preventing uptake and providing the community with evidence-based information and interventions."

 

and once the 14 mill is spent on staff cars and tv ads ... more funding please..

[Indycar]

Hmm, it doesn't sound too promising from reading the transcript. Maybe i missed it, but i didn't see them point out any positives in regards to cannabis use. Which tends to make me think, these bugga's know their getting no where with all the lies of the past 'n want to turn over a fresh leaf. Just so they can win back some credibility, with the Australian public. Time will tell...

 

But yeah, 14mil, won't even put a box of tissues on a desk in the "Centre", by the time administration setup costs chew into it.

 

With this one, i hope i am proven terribly wrong...

 

[Al B. Fuct]

The snip about the actual facts of cannabis being somewhere between the pro-cannabis activist's position and the ZT wowsers is probably pretty true, tho:

 

JAN COPELAND: Some groups thinks it's the happy herb of the '70s that couldn't possibly create any problems and other are more of the reefer madness view that any cannabis is extremely dangerous.

 

So, there's really a real need for that middle ground of what is the evidence and how do we get it out to the community effectively?

 

If indeed this group will use actual, transparently accountable and independently replicatable scientific methods and try not to spin it up, this could be a good thing, but I'm cautious as well. However, more evidence is usually better, particularly when there's as little good data out there as there is now.

[failure]

$14 million buys a lot of propaganda. How can it be research when they have already identified the results? "Find negative things to be used as propaganda".

[freddie]

Torch the joint

 

While alcohol and "ice" are currently at the centre of media and community attention, cannabis is the drug guaranteed to polarise public opinion.

 

Somewhere between "reefer madness" and "canna porn" science is beginning to turn its attention to learning more about cannabis the drug, and its effects on the developing brain and mental and physical health. The relevant body of evidence is currently where the evidence-base for tobacco related harms was around 50 years ago.

 

This weekend has seen the release of the latest survey of Australians aged 12 years and over which once again reports a decrease in cannabis use.

 

Around 750,000 Australians use cannabis every week and approximately 300,000 smoke every day. A steady decline in cannabis use has been reported since the peak in 1998, where 45 per cent of all adult Australians, and approaching 70 per cent of 20-29 years, had ever tried cannabis.

 

Cannabis use amongst school-based young people in Australia has decreased even more markedly over the past decade, dropping from 36 per cent of 12-17 year olds ever having used in 1996 to 18 per cent in 2004. It continues, however, to be the most commonly used illicit drug used by school students.

 

We have been seeing an even more marked decline in tobacco use over a longer period time, as the evidence-base for tobacco-related harms has grown and successful public health campaigns implemented. The situation currently is that a young person aged 14-19 years is more likely to have smoked cannabis than tobacco.

 

Typically, people begin using cannabis in the late teens or early twenties and use steadily decreases thereafter as time and money become re-directed to other pursuits.

 

While most cannabis use is experimental or intermittent, it has been estimated that around one in ten people who ever try it become dependent. Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to developing cannabis dependence. A study of Victorian high school students found that half of weekly cannabis smokers were dependent on the drug.

 

It is still commonly believed that cannabis dependence is a purely psychological phenomenon. There is now clear evidence that tolerance (needing more to get the same effect) is an early symptom of cannabis dependence.

 

In addition, withdrawal symptoms are reported by the majority of those seeking treatment for cannabis related problems. Together, tolerance and withdrawal make up the two physical signs of dependence on any drug. Cannabis dependence, therefore, is a physical and psychological disorder.

 

In support of the relevance of cannabis withdrawal to successful treatment, recent research has shown that cannabis withdrawal is as distressing as nicotine withdrawal and just as likely to lead to relapse to use.

 

As cannabis does not affect the brain's respiratory centres it is not associated with fatal overdose. It seems easy, therefore, to dismiss the public health importance of cannabis use and dependence.

 

The burden of disease, however, due to cannabis use and dependence is estimated to be greater than that of HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C combined. Although, unlike these blood-borne viruses, cannabis has not directly caused any deaths, the disability caused by dependence and the extent of use in Australia means that the burden of disease is greater.

 

While there is a growing body of evidence concerning the impact of cannabis use on mental health, particularly among young people, less is known about the respiratory effects of cannabis.

 

In Australia, most cannabis is smoked with tobacco (unlike New Zealand) and the majority of cannabis smokers also smoke cigarettes.

 

Although cannabis is smoked less frequently than tobacco, the mode of inhalation is very different. Compared with smoking tobacco, cannabis smoking entails a two thirds larger puff volume, a fourfold longer time holding the breath, and a fivefold increase in carboxyhaemoglobin levels in the blood.

 

Just as it took decades of population exposure to tobacco for the respiratory harms to be identified, such harms in cannabis smokers are only now being seen in those who are heavy and/or long term smokers.

There are now indications that smoking cannabis may cause similar effects to smoking tobacco, with many of these effects appearing at a younger age.

 

A newly identified and unusual feature of cannabis smoking is that it is associated with a disease that leaves holes in the lungs of young people, that are sometimes without symptoms in the early stages.

 

Given the confounding of tobacco with cannabis smoking among many users, there is much yet to be learned about the unique contribution of cannabis smoking to respiratory diseases including cancers. There is a concerning growth, however, in the evidence of such a link.

 

While dependence, respiratory and mental health effects of cannabis use are the most obvious harms there is much to be learnt about the impact of cannabis, and the range of cannabinoid compounds contained therein, on many aspects of mental and physical health.

 

It is hardly surprising that many community members may be confused about the harms associated with cannabis use with media headlines and commentary frequently moving from one sensational story to the next. Even those working in research and clinical services dealing with cannabis-related problems often struggle to keep up with the scientific literature and developments in cannabis related interventions.

 

Overall, it seems that community education on cannabis is deterring a number of young people from experimenting.

 

The remaining group of ageing, regular cannabis users and more marginalised adolescents and indigenous communities are presenting significant challenges for the next level of intervention. Research on cannabis harms and treatment is developing apace.

 

Bridging the gap between research and practice will be an important part of assisting those experiencing personal and community challenges associated with their cannabis use.

 

 

The National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC), of which I am the director, was launched today. It is an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing to inform the community about cannabis-related issues. We are a consortium of seven organisations across Australia that specialise in drug and alcohol and mental health research and service delivery and are located at the University of New South Wales.

 

This is a new approach internationally to focus on one illicit drug and bring together the capacity for high quality research on cannabis issues and treatment development with the capacity to translate that evidence into workforce training and community information provision.

 

For more information, visit ncpic.org.au or call the helpline for cannabis users and their families on 1800 304 050.

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2230262.htm

 

Well normally I defend research 'till my dying breath but this lot seem to have their minds made up and are out to turn us all into nice, middle class drug free productive members of society. Sorry but statements like "The burden of disease, however, due to cannabis use and dependence is estimated to be greater than that of HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C combined" have me completely floored. "Burden of disease" -wtf??????

 

They have to be kidding with this one too:"The relevant body of evidence is currently where the evidence-base for tobacco related harms was around 50 years ago." This plant has been studies for 5 decades, much of it by anti-drug government funded biased scientists who still haven't really found a smoking gun.

 

Where are the statements about medical research and/or trials? What about the benefits of stress relief? The comparisons to alcohol and tobacco?

 

The remaining group of ageing, regular cannabis users and more marginalised adolescents and indigenous communities are presenting significant challenges for the next level of intervention.

Well personally I wish you'd just fuck off and leave me to smoke my pot in peace. Why is the government interfering in what we do in our personal lives so much?

 

Edit: the above was written by Jan Copeland. I seem to have deleted her as the author when I deleted her photo. So sorry Jan.

Edited April 30, 2008 by freddie

[Nooby]

That's what government do. ;-)

 

We should get rid of state govt.s for starter...but I wont go off topic.

 

Yeah that article looks pretty dodge to me:

 

"There are now indications that smoking cannabis may cause similar effects to smoking tobacco, with many of these effects appearing at a younger age.

 

A newly identified and unusual feature of cannabis smoking is that it is associated with a disease that leaves holes in the lungs of young people, that are sometimes without symptoms in the early stages."

 

Funny, I read a research report recently by some big university that found NO evidence of such things in long term pot smokers?

[MongyMan]

Smoking cannabis is the major hurdle here. It's hard to argue when it's obvious to anyone , that putting smoke of any kind, be it tobbaco, cannabis, or lawn clippings into your lungs has its health risks. I notice they never talk about researching the effects of vaping or eating cannabis. Personaly I think it will just be 14mill worth of "anti-smoking" hysteria aimed at pot smoking this time and as long as the general public automaticaly connects cannabis to smoking its going to be easy for them. When trying to discuss the medicinal uses of cannabis with people I'm often asked "how can it be a medicine when you smoke it?" Some wait for an answer but most just get all smug and consider it's their point proved and conversation over. Smoking is bad m'kay so pot must be too. Most med users I know either vape or eat it.

 

Peace MongyMan

[Guest niall]

We can use this centre to our advantage - we have the knowledge and numbers to focus on them and keep them honest, to dispute inaccurate findings and ensure what they publish gives the full story about cannabis. This is great news!

[Gruntus]

We can use this centre to our advantage - we have the knowledge and numbers to focus on them and keep them honest, to dispute inaccurate findings and ensure what they publish gives the full story about cannabis. This is great news!

I agree. Lets hope they're interested in listening to what we say. Maybe we can lodge a petition as a special interest group..