The U.N.'s Office on Drugs
and Crime has put together some nice material about
the harms of marijuana:
Approximately 4 per cent of the world's adults -
some 162 million people - use cannabis at least once
in the course of a year, making it the world's most
widely used illicit drug. In some countries, more
than half of all young people have tried it. In
spite of this high rate of usage, many basic facts
about cannabis remain obscure. Of particular concern
are the recent growth in the drug's potency, and
mounting questions about the role of cannabis in
mental illnesses.
In recent
years, research has demonstrated that cannabis is
becoming more potent. Studies done in key markets
such as the Netherlands, the United States and
Canada, for example, have shown that the potency of
sinsemilla cannabis, made from the
unfertilized buds of the female plant, has doubled.
The market for this high-potency, indoor-produced
variety appears to be growing in many key
consumption countries. As the drug grows stronger,
users consequently experience more powerful - and
dangerous - psychological effects. Emerging research
indicates that cannabis consumption may have greater
mental health implications than previously believed.
Although it
is often seen as a less harmful drug, cannabis use
poses several health risks. Even when used only
once, cannabis may lead to panic attacks, paranoia,
psychotic symptoms and other negative acute effects.
The drug may also precipitate psychosis in
vulnerable individuals and intensify symptoms in
diagnosed schizophrenics. As it is mostly smoked and
contain high levels of tar, cannabis additionally
puts users at an increased risk of lung cancer and
other respiratory diseases.
The risk of
becoming dependent on cannabis is also higher than
most casual users suspect. Regular users risk
developing psychological dependence to the point
where they cannot quit even when the drug use starts
to negatively impact in other areas of their lives,
such as work and personal relations. Around 9 per
cent of those who try cannabis are unable to stop
using it, and demand for treatment for
cannabis-related problems has increased in recent
years in the US and Europe.