Introduction

Cannabis has been used by humans for at least two thousand years.¹ In this time, it has been claimed that cannabis may benefit health by treating everything from asthma, arthritis, pain, depression, loss of appetite, or missing menstrual periods,¹ but in the UK it is not yet available to be prescribed as a medication except in certain circumstances (these circumstances include patients with stiffness or spasms in their muscles that are caused by Multiple Sclerosis, people with rare forms of epilepsy, and patients who experience vomiting and nausea as a side-effect of their chemotherapy),² In some cases, people have been provided with certain forms of cannabis for clinical trials but these are still in their early stages.³

Cannabis use has been linked to both mental and physical health problems.⁴ Education has a large part to play in reducing cannabis use and addiction.² 

In the United Kingdom, 2.3% of people who are over sixteen years old were found to be addicted to cannabis alone, according to the Office for National Statistics.¹⁶ Another 0.8% of over sixteen-year-olds are thought to be addicted to cannabis and other drugs, too.¹⁶

What is cannabis?

Cannabis, which is also known as marijuana, is a plant that can be used to make a substance called tetrahydrocannabinol.⁵ When you take in tetrahydrocannabinol, this chemical can affect your ability to understand the world around you, your mood, and how you think.⁵ 

Cannabis is the third most common drug used by teenagers (after alcohol and tobacco), and most adults who use drugs like cannabis began using them when they were teenagers.⁶ Marijuana can cause problems like mental health issues; this means that it is important to educate children on the possible dangers of using cannabis before they begin to use the drug.⁶ 

Cannabis addiction

A habit is classed as an addiction if the person feels the need to carry on with a certain behavior even when it reaches the point of being harmful.⁷ 

People who use cannabis often or every day for a long time often find that their bodies get used to it, which means the drug does not have as much of an effect on them.⁴ This can mean that the person has to take more cannabis as time goes on to get the same feeling, leading to more being used over time.⁴

Addiction can have an enormous effect on the person who is addicted, often causing problems at work and in relationships, as well as impacting someone’s mental and physical health.⁷ There is some evidence to suggest that addiction can run in families.⁷

Addiction is a common problem that is not always well understood by everyone.⁷ However, it can be treated with help from trained services.⁷ If you or someone you know is addicted to something, a good place to start is making an appointment with the GP so they can refer you to people who can help.⁷ Alternatively, you can reach help from a service that helps people with drug addiction here.⁸ 

Negative effects of cannabis

Cannabis has been proven to cause several side effects, which are listed below.^9,5

• People who use cannabis as a teenager are more likely to suffer from depression in adulthood
• Using cannabis as a teen makes it more likely that a person will think about, plan to, or attempt suicide later in life
• Cannabis users are more likely to have psychosis, which is when people can no longer stay fully in touch with reality¹⁰
• Students who use cannabis are more likely to achieve bad grades than other students
• If you smoke cannabis, you will also experience the health problems that come with tobacco.
• If you have taken marijuana recently, you may struggle to think as logically as normal. You may also feel that time passes differently - either faster or slower. You may find it more difficult to move your body as you normally would
• You may have hallucinations (see or hear things that aren’t there)
• You may begin to have thoughts of anxiety, fear, or paranoia (feeling like other people are out to get you)
• Your appetite may be affected, making you want to eat a lot (this is sometimes called “the munchies”)
• In the long term, using cannabis makes you more likely to have a stroke, heart attack, and changes to your heart rate. These can make you very unwell or even cause death
• If you use cannabis over a long period of time, you may have Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome, where people get stomach cramps and vomiting, acid reflux, pancreas inflammation and ulcers
• Cannabis has been shown to increase the chances of developing some types of cancer

People at risk of cannabis addiction

Some people are more likely than others to become addicted to cannabis. The most common things linked to cannabis addiction are:¹¹

• Having friends who take Cannabis
• Being Assigned Male At Birth
• Having parents who use Cannabis
• Being a smoker
• Drinking alcohol
• Not getting along with parents
• Being from a lower social class or a household which is in a lower wage bracket
• Having mental health problems
• Life difficulties, e.g., being bullied, having family problems, or being expelled from school

Education and cannabis addiction

Research has found that people who get their information from the internet, friends, or family are more likely to have incorrect beliefs about Cannabis.¹² This means that it’s extremely important to provide true information to children via schools so that they have scientific information that they can rely on.¹² 

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that over three million people die every year due to drug or alcohol addiction.¹³ This means that it is important to educate children about the problems that can be caused by taking cannabis so that they are aware of the risks.⁶

One of the best ways of educating children has been via schools.⁶ Research shows that classes that concentrate on trying to change how children think about drugs can help, but the lessons are more likely to have an impact if they also include problem solving, changing attitudes, critical thinking, and improving the emotional and social talents of the children.⁶

Children who do not feel connected to their school or who are struggling with schoolwork are more likely to use cannabis and other drugs.⁶ Educating these children in particular is important to support them and help them to avoid making decisions that may have a long-lasting effect on their health.⁶

These kinds of classes have been proven to help, but as time goes on after the class is finished, the risk that children will begin taking cannabis begins to rise again.⁶ Schools are therefore useful as they can make drug awareness classes a routine part of the curriculum, delivering important information to children regularly so that their effectiveness remains high.⁶ Some studies find that at least fifteen sessions are required with the students to get the best results.¹⁴ They also recommend these lessons be interactive and that they be hosted by someone who is not the usual teacher, as this helps with students taking the information on board.¹⁴

How to get help for cannabis addiction

There are several ways to get help for an addiction. One way is by seeing your GP, who can help to support and advise you and help you to get in contact with services that specialize in helping people to overcome their addictions.⁷

There are also options online. This website can help you to find services that are local to you and offer help with drug addiction.⁸

Support for family members

If you are a family member of someone who suffers from addiction, there are specialist services that are designed to help you.¹⁵ 

Having a loved one who struggles with addiction can be extremely difficult. This website has a list of some of the available resources to help people who are affected by a family member’s addiction.

Summary

Cannabis use in childhood and teenage years can have a long-lasting effect on the health of a person. It is important to make sure that young people are aware of the risks of using this kind of drug and the support that is on offer if they need it. This is why it is important that schools provide education regularly, interactively, and proactively to children so that future damage can be prevented.