Cannabis link to aggression in teens

[Posted: Thu 02/02/2006 - www.irishhealth.com]

Teenagers who smoke cannabis are at an increased risk of delinquent and aggressive behaviour, the results of a new study indicate.

However the study also found that these teens are no more likely to become withdrawn or depressed, compared to any other teenagers.

A team of Dutch researchers looked at 5,551 young people, aged 12 - 16. Of these almost one in five had used cannabis in the previous year.

The team found that cannabis use was linked to 'externalising problems', in other words, delinquent and aggressive behaviour. However use of the drug was not linked to 'internalising problems', such as withdrawn behaviour, internal body complaints and depression.

According to the researchers, the more frequently cannabis was used, the stronger the link with aggressive behaviour.

"Cannabis use is associated with aggression and delinquency, but is not associated with internalising problems. Alcohol use and regular smoking were strong confounding factors", the team said.

Details of these findings are published in The British Journal of Psychiatry.

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P(PRafter)  Posted: 06/02/2006 11:25

AAARRRGH! This makes me so MAD I want to HIT someone over the head. Thank you.

tom(UKW20582)  Posted: 11/04/2007 19:30

what a load of rubbish that rates up there with super strong skunk and cannabis that one single pull can bring on schizophrenia ignorance is a dangerous weapon. the more of these stories that are printed the more people who use cannabis as medicine have to suffer and break the law for taking something that works for them. not to mention a study that was on sky news led by leading scientists compiled a list to show the dangers that certain substances pose to human health. heroin was top of the new list followed by cocaine. alcohol came fifth and tobacco ninth while cannabis was 11th. but hey they are only scientists what do they know.

Martin(FRJ69964)  Posted: 27/03/2008 05:31

First time I got stoned I laughed for about 2 hours.Crazy fun.Next day was out having dinner with the family in a local hotel.Mum said something innocuous to me like "hope you get the college course you applied for" and I exploded and had a rant about forcing me to go to college and not understanding what "I want".Yes,teenage shit like that and still a painfully embarassing memory.I'd never talked to my mother like that before nor had I ever displayed that kind of aggression to her, or anyone else, ever.Can anyone else see the link here.But it didn't stop me and had more post-stoned,frustration episodes that spilled over into outright anger.Not pretty.But then that's just my experience and a consequence of my own personal psyche/mindset and that's the thing I'm getting at. Unsupervised use of psycho-active substances that can contain powerful sedatives such as Largactil or heroin or even toxic materials such as human faeces,rubber,plastic and organic chemicals such as benzene is the reality among Irish soft drug users.How can this be good?Or even safe.Think of the young minds being poisoned and what the consequences, financial and social,this country faces should this situation continue. I don't use anymore but if YOU do then good luck to you.

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