Mental illness more prevalent among youth

A new report on children's health shows that young people's mental health may not be improving, as was previously thought.

The Australia 21 research group says more than 20 per cent of all young people suffer psychological distress and up to 50 per cent display stress-related symptoms.

The report's author, Richard Eckersely, says the sharp increase in mental illness shows that governments have to take a more holistic approach to health.

"We have to stop seeing health as simply a matter of the number of GPs, how our public services are going and recognise these problems have their roots in quite fundamental aspects of our society, from things like family conflict and breakdown, work life pressures, poverty, inequality," he said.

Mr Eckersely says the findings contradict the accepted view that young people's health is improving.

"That relies primarily on declining death rates but you can't rely on those measures any more and when you look much more widely at young people and wellbeing, particularly mental health, then it looks like the picture is one of decline rather than improvement," he said.

Govt unveils cannabis research centre

As is the case with nicotine and caffeine, THC in Cannabis, it seems, is to protect the plant from herbivores or pathogens. THC occurs mainly as tetrahydrocannabinol. THC has analgesic effects that, even at low doses, cause a high, thus leading to the fact that medical cannabis can be used to treat pain.

Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon has launched a new cannabis research centre, saying young Australians are more likely to have used marijuana than tobacco.

The Federal Government is spending $14 million on the new National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre, based at the University of New South Wales.

The latest figures show cannabis is the most widely-used illicit drug in Australia, although the numbers are falling.

Ms Roxon says it is worrying that about one in five 18-year-olds have smoked cannabis in the past year.

"There is growing evidence that for vulnerable people cannabis can cause physical, psychological and social damage," she said.

The centre will conduct research in Australia and analyse overseas studies, as well as offering a hotline to provide information to members of the public.


Cannabis researchers get $14m Fed Govt boon

The latest figures show young Australians are more likely to have tried marijuana than cigarettes, although the numbers are falling.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon says cannabis is still the most widely-used illicit drug.

"We know that the damage that can be caused includes a higher risk of respiratory diseases associated with smoking like cancer, poor short-term memory, affected learning ability, reduced motivation in study and work, and dependence," she said.

Ms Roxon says it is worrying that about one in five 18-year-olds have smoked cannabis in the past year.

"There is growing evidence that for vulnerable people, cannabis can cause physical, psychological and social damage," she said.

Quote: Is Nicola Roxon taking too much cocaine? If the latest figures show that quote: "young Australians' are more likely to have used marijuana than tobacco" unquote. Then I don't see the figures? Then she says, quote: "growing evidence". Does that mean more people are growing the herb opposed to buying it? Perhaps not paying government tax revenue on the substance? And what about handing out some medical assistance to these people who are all trying to give cannabis up? How come cannabis doesn't have patches for people to give up the drug like that legal drug tobacco? Why discriminate? Wouldn't that help those poor victimes get off the illicit drug? I mean if it is more widely used than tobacco then we owe it to those Australians' to provide medical assistance to them..

Related:

Australia's cocaine use up, smoking down
AUSTRALIANS are smoking fewer cigarettes and less cannabis but using more cocaine, a report shows. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare survey found that from 2004 to 2007, the proportion of people aged 14 and more who smoked daily fell from 17.4 to 16.6 per cent. Recent cannabis use dropped from just more than 11 per cent to just more than 9 per cent.

Tetrahydrocannabinol dummies guide
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, Δ9-THC, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), Δ1-tetrahydrocannabinol (using an older numbering scheme), or dronabinol, is the main psychoactive substance found in the Cannabis plant. It was isolated by Raphael Mechoulam, Yechiel Gaoni, and Habib Edery from the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel in 1964. In pure form, it is a glassy solid when cold, and becomes viscous and sticky if warmed. An aromatic terpenoid, THC has a very low solubility in water, but good solubility in most organic solvents such as butane or hexane. As is the case with nicotine and caffeine, the role of THC in Cannabis, it seems, is to protect the plant from herbivores or pathogens. [2] THC also possesses high UV-B (280-315 nm) absorption properties, protecting the plant from harmful radiation.