Mental Health Education

Approved:          January, 2009

Approved by:     National Assembly

WHEREAS a dose-dependent association between cannabis use and risk of developing psychotic symptoms has been confirmed (Stefanis et al., 2004; van Os et al., 2002; Zammit et al., 2002)

WHEREAS cannabis use may precipitate psychosis in vulnerable persons and may worsen symptoms among those who already have a psychotic disorder (Degenhardt et al., 2003)

WHEREAS psychosis-free adolescents who begin cannabis use comprise a vulnerable group and exposure to cannabis early in adolescence (i.e. before 16 years of age) increases the risk for developing subclinical psychotic symptoms (Ferdinand et al., 2005; Ferguson et al., 2003; Henquet et al., 2004)

BE IT RESOLVED that the Canadian Nursing Students’ Association promote national efforts to raise awareness regarding the potential effects of cannabis use and promotion of overall mental health, among youth.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Canadian Nursing Students’ Association support ongoing research to further elucidate the causes of and treatments for psychosis.

Submitted by:

Colleen Wright-Loree

Bachelor of Science in Nursing, 2009

McMaster University – Conestoga College Campus

Director of Communications 2009-2010, Canadian Nursing Students’ Association

Meghan Kresky

Bachelor of Science in Nursing, 2010

McMaster University – Conestoga College Campus

References

Degenhardt, L. & Hall, W. (2001). The association between psychosis and problematical drug use among Australian adults: Findings from the National Survey of Mental Health and Well-being. Psychological Medicine, 31, 659-668.

Degenhardt, L., Hall, W., & Lynskey, M. (2003). Testing hypotheses about the relationship between cannabis use and psychosis. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 71, 37-48.

Ferdinand, R. F., Sondeijker, R., van der Ende, J., Selten, J. P., Huizink, A., & Verhulst, F. C. (2005). Cannabis use predicts future psychotic symptoms, and vice versa. Addiction, 100, 612-618.

Ferguson, D. M.,Horwood, L. J., & Swain-Campbell, R. (2003). Cannabis dependence and psychotic symptoms in young people. Psychological Medicine, 33, 15-21.

Grotenhermen, F. (2007). The toxicology of cannabis and cannabis prohibition. Chemistry & Biodiversity, 4, 1744-1769.

Hall, W. D. (2006). Cannabis use and the mental health of young people. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 40, 105-113.

Health Canada. (2003). Canadian tobacco use monitoring survey (CTUMS) 2003: Table 11. Ever used/tried marijuana, cannabis or hashish, by province, Canada 2003. Retrieved on June 2, 2009, from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/tobac-tabac/research-recherche/stat/_ctums-esutc_2003/ ann_table11-eng.php

Health Canada. (2007). Canadian tobacco use monitoring survey (CTUMS) 2007: Table 10. Ever used/tried marijuana, cannabis or hashish, by province, Canada 2007. Retrieved on June 2, 2009, from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/tobac-tabac/research-recherche/stat/_ctums-esutc_2007/ann-table10-eng.php

Henquet, C., Krabbendam, L., Spauwen, J., Kaplan, C., Lieb, R., Wittchen, H.-U.,& van Os, J. (2005). Prospective cohort study of cannabis use, predisposition for psychosis, and psychotic symptoms in young people. British Medical Journal, 330, 11.

Johns, A. (2001). Psychiatric effects of cannabis. British Journal of Psychiatry, 178, 116-122.

Moore, T. H. M., Zammit, S., Lingford-Hughes, A., Barnes, T. R. E., Jones, P. B., Burke, M., & Lewis, G. (2007). Cannabis use and risk of psychotic or affective mental health outcomes; A systematic review. The Lancet, 370, 319-328.

Rey, J. M., Sawyer, M. G., Raphael, B., Patton, G. C., & Lynskey, M. (2002). Mental health of teenagers who use cannabis: Results of an Australian survey. British Journal of Psychiatry, 180, 216-221.

Semple, D., McIntosh, A., & Lawrie, S. (2005). Cannabis as a risk factor for psychosis: Systematic review. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 19(2), 187-194.

Stefanis, N. C.,Delespaul, P., Henquet, C., Bakoula, C., Stefanis, C. N., & van Os, J. (2004). Early adolescent cannabis exposure and positive and negative dimensions of psychosis. Addiction, 99, 1333-1341.

van Os, J., Bak, M., Hanssen, M., Bijl, R. V., de Graaf,R., & Verdoux, H. (2002). Cannabis use and psychosis: A longitudinal population-based study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 156(4), 319-327.

Zammit,S., Allebeck, P., Andreasson, S., Lundberg, I., & Lewis, G. (2002). Self reported cannabis use as a risk factor for schizophrenia in Swedish conscripts of 1969: Historical cohort study. British Medical Journal, 325, 1199.