Psychiatric body calls for steps to ensure safe use of cannabis

In a statement issued on Monday, the association said that children and pregnant women have higher risk of the negative effects from cannabis. “Children have a higher chance of becoming addicted to cannabis than adults. Furthermore, cannabis can affect the foetus in the womb, a child’s brain development, intelligence level, reasoning ability and personal restraint during and after taking it,” the statement said. “Cannabis addiction can also lead to domestic violence, mental disorder and schizophrenia.”

The association said that the removal of cannabis from the narcotics list aims at three benefits: medical usage, economic and industrial profit, and offering people more alternatives in healthcare. “However, the government so far has only promoted the benefits but not advised adequate caution about the negative effects, and failed to educate people on how to use the plant safely. There is yet to be any concrete measure to protect people in vulnerable groups from the negative effects of cannabis,” it said.

“The Public Health Ministry must provide clear instructions as to which part of cannabis can be used and which parts should not be used, since each part of the plant has a different level of Tetrahydrocannabinol,” said the statement.

“The usage of cannabis must be strictly limited to medicinal purposes, while data should be collected and research should be conducted over the years to ensure safety and control the quality of cannabis products, as well as to study the side-effects of using cannabis, both in the physical and psychological aspects and their consequences, such as road accidents. These are basic requirements that have been implemented in countries that have legalised cannabis, before they can be allowed for usage in other fields.”