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Question and Answer Sessions All Party Parliamentary Group Meeting 27th June 2011

by CanSS, posted 27 06 2011

Powerpoint Presentation Dr James MacCabe Cannabis Research on Psychosis 

Charles Walker thanked Dr James MacCabe and opened the question and answer session. 

Tony Bravo: 

Sinsemilla is just the female plant of skunk. 

Mary Brett:   

Academic performance drops in those that use cannabis.  Is there ongoing research in to that? 

Dr MacCabe: 

Yes.  There is some research being undertaken at present.  People using cannabis score poorly on cognitive tests.  Interesting, those suffering with schizophrenia show different results and often score better.

 Charles Walker: 

Using raw numbers, if you smoke skunk on a regular basis, am I right in believing that you are 8 times more likely to develop psychosis? 

Dr MacCabe: 

Skunk shows very high rates of developing psychosis. 

Charles Walker: 

There has been a lot of comment about a research paper by Keele which suggests no link to cannabis and psychosis.  Is this correct? 

Dr MacCabe: 

There has been some argument because the Keele paper failed to firmly find the link and it is possible to find holes.  I firmly believe that there is a link.  Evidence shows that THC given to healthy volunteers causes them to develop symptoms.  Even more so, the greater the use, the greater the risk of psychosis.  It is also possible to see patients getting better after stopping the use of cannabis. 

Charles Walker: 

Is publicity helpful? 

Dr MacCabe: 

I welcome debate.  After publicity I frequently get asked about the causal link with cannabis and psychosis.   I see my role as presenting science in a balanced way.  How legislation works is not my argument.  I present the risks in a balanced way, but I don’t see prohibition is the answer. 

Charles Walker: 

I agree that classification is a side issue, but politicians need to understand the risk factors.

 Dr MacCabe:

It is important to show a balanced view to be taken seriously. 

Richard Ayres: 

What statistics are there for the negative symptoms of cannabis, such as apathy and underachievement?  Personally, I feel that these negative symptoms pose a far wider problem. 

 Dr MacCabe: 

These have not been looked at in great depth with psychosis probably affected by both positive and negative symptoms. Richard Ayres:  Negative symptoms seem to remain untreated. 

David Charles:   

Cannabis and alcohol seem to cause many problems.  Are there any studies linking alcohol and schizophrenia?

 Dr MacCabe: 

There are no links between alcohol and schizophrenia, but we have found a strong link between cannabis and schizophrenia. 

Susan Bedak: 

Although alcohol abuse causes memory loss and lack of motivation, it doesn’t produce the madness symptoms that cannabis abuse does.  

Mary Brett: 

I disagree on prohibition.  If there was no prohibition, drug usage would rocket.  

Dr MacCabe: 

In Holland there appears to be no greater problem. 

Mary Brett: 

Holland has actually just declared that any cannabis containing THC over 15% should be classified as a “hard drug”.  They are also closing coffee shops and stopping drug “tourism”. 

Surjit Basra: 

There are many studies now on psychosis and cannabis.  Do you update GP’s with the results of your studies?  GP’s seem to be unaware of the links and both teachers and GP’s have a laid back attitude to cannabis.   Schools don’t want to be labelled by admitting they have a problem.  How can you educate if this information is not funnelled down? 

Dr MacCabe: 

This issue has generated press attention.  Papers are published in Medical Journals – that is high profile in medical terms. 

Surjit Basra: 

My GP said “what do you want me to do?”  The only thing that was on offer was a six week counselling programme through the local drug/alcohol centre which did not help with a long term user. 

Dr MacCabe: 

This is not in my area of expertise. 

Charles Walker: 

GP’s don’t specialise in mental health issues. 

Mary Brett: 

Are GP’s checked on their research knowledge? 

Dr MacCabe: 

Checked by their peers to see if they are up to date but that is all.  Research into cannabis and psychosis is now much better known. 

Mary Brett: 

When you were at medical college, what training did you receive on drugs and psychosis? 

Dr MacCabe: 

Before links were known, I had no training with cannabis.  Now I know that there is a link, I inform my students. 

Jennifer Dixon: 

There is a huge difficulty with schools accessing help with drug problems.  Prevention funding budget has been cut completely.  We are now only able to assist schools referring children who have already fallen off the edge.  We are no longer able to help with those who are starting to get into problems. 

Cleo Lawrence: 

Does gender and race play a role in psychosis? 

Dr MacCabe: 

Research on rate of psychosis show that migrants have an increased risk of developing psychosis but that this covers ALL migrants regardless of culture.  Research hasn’t shown why, but being in an urban society may be relevant.  Studies have shown that living in an urban society poses a higher risk factor for psychosis and of course most migrants end up living in an urban society.  It could be based on many different issues. 

Cleo Lawrence: 

Do symptoms of migrants differ according to race or culture? 

Dr MacCabe: 

Cultural issues may have some bearing on symptoms. 

Tony Bravo: 

There is much more damage to developing brains with cannabis use.  More research and pro-active work needs to be done with young people. 

Charles Walker: 

I agree.  Children are destroying their life chances before they even reach 16 years of age. 

Charles Walker: 

We need to do more to protect and educate young people. 

Patricia Monero: 

When clients are diagnosed with schizophrenia, what success do you have in stopping them from smoking cannabis?  Do they see the link? 

Dr MacCabe: 

Adults stop taking cannabis more readily than teenagers.  Clients come back again and again to hospital because they won’t stop taking cannabis.  There is much more of a problem with this in teenagers. 

Charles Walker: 

What is the normal risk of schizophrenia? 

Dr MacCabe: 

Approximately 2 people out of a thousand.  

Charles Walker: 

So with cannabis use, the risk increases to 16 out of a thousand?   

 Dr MacCabe: 

Yes. 

David Charles:

 Do we need legislation like smoking and alcohol restricting cannabis use to over 18? 

Charles Walker: 

 Cannabis is illegal.  This government has no plans to alter that.  We need to reinforce the dangers of cannabis.  It is not just like having a drink.  Alcohol does not cause psychosis.   Cannabis does and it is like playing Russian roulette. 

David Charles:

  We need a two pronged attack, education and tough penalties for those supplying drugs to children. 

Charles Walker:

  I agree.  We do need a two pronged attack.  The government takes this very seriously.  There are already severe penalties for dealing and especially to children.  We can’t lock everyone up in prison, but there are certainly harsh penalties for those supplying children

. Jennifer Dixon: 

A lot of dealing is done peer to peer which is a problem. 

Charles Walker: 

I agree, but somewhere along the line there is still someone selling to them. 

Mary Brett: 

The most effective way of teaching young people is to tell them exactly how the neurotransmitters work.  Give young people the education and the excuse to say no. 

Jennifer Dixon: 

There are real funding issues in doing that.  All the prevention budgets have been cut.  Only limited funding available to deal with really serious drug problems already there. 

Charles Walker: 

We must make politicians understand that this is a really dangerous drug.  It is not what many of them smoke back in the sixties and seventies and  the risks it poses to our young people are far greater. 
 
Many thanks to Dr MacCabe for his presentation and for answering our questions.  Please keep coming and supporting this very important issue.