CANNABIS EFFECT ON MENTAL HEALTH OF AUSTRALIANS

Running head: CANNABIS EFFECT ON MENTAL HEALTH OF AUSTRALIANS
CANNABIS EFFECT ON MENTAL HEALTH OF AUSTRALIAN YOUTHS
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1CANNABIS EFFECT ON MENTAL HEALTH OF AUSTRALIANS
Introduction
Cannabis is used widely as an unlawful drug with nearly 3.8% of the global populace
consuming cannabis in the previous year. With increase in cannabis utilization since the early
1990s, a major proportion of youths in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, United
States and Australia are using cannabis for recreational purposes (Bach et al., 2019). In spite
of the high popularity of cannabis use, improbability tends to remain regarding its physical
and mental consequences. Young adults are seen to be the most recurrent users of cannabis
that is considered as the most extensively consumed unlawful drug in the world. Arguably,
irrespective of the probable risks, youths in Australia people tend to perceive the
consumption of cannabis as a rational activity.
Research Questions:
 How does cannabis affect an adult’s brain?
 Why are adults involved in consuming cannabis?
 Is depression the cause and the symptom both?
 Why are females more likely to fall into depression and anxiety issues after
consuming cannabis?
 How can the youth get rid of these desires?
Literature Review
Effect of Cannabis on an adult’s mental health
Among the most noticeable concerns of adults’ mental health are the recognized
associations between use of cannabis and mental disorders. Patton etb al. (2002) in his study
found that substantial consumption of cannabis tends to result in severe psychotic recurrences
and subsequently deteriorate outcomes in established psychosis. Meanwhile, other study
reveals that cannabis, cocaine as well as heroin all tends to affect the dopaminergic arbitrated
‘reward centre’ in the nucleus acumens (Hall, 2015)). In contrast, Hall et al. (2019)by

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conducting brain imaging study found that chronic cannabis users have reduced activity in
the regions of their brains which are involved in memory as well as responsiveness after
almost a month of abstinence.
Cannabis use for recreational purposes
Recreational cannabis use is gradually becoming as common as tobacco usage
amongst young adults. According to Hall (2015), Cannabis consumption is typically done in
the most effective way like in a ‘joint’ or by adding tobacco with a desire of attaining
psychoactive effects. Meanwhile, study reveals that various states in the United States have
introduced citizen-initiated polls that permitted recreational cannabis consumption by adults
over 21 years (Hall, 2015)). On the other hand, by gathering insights of previous studies, it is
argued that the legalization of cannabis in these regions might affect the ability of dealing
with significant fears regarding the risks as well as benefits of cannabis use for the brain
development, cognition as well as mental health (Hall et al., 2019). However, more
substantial policies will most likely to ease the process of evaluating hostile effects of
recreational, reliant and curative use. This is because greater number of people possibly will
be indulging into cannabis use in a more frequent rate and for extensive periods.
Depressions, being the cause and symptom of cannabis use amongst youths
Study of Patton et al. (2002) have found a robust link between regular use of cannabis
as well as depression and nervousness in young women even subsequent to the alteration to
inter-current use of other substances. Additionally, it is found that cannabis use tend to make
direct association for risk for depression and anxiety. Moreover, results reveal extensive
degree of depression as well as nervousness in young women using cannabis with essential
characteristics that influence the symptoms of both anxiety and depression in addition to
severe effect of cannabis on psychological conditions. On the other hand, the self-reported
cannabis withdrawal symptoms typically relate to depressed mood, irritability and excessive

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level of anxiety (Rogerson & Jacups, 2016). While, Fischer et al. (2015) claim that an
important socio-demographic attribute counted in as possible covariates related to quality of
life assessments is severe depression. This further indicates that poor QOL symptoms like
depression is linked to subsequent cause of cannabis use thus resulting in additional
reductions in quality of life. On the other hand, while assessing depression as a symptom of
cannabis use, it is found that regular cannabis use tend to elevate the risks of psychosis as
well as reduced certainly related to depressive as well as anxiety disorders (Hall et al., 2019).
Females show greater tendency to fall into depression and anxiety issues after cannabis use
Research conducted by Patton reveals that 188 (22%, 19% to 25%) of young female
adults suffer from severe depression and anxiety. Furthermore, around 66% that is 484 out of
731 of male youths and 52% that is 448 out of 859 of female young adults have indulged in
the use of cannabis at certain point in their lives. Similar results are found that few of the
harmful effects of cannabis on behavioural patterns appear more critical in females in animals
as well as humans (Gobbi et al., 2019). In addition to this, Brown et al. (2016) through a
current cross-sectional study found that cannabis use acts as a frequent symptom of deprived
mental well-being conditions in women as compared to men. Furthermore, cannabis use
condition is linked to key depressive disorders in females and very rare in males (Danielsson
et al., 2016).
Ways of overcoming desires of cannabis use
Noteworthy modifications in developments across drug involvement as well as
demographic subgroups propose a likely change in the cannabis use among youths and their
desire for influencing into such behavioural patterns (Kaar et al., 2015). Meanwhile, weed
lists and species-based regulation are playing significant role in influencing weed control.
According to Bach et al. (2019), these weeds lists are distinguishing plant species which are
essential to be removed or measured by weed management initiatives. These initiatives would

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pave the way for policy makers to focus on the involvements, opinions and revelations of
adult cannabis users and to find ground-breaking ways of overcoming the desires of cannabis
use as well as sustain the health of their landscapes.
Summary
To conclude, strategies to lessen recurrent consumption of cannabis possibly will
reduce the level of psychological illnesses in youths in Australia. Youths show high
dependence on cannabis tends to be at increased risk of consuming other illicit drugs. As a
result, cannabis is a severe public health distress and requires an imperative need to apply
improved drug use prevention programs which will focus on the use of cannabis amongst
adolescents.

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References
Bach, T. M., Kull, C. A., & Rangan, H. (2019). From killing lists to healthy country:
Aboriginal approaches to weed control in the Kimberley, Western Australia. Journal
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Brown, A., Rice, S. M., Rickwood, D. J., & Parker, A. G. (2016). Systematic review of
barriers and facilitators to accessing and engaging with mental health care among at‐
risk young people. Asia‐Pacific Psychiatry, 8(1), 3-22.
Danielsson, A. K., Lundin, A., Agardh, E., Allebeck, P., & Forsell, Y. (2016). Cannabis use,
depression and anxiety: A 3-year prospective population-based study. Journal of
affective disorders, 193, 103-108.
Fischer, J. A., Clavarino, A. M., Plotnikova, M., & Najman, J. M. (2015). Cannabis use and
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Gobbi, G., Atkin, T., Zytynski, T., Wang, S., Askari, S., Boruff, J., ... & Mayo, N. (2019).
Association of cannabis use in adolescence and risk of depression, anxiety, and
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Hall, W. (2015). Challenges in minimizing the adverse effects of cannabis use after
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Hall, W., Hoch, E., & Lorenzetti, V. (2019). Cannabis use and mental health: risks and
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