Cannabis Use and Dependence
Public Health and Public Policy

This book explores the relationship between health policy, public health and the law regarding cannabis use.

Wayne Hall (Author), Rosalie Liccardo Pacula (Author)

9780521800242, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 28 November 2003

314 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.9 cm, 0.59 kg

The use of cannabis in the late twentieth and this century is an area of medical and moral controversy. Despite its illegality, cannabis is the most widely used drug after alcohol and tobacco among young adults in the USA, Europe and Australia. This book explores the relationship between health policy, public health and the law regarding cannabis use. It assesses the impact of illegality in drug use and relates this to policy analysis in Australia, the UK, the US and other developed societies. It evaluates debates about 'safe use' and 'harm minimisation' approaches, as well as examining the experiences of different prevention, treatment and education policies. Written by two leading drug advisors Cannabis Use and Dependence makes a valuable addition to this important field of research.

List of figures and tables
Foreword Peter Reuter
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction
Section 1. Cannabis the Drug and How it is Used: 2. Cannabis the drug
3. Patterns of use
Section 2. The Health Effects of Cannabis: 4. The acute effects of cannabis
5. The cellular, immunological and reproductive effects of chronic cannabis use
6. The cardiovascular, respiratory and gastrointestinal effects of chronic cannabis use
Section 3. The Psychological Effects of Chronic Cannabis Use: 7. Cannabis dependence
8. The effects of cannabis use on cognitive functioning
9. Cannabis use and psychotic disorders
Section 4. Effects on Adolescent Development: 10. Is cannabis a gateway drug?
11. Adolescent psychosocial outcomes
Section 5. Harms and Benefits of Cannabis Use: 12. Comparing the health effects of cannabis with alcohol and tobacco
13. The benefits of cannabis use
Section 6. The Effectiveness and Costs of Cannabis Prohibition: 14. The impact of prohibition on cannabis use
15. The monetary cost of enforcing prohibition
16. Other costs of cannabis prohibition
Section 7. Policy Alternatives: 17. Variations on prohibition
18. Cannabis as a legal substance
19. Summing up
Appendices
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Nursing [MQC], Public health & preventive medicine [MBN], Psychology [JM], Sociology & anthropology [JH]