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Friday, November 2, 2012

More teenagers need help for cannabis despite drop in use (UK)


New and more harmful strains of cannabis could be responsible for the growing number of teenagers seeking specialist help after using the drug despite overall use falling, experts have claimed.

More teenagers need help for cannabis despite drop in use
The total number of young people accessing substance misuse services dropped for the third year running Photo: ALAMY

The number of under-18s receiving treatment for Class A drugs including heroin, cocaine and ecstasy has fallen by two thirds over the past five years but cases involving cannabis are on the rise. New figures released by the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) show that just 631 young people were treated for Class A drugs last year, compared with 1,979 five years earlier. In contrast, those seeking help for cannabis rose three per cent to 13,200 last year, adding up to an increase of 18 per cent since 2006/07 when there were 10,824 cases.


Overall use of cannabis among young people is thought to be declining, but leading experts suggested more potent and harmful strains of the drug could partially explain why more are seeking help.
The NTA said in a report published yesterday: "As evidence suggests that overall young people’s cannabis use is declining, the rise in numbers seeing specialist services could be down to a combination of stronger strains of the drug causing more harm, greater awareness of the issues surrounding cannabis, and specialist services being more alert and responsive to the problems the drug can cause for under-18s."

The total number of young people accessing substance misuse services dropped for the third year running, from 24,053 in 2008/09 to 20,688 last year. Cannabis or alcohol use accounted for ninety per cent of cases. The proportion of under-18s who successfully complete their drug treatment has risen dramatically from 50 per cent to 77 per cent in the space of five years, the report said.
Rosanna O'Connor, the NTA's director of delivery, said: "The numbers needing specialist interventions remain low and evidence shows that fewer young people are using drugs. "However, the advent of new substances and risks of ongoing cannabis and alcohol use in particular present a significant challenge."

Martin Barnes, Chief Executive of the DrugScope charity added: "Although the reduction in numbers in treatment is consistent with an overall decline in drug use, the picture is complex when it comes to young people’s needs and the type of problems they are coming to services with. This includes problems associated with cannabis use."

Source: Telegraph UK 

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