Cannabis and Mental Functions
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X9606900209 |
| Published date | 01 April 1996 |
| Date | 01 April 1996 |
| Author | David Copestake |
| Subject Matter | Article |
DAVID COPESTAKE, BA, BD, M.Phil.
Psychologist, experienced in work with drug abusers
CANNABIS AND MENTAL
FUNCTIONS
Introduction
Just over 20 years ago, consultantpsychiatristElizabeth Tylden wrote that
although the clinical disadvantages of cannabis were extremely well
documented, they were not generally known "because there has been a
large promotional campaign (backed by some members of the medical
profession) which minimizes the adverse effects". I
In 1984, psychiatrist J. Carranza of the University of Texas School of
Medicine wrote of the serious denial that exists among mental health
professionals and physicians that cannabis is harmful. He said that
psychologists and psychiatrists are evading the issue and deny any
psychopathology "when cannabis is smoked socially'V
Every police officer will be familiar with the common claim that
cannabis is harmless and, more recently, that as it is a useful medicine it
ought to be legally available. This article describes the adverse effect of
various forms of cannabis use on mental functions. This will give an
understanding
of
the "cannabis mind", disturbed thinking, mental
abnormality and other adverse effects of the drug.
The "Cannabis
Mind"
Psychologists Thomas Lundqvistand Dan Ericsson ofthe Drug Treatment
Centre, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Lund,
Sweden, have observed that long-term cannabis users have a special way
of thinking, or pattern of thought. Their study is based on the annual
treatment at the out-patient clinic of 40-50 chronic cannabis users with a
range of daily abuse spanning between six months and 25 years. Due to
the long-term storage of THC (the main psychoactive substance in
cannabis) in fat, the use of cannabis more often than every six weeks for
two years will form this "cannabis pattern" of thinking and create a new
state of consciousness.
The chronic intoxication affects the cognitive processes in such a way
that the person cannot question or criticizehis or her behaviour and so will
be unable to change it if necessary. He or she will become passive,
unreflecting and blunted. Cannabis creates negative feelings that can be
difficult to cope with because of a concrete way of thinking. Not only do
panic andanxiety reactions appear, but also feelings ofloneliness,boredom
and of being misunderstood. The person will smoke cannabis to get rid of
the bad feelings; they do not go, but reappear, and so the urge to continue
the drugis reinforced. The study has employed items used bypsychologists
in testing IQ profiles as a framework for observations. These qualities are
not independent of each other, but interact together.
April 1996 The Police Journal 149
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