Like with alcohol, some young people are using cannabis as a form of escapism to block out the stress and anxieties they may be experiencing, particularly during the pandemic.
At this juncture, it is difficult to gauge the political support.
It was the college’s sole intention to return the focus of the cannabis conversation to one that is centred on the harms of this drug, which psychiatrists are seeing every day in their practices and in addiction treatment facilities.
From my own perspective as a practising child and adolescent psychiatrist, I cannot see any public health basis for which cannabis should be legalised in this country.
Against a background of these prevention efforts, we know from the most recent general population survey from the National Advisory Committee on Drugs and Alcohol that 92% of adults in Ireland have avoided using any illegal drug in the past year.
Several states in the US have seen the incremental liberalisation of cannabis laws, these being preceded by very widespread, loose ‘medical’ cannabis policies, which started in the mid-1990s.
Usually in the area of public health, doctors examine countries with low rates of a problem, whether that be suicide, firearms injuries or drug abuse, and seek to learn from their success.
Researchers from McGill University in Montreal recently reported that cannabis legalisation was associated with a 16% increase in road fatalities, presumably connected to increased use or increased willingness by users to drive while under the influence.
Moreover, there is emerging and worrying evidence of increased suicidal behaviour linked to cannabis legalisation, especially in young men.
The Colorado Health Institute reports that cases have been increasing since 2013, with 2019 seeing the high-est number of suicides ever reported in the state.
They say that it will get rid of the criminal gangs and will reduce the potency of cannabis.
This success was achieved without any change to our drug laws, but by actively supporting the affected communities, via a network of local drug task forces and social regeneration initiatives.
We can take inspiration from our past successes and from places such as Iceland and its impressive Planet Youth prevention programme.