‘Irish Govt failing to counter unrelenting pro-cannabis messaging’, say doctors

Doctors have accused the Irish Government and Health Service Executive (HSE) of ignoring the “huge amount of avoidable misery” caused by cannabis, including record numbers of hospital admissions.

The group of specialists said the authorities are failing to counteract “relentless pro-cannabis messaging” in the media.

According to the medics, an estimated 22,000 people are hooked on cannabis in the country, and 2020 saw more than 1,000 hospital admissions due to the drug.

‘Pro-cannabis messaging’

Cannabis remains the “most common substance generating demand for addiction treatment by people under 25 years old”, the experts said.

“In spite of the evidence of substantial and increasing harms, the public perception of the harms of cannabis has continued to decline. This, in turn, drives up use.”

They added: “While there is unrelenting pro-cannabis messaging on social and traditional media, there has been little attempt by Government or HSE to counter this with factual information”.

“In spite of the evidence of substantial and increasing harms, the public perception of the harms of cannabis has continued to decline. This, in turn, drives up use.”

Ruining lives

The group said that legalising cannabis would be a mistake as data from the US and Canada indicate that it “not only fails to improve the situation, but it actually increases public health problems”.

They said the impact is most evident among young adults, with more than ten per cent using the drug daily where it has been legalised.

The doctors said they are “growing tired of seeing young lives, and the lives of their families, being derailed by the use of this drug.

“Cannabis problems are evident in every community – rural and urban – from the most affluent to the most deprived.”