POLICE ASSOCIATION OF NOVA SCOTIA 83 continued Know the Risks and Effects continued or personal history of psychotic disorders. Some studies have suggested that cannabis may also increase the risk of anxiety and depression over time.3 What’s regular cannabis use? Regular use of cannabis means that the use of cannabis occurs regularly over time. It may involve using cannabis every day, or every weekend over a period of several months or over a number of years. Early and frequent cannabis use is linked with poor performance in school, lower grades, and an increased risk of dropping out. The evidence is still unclear as to whether regular use affects an adolescent’s IQ,4 however, research suggests that early, regular, heavy, and longterm use of cannabis by teens may impair their cognitive abilities and may not be fully reversible.5 Youth might be particularly vulnerable to these negative outcomes due to the extensive changes that are taking place in the brain during adolescence, especially the ongoing development and maturation of the prefrontal cortex, which is critical to higherorder cognitive processes such as impulse control, working memory, planning, problemsolving and emotional regulation.6 Cannabis, just like any other drug, can lead to addiction. It has an effect on the brain’s reward system – as do all other addictive drugs – the likelihood of developing problem use or addiction increases considerably for those who start young.7 Early and regular cannabis use does affect the health of youth. With the exception of impaired driving, cannabis use is unlikely to result in permanent disability or death, but too much of the drug in a person’s system can have harmful effects. 1 – CCSA, 2015; Beirness and PorathWaller, 2017 2–4, 7 – George & Vaccarino, 2015 5 – Meier et al, (2012) 6 – Drug Alcohol Depend, Winters & Lee, 2008 Effects & Risks of Cocaine & Crack An overdose of cocaine can be lethal. Death may occur as a result of an abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia), stroke, seizures or respiratory arrest (breathing stops). There is no specific antidote that can reverse the effects of the drug. If you think that a person has overdosed, contact emergency services immediately. Health Hazards & LongTerm Effects Taking large amounts of cocaine for a long time can have many unwanted effects. People using cocaine may become depressed, have mood swings, or become restless and excitable. Their behaviour may be erratic, bizarre, or violent. Some people become psychotic and can experience: • Paranoia – smoking crack cocaine can produce particularly aggressive paranoid behaviour in users. • Hallucinations • Delusions Heavy users may have trouble sleeping, may change between feelings of intense hunger and a lack of interest in food. Cocaine users often develop social problems. They may become preoccupied with buying, preparing, and using the drug. School and job performance may suffer. Cocainerelated deaths are often a result of cardiac arrest or seizures followed by respiratory arrest.
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