TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2002//
TI  - Mental health of teenagers who use cannabis. Results of an Australian survey
JO  - British journal of psychiatry
A1  - Rey, Joseph M.
A1  - Sawyer, Michael G.
A1  - Raphael, Beverley
A1  - Patton, George C.
A1  - Lynskey, Michael
SP  - 216
EP  - 221
VL  - 180
IS  - 
N2  - BACKGROUND: There is concern in the community about increasing cannabis use and its potential effect on health. AIMS: To ascertain the prevalence of cannabis use among Australian adolescents, associations with mental health problems, risk behaviours and service use. METHOD: Examination of data from a national representative sample of households comprising 1261 adolescents aged 13-17 years. Parents completed a psychiatric interview and questionnaires while adolescents completed questionnaires. RESULTS: One-quarter of the adolescents in the sample had used cannabis. There were no gender differences. Use increased rapidly with age, was more common in adolescents living with a sole parent and was associated with increased depression, conduct problems and health risk behaviours (smoking, drinking) but not with higher use of services. CONCLUSIONS: Cannabis use is very prevalent. The association with depression, conduct problems, excessive drinking and use of other drugs shows a malignant pattern of comorbidity that may lead to negative outcomes.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0007-1250
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -