Publication Highlights

The health effects of cannabis use may not always be seen as a high priority for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities yet the impact of cannabis use on physical and mental health can have significant consequences, according to a new ‘Review of cannabis use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’.

Led by NDRI researchers and published by the Alcohol and Other Drugs Knowledge Centre, the review highlights:

• high rates of cannabis use;
• use of high potency cannabis has increased over the past two decades, with a corresponding increased risk to health;
• this increase has been matched by a reduction in the perception that cannabis use is harmful; and
• use of cannabis with other drugs, especially tobacco, is concerning and should be an important item on the Aboriginal health agenda.

The review highlights protective factors that reduce harms from cannabis use and suggests future directions for collaborative culturally secure approaches in addressing cannabis related harms in communities.

Read the Review here