More drug addicts are now hooked on cannabis

THE number of Scots treated for cannabis addiction has surged over ten years.

Some 20 per cent of people using drugs services cited the substance as their main addiction in 2016-17, compared with 14 per cent ten years previously.

Critics warned the figures were ‘a real cause for alarm’ and showed cannabis is far from the ‘harmless’ drug many people believe it to be.

The findings were published yesterday in the Scottish Drug Misuse Database’s annual report of assessments for specialist treatment.

This includes problem users making contact with services such as treatment in the community or hospitals.

In 2016-17, 11,721 people were assessed for specialist drug treatbis ment – numbers remaining relatively steady over the past decade.

Of those, 8,858 gave specific information on their main drug.

While there was a decline in those citing heroin as their main drug, from almost two-thirds to just under half, there was a rise in those saying it was cannabis. In 2006-07, this amounted to 1,384 people; in 2016-17, it was 1,763.

The study also found a rise in the use of cocaine/crack cocaine, with the number citing it as their main drug doubling from 5 per cent in 2009-10 to 10 per cent in 2016-17.

The report warned a fall in the price of cocaine could be behind its increasing popularity with drug users in Scotland. The UK Government has said the use of medicinal canna- will be reviewed following recent high-profile cases of children with severe epilepsy being denied access to cannabis oil to control seizures.

But research has shown that using cannabis recreationally risks addiction and mental health problems, and opens the door to the use of harder drugs.

Scottish Tory health spokesman Miles Briggs said: ‘These figures are real cause for alarm and show that cannabis is far from the harmless substance some would have us believe.

‘This also proves how important it is to separate the debate between allowing medicinal cannabis and having a free-for-all decriminalising approach.

‘There’s no question those who need the drug for medical purposes should be allowed to explore those options with their clinicians.

‘But allowing that cause to be hijacked by those who support its recreational use should absolutely be resisted.’

Public health minister Aileen Campbell said: ‘We have invested £746million to tackle problem substance use since 2008 and announced an additional £20million a year to support our forthcoming new drug and alcohol treatment strategy.

‘However, while the action we’ve taken is working for some, we need to do more to reach those who are not using services and meet the complex needs of those most at risk.

‘Under our new strategy, we will ensure people’s wider needs are taken into account and work across public services to tackle issues such as mental health, employability and homelessness.’

‘Real cause for alarm’