Open AccessCANNABIS (BHANG, CHARAS) CONSUMPTION
Author(s) -
Fauzia Naz
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the professional medical journal/the professional medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2071-7733
pISSN - 1024-8919
DOI - 10.29309/tpmj/2016.23.05.1590
Subject(s) - cannabis , medicine , psychosocial , psychiatry , clinical psychology , cognition , snowball sampling , young adult , substance use , mental health , gerontology , pathology
Cannabis or marijuana is an illegal drug that is being used mostly by young adultscan have adverse effects i.e., dependence syndrome, impaired respiratory and cardiovascularfunctions, psychosocial and mental health disorders. Objective: The present study examinedthe effects of cannabis (including bhang & charas) consumption on emotional and cognitivedisturbances and depressive symptoms in young adults who use cannabis. The researchfurther explored that cannabis consumption frequency will mediate between emotional andcognitive disturbances and depressive symptoms in young adults. Study Design: Correlationalresearch design. Settings: Lahore city. Method: Sample included 200 young adults who usedcannabis in routine and 200 young adults who did not consume any kind of substance. Theage range of the sample was between 20 years to 27 years. Snowball sampling technique wasused to recruit sample. The comparison group was matched on age, education and socioeconomicstatus. Cognitive Failure Questionnaire1, Emotional Regulation Scale2 and PatientHealth Questionnaire3 were used as assessment measures. Results: Results showed thatyoung adults who use cannabis had higher emotional and cognitive disturbances and hadmore depressive symptoms compared to the normal controls. There was a significant positiverelationship and association between cannabis consumption and emotional and cognitivedisturbances and depressive symptoms. Cannabis consumption had mediating relationshipbetween cognitive and emotional disturbances and depressive symptoms. Implications of thestudy along with strengths and limitations of the current study are discussed.