Psychosocial effects of longterm cannabis use in India. A study of fifty heavy users and controls

Fifty cases of heavy cannabis users in India (25 smokers of charas and 25 drinkers of bhang) were studied for their physical and mental health and compared with 25 non-user controls. The average duration of cannabis use was more than 10 years with an estimated average consumption of about 150 mg of THC daily. Physical health and nutrition were relatively poor in users and there were more respiratory complaints. No case of definite psychosis related to the use of cannabis was found in the series, though minor neurotic complaints were present in all groups. In the social sphere cannabis users gave more often a history of poor work record, family maladjustment and episodes of violent behaviour.