Characteristics of Persons Registrated Due to Cannabinoid Abuse in Croatia - Do We Have enough Effective...

It is known that cannabis increases mood, decreases anxiety and causes mild euphoria, but also it can cause serious mental diseases. Previous studies showed harmful effects of cannabis and the aim of this study is to show characteristics of persons registrated because of cannabinoids abuse in Croatia in the period 2008-2018 and show effectiveness of interventions using statistic methods.

Research data were collected based on the national Registry of Treated Psychoactive Drug Abusers in period 2008 to 2018 and included 10 533 registrated persons. Statistical analysis was performed by chi-square test and binary logistic regression.

Results showed that men and very young people took cannabinoids more often than women and older people. There was a changing trend of registrated people in a ten-year period. The most commonly used intervention of obligatory healthcare treatment is consultation, but the difference between apstinents and people with unchanged status isn't statistically significant. The most people are referred by repressive mechanism and they are more likely to have apstinent status compared to unrepressive source of referral, with one exception - referred by the family. The highest probability of abstinence have those referred by the center for social welfare.

Registrated people were mostly referred by repressive way, which makes question of its efficiency and prevention of long term addiction, because system like that more likely stigmatizes and punishes young people, opposite to giving support and help.