Psychiatric aspects of cannabis use in adolescents and young adults

A review of the psychiatric symptoms connected with cannabis use in adolescents and young adults is presented. Use of cannabis among teenagers can be perceived as a way of escaping from different kinds of conflicts in life. Cannabis use may be a way to provoke the parents. At the same time it is self-destructive and risky. Anxiety reactions, psychotic breakdowns may follow use. Heavy cannabis use may cause an 'amotivational syndrome'. The effects on the CNS seem to be reversible.