Marijuana use ‘on the rise’

THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE FOUNDATION will not be pulled into a debate about the decriminalisation of marijuana use, but will continue its work in the treatment and rehabilitation of victims.

Marietta Carrington, director of human resources and client development, told the DAILY NATION in an interview earlier this week that they had seen a steady increase in the number of people who sought treatment for marijuana addiction.

She said the trend where older men went to Verdun House for alcoholic treatment had now shifted to younger men who turned up because of ganja addiction that started from early use of the substance.

“Alcohol is still big but marijuana is on the rise in terms of clients who are getting ill. You can have psychotic experiences and you can become addicted to the THC in marijuana. Anybody that becomes addicted, we refer to them as being sick because addiction is a disease,” Carrington said. (LK)

Please read the full story in today’s Daily Nation, or in the eNATION edition.