Cheap high, Expensive lesson. Always the case?

Most partygoers who use drugs on a night out will not experience negative effects, except for a bad hangover. But for a few it might end in regrettable decisions, such as a bad trip or loss of control over their use in the long run. But what determines whether someone will have a positive experience or develop problematic drug use? We will discuss the different methods we are using in order to determine factors related to drug outcomes in a pan-European study, including longitudinal surveys, smartphone apps and why it’s also important to talk to people face to face at clubs and festivals.

Globally, more people use cannabis than any other illicit drug, with roughly half of them starting before they are 18 years old. The scientific literature is littered with assertions that starting cannabis use at an earlier age leads to increased risks of negative outcomes, including addiction, psychosis and poorer school achievement. But, what does the evidence actually say? In this talk I will discuss what the science to date tells us about effects of cannabis use in teenagers and adults, and describe a new study we are running at UCL to investigate these further.