Abstract
<div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 447.989px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.923593);" data-canvas-width="392.83500000000015">The purpose of this review is to synthesise cannabis use data</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 471.318px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.862584);" data-canvas-width="392.8349999999999">from surveys, specialised alcohol and drug treatment centres,</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 494.648px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.869006);" data-canvas-width="392.805">cannabis-related trauma unit admissions and arrestee studies</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 517.977px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.909271);" data-canvas-width="238.32000000000002">over the past 12 years in South Africa.</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 555.49px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.935025);" data-canvas-width="392.835">Results indicate that cannabis is the most common illicit</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 578.819px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.914313);" data-canvas-width="392.84999999999997">substance used in South Africa, with particularly high use</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 602.149px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.855811);" data-canvas-width="392.7600000000001">among the youth. Current self-reported cannabis use was 5 -</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 625.478px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.912193);" data-canvas-width="392.77500000000003">10% among adolescents and 2% among adults, higher among</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 648.808px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.897703);" data-canvas-width="392.7749999999999">men than women, higher in urban than rural areas, higher</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 672.137px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.886058);" data-canvas-width="392.74499999999995">in the urban provinces of Western Cape and Gauteng than</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 695.467px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.875593);" data-canvas-width="392.8349999999999">the other provinces and higher among coloureds and whites</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 718.796px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.940702);" data-canvas-width="392.79">than other racial groups. Cannabis is commonly misused by</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 742.126px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.927193);" data-canvas-width="392.7899999999999">trauma patients (29 - 59%) and is often associated with crime</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 765.455px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.847996);" data-canvas-width="392.82">(39%). There has been an increase in seizures and treatment</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 788.785px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.882278);" data-canvas-width="392.805">demand for cannabis. The current (2006) treatment demand</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 812.114px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.896133);" data-canvas-width="392.79">for the whole country was 17% for cannabis and 3.4% for</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 835.444px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.901687);" data-canvas-width="392.82000000000005">cannabis and mandrax (methaqualone), which has implications</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 858.773px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.916696);" data-canvas-width="392.8350000000001">for treatment service delivery. Screening and brief intervention</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 882.103px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.917804);" data-canvas-width="392.81999999999994">of substance (cannabis) use should be included in health care</div><div style="left: 81.8143px; top: 905.432px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.854401);" data-canvas-width="49.185">settings.</div>
Highlights
The purpose of this review is to synthesise cannabis use data from surveys, specialised alcohol and drug treatment centres, cannabis-related trauma unit admissions and arrestee studies over the past 12 years in South Africa
Results indicate that cannabis is the most common illicit substance used in South Africa, with high use among the youth
Cannabis is commonly misused by trauma patients (29 - 59%) and is often associated with crime (39%)
Summary
The purpose of this review is to synthesise cannabis use data from surveys, specialised alcohol and drug treatment centres, cannabis-related trauma unit admissions and arrestee studies over the past 12 years in South Africa. Cannabis is not indigenous to southern Africa, having probably been introduced into the Mozambique area in pre-colonial times by Arab traders many centuries ago. It was adopted by the Khoikhoi as a valued intoxicant and herbal remedy that was chewed or boiled, and was traded from the Xhosa communities living in the eastern parts of South Africa. Current estimates put the amount of land under cultivation at 1 000 - 1 200 hectares This estimate still places South Africa among the top four herbal cannabis sources in the world, according to Interpol.[5] A considerable effort is dedicated to both eradication of the crop and to seizures, with large quantities discovered by the police annually. Poor security and lack of intelligence within the police service, have been blamed for increased trafficking of illicit cannabis
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