CPDD 78th Annual Scientific Meeting Program

SYMPOSIA
Sunday, June 12
President’s Symposium
TITLE: Where There’s Smoke: U.S., Australasian, and European Cannabis Policies and Use
AUTHOR: Deborah Hasin 1,2
INSTITUTIONS: 1 Columbia University; 2 New York State Psychiatric Institute
Americans increasingly see marijuana as a harmless substance and favor its legalization; changes in state
laws regarding marijuana reflect these changing attitudes. Time trends in adolescent marijuana use are
reviewed, and the strength of evidence examined for a relationship between medical marijuana laws and
adolescent use. Increases over time in adult marijuana use, marijuana use disorders and other marijuanarelated
consequences are also reviewed, for the population as a whole and within major population
subgroups.
AUTHOR: Alison Ritter 3
INSTITUTION: 3 University of New South Wales
Cannabis use in Australia has been one of the highest in the world, yet cannabis policies in Australia have
not substantially changed and there is little appetite for a less prohibitionist approach (for example, as of
2013, only 26% of the population supported cannabis legalisation). Given policy stasis in Australia, it is
interesting to reflect on possible drivers for changing cannabis prevalence (which has decreased from 18%
last year use in 1998 to 10% last year use in 2013). Factors such as attitudes to smoking, and/or awareness
of health effects, may be more important than formal drug policies in driving changes in cannabis
prevalence rates.
AUTHOR: Marc Auriacombe 4,5,6
INSTITUTIONS: 4 University of Bordeaux (France); 5 CH Ch. Perrens and CHU Bordeaux, France;
6
University of Pennsylvania
Marijuana regulations across European countries vary wildly regarding both what is permitted and what is
not. There are also significant differences across countries in enforcement of cannabis laws. This gives us
an opportunity to examine data available in the different countries in relation to each country’s specific
regulations. Prevalence of overall use in adolescents and adults, as well as estimates of problem use will be
reviewed in this perspective.