Cannabis causes learning disabilities and should not be legalised, says Dr Lochan Naidoo, president of the SA Federation for Mental Health.
|||Durban - Cannabis causes learning disabilities and should not be legalised. That is the opinion of Dr Lochan Naidoo, president of the South African Federation for Mental Health.
Naidoo, who spoke at the annual general meeting of Durban Coastal and Mental Health held in Durban on Thursday, said substance abuse, including cannabis, had a major impact on mental health.
“Cannabis is a gateway drug. It’s not bad because it’s illegal, it’s illegal because it’s bad for you. Cannabis causes learning disabilities,” he said.
Naidoo also expressed concern over the abuse of whoonga, cocaine and the trend of new psychoactive substances - drugs made in laboratories.
“Africa has a largely unguarded coast and, as a result, drugs are flowing in and organised crime syndicates test these substances on our people.
“We are not going to stop the flow, so we need to develop resilient children who will say no to drugs,” said Naidoo, who added that more proactive parenting by fathers was needed.
The scandal over mental health patients in Gauteng dying in NGOs, and the debate over whether cannabis should be legalised, have brought mental health issues into the spotlight.
Naidoo said more preventative measures were needed.
The WHO has said that by 2030, depression will be the leading illness across the globe and related costs would have a major impact on economies.
With this forecast, the SA Federation for Mental Health is launching a mental health “first aid” programme in October in which businesses, schools and organisations will be taught how to provide basic mental health first aid.
Executive director of Durban and Coastal Mental Health, Gita Harrie said mental health first aid was a relatively new concept.
High rates of violent crime, road accidents, domestic abuse and poverty were traumatic and could trigger mood and anxiety disorders, substance abuse, psychological distress and impairment in social functioning. “Learning how to provide mental aid health first aid will enable people to support distressed individuals in the same way they do in physical health crises,” said Harrie.
Independent on Saturday