Cannabis use trends in South Africa
Authors: Peltzer Karl , Ramlagan Shandir 
Published: June 2017

<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>