• Doris Xin Yi Chia, NgCharis Wei LingCWLNational Addictions Management Service, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore., Pezhummoottil Vasudevan Nair Asharani, Sabina Au Yong, Jun Wen Tan, Noor Azizah Bte Zainuldin, Guan ChuaSamuel KeeSKNational Addictions Management Service, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore., Kuang LowLambert TchernLTNational Addictions Management Service, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore., Soon CheokChristopher ChengCCDepartment of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore., and Gomathinayagam Kandasami.
• National Addictions Management Service, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.
• Singap Med J. 2023 Jun 1; 64 (6): 385390385-390.

IntroductionCannabis has consistently been the third most commonly abused drug among drug arrestees in Singapore over the past few years. Accordingly, this study aimed to understand the profile of cannabis users in Singapore and explore the effects of cannabis use on drug progression.MethodsA total of 450 participants who had used cannabis at least once in their lifetime were recruited from the National Addictions Management Service, prisons, the Community Rehabilitation Centre and halfway houses from August 2017 to May 2018. A face-to-face questionnaire was administered and descriptive analyses were conducted.ResultsThe mean participant age was 40.9 ± 14.51 years, and 93.1% of them were male. The participants generally initiated cannabis use during adolescence, at a mean onset age of 16.5 ± 4.46 years. Most (89.6%) were introduced to cannabis by peers. Approximately half of them (46.9%) had used cannabis before other illicit drugs and 42.1% of them had used heroin as the succeeding drug.ConclusionIn Singapore, cannabis use is often initiated during adolescence, largely under peer influence. Cannabis users may progress to other illicit drugs, particularly heroin, later in life.

19 keywords...

hide…