Vulnerability factors of problematic cannabis use

Introduction The cannabis use has increased widely in Tunisia during the ten past years, especially in adolescents and young adults. Cannabis use can lead to mental and physical health problems. Objectives The aim of the study was to determine the factors associated to problematic cannabis use. Methods This was a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study including 115 subjects arrested for suspected drug use, carried out using a pre-established questionnaire, the CAST (Cannabis Abuse Screening Test) for the assessment of cannabis use, the Hamilton Anxiety and Depression scale, the 5-word Test of Dubois for memory evaluation, and the Rosenberg scale for the assessment of self-esteem. A urine dosage of cannabis was also performed. Results The mean age of the study population was 25.19 ± 6.7 years. The sex ratio was 8.16. the problematic users represented 73.9% of the study population. The cannabis was used in the form of joints. Memory decline was noted in 73% of the cases, and 52% of users had anxiety and depression symptoms. Problematic use was associated to male gender (p<0.001), to an age older than 21.5 years (p= 0.01), to early initiation (p= 0.005), to memory decline (p= 0.003) and the higher scores of anxiety (p< 0.001) Conclusions The frequency of cannabis consumption and the vulnerability factors of problematic use must be taken into account in prevention campaigns. Disclosure of Interest None Declared