Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I second Senator O'Brien's amendment to the Order of Business. Will the Deputy Leader of the House arrange an early debate on a study carried out by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland on the use of cannabis, which showed it can physically change the brain and increase the risk of schizophrenia in adolescence of those who are genetically vulnerable? The study's lead author, Dr. Áine Behan, of the psychology department of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, launched the study. It is important we have this debate. I am former chairman of the National Drugs Advisory Committee of the Department of Health and we found cannabis is a gateway drug. There has been an increase in the use of this drug and growing cannabis has become more common. The most recent studies by the Department of Health found 8% of children of school-going age admitted smoking cannabis in the previous year, with 5% using drugs in the previous 30 days. It is a serious situation that can lead to harder drugs. It is important we debate this study in this House because it would be worthwhile to bring this to the attention of the public. There is an idea now that it is acceptable to advocate for the use of cannabis or even to use it. It is a dangerous drug, and this has at last been proven by this study. For a number of years I was chairman of the National Drugs Advisory Committee and we were quite convinced it was a gateway drug so it is important we do not ignore this report. The Government and the Garda Síochána must continue to clamp down on the growing, importation, distribution and use of cannabis in this country.