CannabisIntervention Workbook

safer communities, healthier lives

www.cri.org.uk First published October 2010

Page 1 of 20

CannabisBrief description: Cannabis is made from parts of the cannabis plant.It is classed as a sedative giving you a relaxed feeling. Cannabis canalso act as a hallucinogen. The main active compound in cannabis istetrahydocannabinol (THC).

Street names: There are many street names for cannabis, some ofthe most popular include: dope, ganja, grass, hash, marijuana, pot,puff, resin, skunk, wacky backy and weed.

Effects: The effects of cannabis can vary from person to person,however in most cases the user becomes relaxed and happy. Othersget the giggles or become talkative and others simply feel sick.Studies suggest that if you use cannabis on a regular basis you aremore at risk of developing a psychotic illness (includingschizophrenia) at a later date.

Page 2 of 20

Cannabis and the law

Cannabis is ILLEGAL; it’s a class B drug!!

Possession:

• If you get caught with even a small amount of cannabisthe Police will confiscate the drug and you can bearrested.

Supply:

• The maximum penalty for supplying cannabis is 14 yearsor an unlimited fine.

Page 3 of 20

The Risks

• If you use cannabis you run the risk of becoming anxious,panicky, or paranoid.

• Cannabis contains many chemicals that can cause lungdisease or possibly cancer, especially if you smoke a lot ofcannabis for prolonged periods of time.

• Cannabis increases your heart rate and consequently canaffect your blood pressure.

• Using cannabis puts you at an increased risk of developinga psychotic illness.

• If you use cannabis on a regular basis it can reduce yoursperm count and can suppress ovulation in women.

• Using cannabis whilst pregnant may result in the babybeing born smaller than expected.

• Using cannabis can affect your concentration.

Page 4 of 20

Available Treatment Options

This section outlines some of the main kinds of treatment whichhave been found to be helpful for drug and alcohol problems. Pleasecontact your local CRI service for further information on the servicesand treatment options available in your area.

Advice, information and harm reduction

This can include information about:

• drugs and their effects• advice on reducing and giving up• information on safer usage• advice and information on preventing infections associated

with drug misuse, particularly hepatitis A, B and C, and HIV(blood-borne viruses), as well as how to access testing, adviceand support around these conditions.

• how to get further help around your drug use• how to get help for other problems such as housing, sexual

health etc.• information for carers, partners and families of individuals who

use drugs

Key work

Key work involves regular meetings with a drugs professional whowill help you identify a care plan around your drug use and any otherrelated problems (such as housing, health, legal issues and so on),and work with you to support you in achieving your goals, includingaccessing other treatment services.

Page 5 of 20

Counselling and psychological support

This involves formal, structured sessions with clearly definedtreatment plans and goals, which are regularly reviewed. Thesessions can include different approaches which can help you gaincontrol over your drug use, such as cognitive behaviour therapy(CBT), coping skills, relapse prevention therapy, motivationalinterventions and family therapies. Counselling and psychologicalsupport can either take place individually or in groups.

Structured day programmes

Structured day programmes usually run a timetable of activities for afixed period of time (for example 12 weeks), which you can attendover several days a week, as agreed in your care plans. Programmesoften include group work, counselling, education and life skills andcreative activities.

Complementary therapies

Complementary therapies are physical treatments, such asacupuncture, massage, or relaxation, which can promote a sense ofphysical and mental wellbeing, as well as potentially helping youcope with cravings and some withdrawal symptoms. One of the mostwidely available complementary therapies for substance use is earacupuncture, where several very small needles are inserted into eachear. The needles go into points on the ear that are thought to affectparts of the body concerned with cleansing and detox.

Page 6 of 20

Assessment for residential rehabilitation

Local community drug and alcohol services can also provide you withinformation and support around residential rehab, if you want acomplete break from your current circumstances to work on yourdrug use.

Aftercare

Aftercare follows the end of structured treatment to help you keepup the positive changes you have made through treatment and alsoprovides support with other areas such as housing, education andemployment.

Self-help or mutual aid groups

Self-help or mutual aid groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous, involvepeople with similar issues coming together to help each other andcan offer a supportive environment for changing your drug use.

Page7of20

Cann

abisWorkb

ook

Thisworkboo

kwillhe

lpyoulook

atyour

curren

tcann

abisuseandho

wyoucanhe

lpyourselfcutdo

wnor

stop

usingcann

abiscompletely.

Step

1:Re

quires

youto

admitthat

your

cann

abisusehasbe

comeaprob

lem.Ifyoucanadmitthat

you

have

aprob

lem

with

cann

abis

then

youcangive

yourselftheop

portun

ityto

dosomething

abou

tit.

(Com

pleteworkshe

et1)

Step

2:Use

thecann

abisrecord

tohe

lpyoupinp

oint

howmuchcann

abisyouareusing,who

youchoo

seto

usecann

abiswith

,and

how

itmakes

youfeel.For

thene

xtweekcompleteacann

abisrecord.(Co

mplete

workshe

et2)

Step

3:Weighingup

thePros

andCo

nsof

your

cann

abisuse.(Com

pleteworkshe

et3an

d4)

Step

4:Listfour

ofthebe

stPros

andfour

oftheworstCo

nsfrom

your

list.(Com

pleteworkshe

et5)

Step

5:Re

lapseisusually

caused

byanu

mbe

rof

factors,so

give

considerationto

your

triggers

forusing

cann

abis.(Co

mpleteworkshe

et6)

Step

6:Prop

oseastop

orcutdo

wndate,the

nmakefirm

plansto

stop

orcutdo

wnyour

use.

(Com

plete

workshe

et7)

Step

7:Makesure

youareprep

ared

forcravings/w

ithdraw

al.(Co

mpleteworkshe

et8)

Page8of20

Workshe

et1:

Adm

itting

youha

veaprob

lem

withcann

abis:

Ask

yourselfthefollo

wingqu

estion

s:

Que

stion:

Yes

No

Doyousm

okecann

abisat

leasto

nceaweek?

Doyouusecann

abisto

helpyourelax?

Doyoufeelyoucouldstop

usingcann

abiswhe

neveryouwant?

Doyoupu

tthingsoffb

ecause

youareston

ed?

Doyoufeelfrustrated

ifyoucan’tsmokecann

abiswhe

nyouwant?

Doyouworry

abou

tthe

amou

ntof

cann

abisyouareusing?

Doyousometim

eshave

trou

bleremem

bering

whatyou

have

saidor

done

?Doyour

friend

sor

family

worry

abou

tthe

amou

ntof

cann

abisyouareusing?

Doyousometim

esthinkthat

youshou

ldcutdo

wntheam

ount

ofcann

abisyouareusing?

Doyousometim

esfeeldiscon

nected

from

life?

Doyousm

okecann

abisto

avoidde

alingwith

prob

lems?

Doyoustillen

joysm

okingcann

abis?

Now

that

youha

vean

swered

theab

ovequ

estion

s,do

youthinkthat

youha

veaprob

lem

withcann

abis?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Page9of20

Workshe

et2:

Cann

abisRe

cord

Day/tim

eHow

muchdidyouuse

Who

didyouusewith

How

diditmakeyoufeel

Page10of20

Workshe

et3:

Pros

ofCa

nnab

is

16.

15.

14.

13.

12.

11.

10.

9.8.

7.

6.

5.

4.

3.

2.1.

Prosof

cannabis

Page11of20

Workshe

et4:

Cons

ofCa

nnab

is

16.

15.

14.

13.

12.

11.

10.

9.8.

7.

6.

5.

4.

3.

2.1.

Consof

cannabis

Page12of20

Workshe

et5:Pros

andCo

ns

Listthefour

bestPros

from

your

lista

ndlistthe

four

worstCo

nsfrom

your

list?

Havinglistedthefour

bestandworstthings

abou

tusing

cann

abiswrite

downho

wyouno

wfeelabou

tcann

abisuse?

4.

3.

2.

1.

What

worries

you

mostfrom

your

Cons?

4.

3.

2.

1.

Listthebe

stPros

from

your

list

Page13of20

Workshe

et6:TriggersforUse

Relapsingback

into

cann

abisuseisusually

caused

byanu

mbe

rof

factors,so

tickthebo

xto

indicate

what

your

possibletriggersmight

be.

Triggerforcann

abisuse:

Yes,thismight

triggermeto

use

Nothiswou

ldno

ttrigger

me

touse

Keep

ingdrug

paraph

ernalia

intheho

use

Hanging

arou

ndwith

friend

swho

use

Thinking

abou

tcannabisallthe

time

Not

sticking

tomytreatm

ent/care

plan

Relatio

nshipprob

lems

Prob

lemssleeping

Feelingstressed

Boredo

m

Tiredn

ess

Page14of20

Workshe

et6Co

ntinue

d

Triggerforcann

abisuse:

Yes,thismight

triggerme

touse

No,

thiswou

ldno

ttrigger

meto

use

Impatie

nce(if

things

aren

’thapp

eningfasten

ough)

Frustration(if

things

don’tg

oyour

way)

Changesinyour

men

talhealth

.

Major

lifechanges(Death,B

irth

etc)

* * * * *Theabovelistissimplyaguideto

possibletriggers,pleaseaddanyfurthe

rtriggersthat

youthinkmight

causeyouto

usecann

abis

Page15of20

Workshe

et7:Plan

sto

Stop

orCu

tDow

nYo

urUse

From

your

triggerlist,makefirm

plansto

helpyoucutd

ownor

stop

your

cann

abisuse.

Exam

ple:

Trigger:

. * * *

Trigger:Havingdrug

paraph

erna

liain

theho

use.

I’mgoing

togetrid

ofallcann

abis

paraph

ernalia

from

myho

me.

Iwillmakesure

that

allparaphe

rnaliais

disposed

ofby:_________

Iwillno

tkeepanydrug

paraph

ernalia

onmeforfriend

sor

family.

Page16of20

Workshe

et7continue

d

From

your

triggerlist,makefirm

plansto

helpyoucutd

ownor

stop

your

cann

abisuse.

Trigger:

* * *

Trigger:

* * *

Page17of20

Workshe

et7continue

d

From

your

triggerlist,makefirm

plansto

helpyoucutd

ownor

stop

your

cann

abisuse.

Trigger:

* * *

Trigger:

* * *

Page18of20

Workshe

et8:Man

agingYo

urCravings

6. 5.

4.

3.2.

1.

Possible

distractions

Page19of20

Notes

Page20of20

Notes

Statement of purpose

CRI works to create safer and healthier communities.

We help people to break free from harmful patterns

of behaviour by delivering innovative services which

have a measurable impact on both health and

community safety issues.

Our services are hallmarked by an emphasis on

quality, a responsiveness to local priorities, and an

outstanding record of achieving targets.

For more information visit: www.cri.org.uk

These workbooks were originally written and

created by CRI Cumbria DIP.

Crime Reduction Initiatives (CRI) Registered Office: 3rd Floor, Tower Point, 44 North Road, Brighton BN1 1YRRegistered Charity Number in England and Wales (1079327) and in Scotland (SC039861)Company Registration Number 3861209 (England and Wales) Publication ID: 20100820T104900