I föreliggande studie har 18 artiklar granskats och analyserats när det kommer till cannabisanvändning och ungdomars attityder till drogen i svensk kontext. Detta har gjorts i form av en litteraturstudie. Syftet var att undersöka vilka attityder svenska ungdomar uppvisar till cannabis och hur dessa attityder förhåller sig till Howard Parkers normaliseringsteori. Resultatet har strukturerats upp efter fyra av normaliseringsteorins fem dimensioner. Slutsatserna som kan dras utifrån studiens resultat är att det finns ett ökat ifrågasättande av svensk narkotikapolitik, som i sin tur har bidragit till mer liberala attityder hos ungdomar när det kommer till cannabis. Hälften av svenska skolungdomar har inte heller fått någon undervisning i skaderiskerna när det kommer till användning av tobak, alkohol och narkotika. Detta kan vara en direkt effekt eller en indikation på varför ungdomar visar upp mer positiva attityder till narkotika. Även om andelen cannabisanvändare inte ökar i Sverige, så kan det konstateras att frekvensen av cannabisanvändningen har ökat markant den senaste tiden. / In this study, 18 articles have been reviewed and analyzed when it comes to cannabis use and the attitudes of adolescents to the drug in Swedish context. This has been done in the form of a literature study. The purpose was to examine the attitudes of Swedish adolescents to cannabis and how these attitudes relate to Howard Parker´s normalization theory. The result has been structured after four of the normalization theory´s five dimensions. The conclusions that can be drawn from the study´s results are that there is an increased questioning of Swedish drug policy, which in turn has contributed to more liberal attitudes in adolescents and when it comes to cannabis. Half of Swedish schoolchildren have also not recieved any education in the risks of harm when it comes to the use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs. This could be a direct effect or an indication of why adolescents show more positive attitudes towards drugs. Although the proportion of cannabis users does not increase in Sweden, it can be stated that the frequency of cannabis use has increased significantly recently.

A repressão ao tráfico de drogas tem sido um dos principais focos de ação da segurança pública nacional e internacional, devido aos graves problemas de saúde pública associados ao consumo, bem como a grande quantidade de crimes associados ou resultantes deste consumo. Os resultados do Relatório Mundial de Drogas de 2013 das Nações Unidas mostram que a demanda estimada por drogas não está reduzindo consideravelmente. Conforme este relatório, a maconha continua sendo a substância ilícita mais utilizada no mundo, embora tenha havido uma redução no crescimento de seus usuários. Uma das formas de combater o tráfico de drogas, direcionando as investigações e apontando as possíveis rotas, é a identificação de sua origem pela rastreabilidade. Isso pode ser realizado através da observação da composição química ou orgânica do material, baseando‐se no conceito de marcadores. No caso da maconha, em que o uso direto de partes da planta, os marcadores podem ser identificados na composição da própria planta, influenciados pelas características genotípicas das plantas e pelas condições ambientais a que estas estão submedidas durante o desenvolvimento. Assim, foram realizadas análises da concentração química elementar, das relações isotópicas de 15N/14N e 13C/12C e de marcadores genéticos específicos em amostras de Cannabis coletadas em diferentes pontos ou locais de cultivo no Nordeste brasileiro, cultivadas em ambiente controlado e apreendidas em ações policiais, a fim de identificar corretamente o local de cultivo (rastrear sua origem). Os resultados obtidos foram processados no método estatístico multivariado de análise discriminante múltipla. As análises de concentração química elementar e o sistema de marcadores genéticos utilizados para rastrear a origem da Cannabis mostraram capacidade de classificar corretamente as amostras avaliadas, de acordo com o seu local de cultivo ou coleta. Por outro lado, a relação isotópica não foi adequada para separar as amostras de tecido vegetal de Cannabis, de acordo com seu local de cultivo ou coleta no Nordeste brasileiro. Dessa forma, verificou-se que as análises da concentração química elementar e de genotipagem por sistema de marcadores (multiplex 13-loci STR) podem ser utilizadas como marcadores ou indicadores para rastrear a origem de amostras de Cannabis, inclusive com a exatidão necessária para uso policial e forense. / The repression of drug trafficking has been one of the main action focus of national and international public security, due to the serious public health problems associated to the drug consumption, as well as the large amount of crimes associated or resulting from drug consumption. The results of World Report on Drugs of 2013 by the United Nations show that the estimated demand for drugs is not reducing considerably. According to this report, marijuana continues to be the most used illicit substance in the world, although there had been a reduction in the increase of its users. One of the ways to combat drug trafficking, leading investigations and pointing out possible routes, is the identification of its origin through traceability. That can be accomplished through the observation of the chemical or organic material composition, based on markers concept. In the case of marijuana, in which direct use of parts of the plant, the markers can be identified in the composition of the plant itself, influenced by the plant genotypic characteristics and the environmental conditions to which they are submeasured during development. Thus, analysis of elemental chemical concentration, stable isotopes analysis (15N/14N and 13C/12C) and specific genetic markers were performed on Cannabis samples collected in different cultivation sites in Brazilian Northeast, samples from plants grown in a controlled environment and police seized samples, in order to identify correctly the cultivation place (trace its origin). The achieved results were processed in the multiple discriminant analysis (MDA). The analysis of elemental chemical concentration and the genetic markers system used to trace the origin of Cannabis showed the ability to classify correctly the evaluated samples, according to their cultivation or collection site. On the other hand, the stable isotopes analysis was not suitable for sorting out the samples of Cannabis plant tissue, in accordance with their cultivation place in Brazilian Northeast. Therefore, it has verified that analysis of elemental chemical concentration and genotyping by markers system (multiplex 13 – loci STR) may be used as markers or indicators to trace out the origin of Cannabis samples, even with the required accuracy for police and forensic use.

Cannabis, den mest använda av narkotikaklassade preparat i världen, har legaliserats i olika länder och sägs ha medicinska fördelar. Samtidigt som det är och behandlas som en illegal substans i Sverige existerar utmanande diskurser som ifrågasätter det rådande restriktiva förhållningssättet. Syftet med denna uppsats har varit att utforska individuella förhållningssätt till cannabis bland socionomstudenter på Umeå universitet, samt diskutera resultaten i förhållande till den kommande yrkesrollen bland studenterna. Fenomenologi som metodologisk utgångspunkt har använts då det är studenternas egna idéer och förhållningssätt som har varit av intresse att utforska. Datainsamlingsmetoden som använts är semi-strukturerade intervjuer, med totalt nio respondenter. Analysförfarandet av transkriberingarna har liknat det synsätt som grounded theory förespråkar vid analys av empiriskt material, där analysverktyg som öppen kodning och kategorisering använts. Ambivalens, Balansgång och Inverkan är tre teman som identifierats under analysen av det insamlade materialet, och resultatet presenteras utifrån dessa. Majoriteten av respondenternas förhållningssätt till cannabis beskrevs som liberalt eller neutralt av respondenterna själva, dock varierade ställningstaganden vid frågor om legalisering. En klar majoritet ställer sig emot en legalisering för allmänt bruk, men en legalisering för medicinskt bruk är någonting de ställer sig bakom. Gränsdragningar gjordes av respondenterna beroende på vilken diskurs som berördes och åtskillnader mellan personliga och professionella åsikter gjordes både medvetet och omedvetet. Trots skillnader i resonemang och förhållningssätt så var majoriteten av respondenterna medvetna om den inverkan personliga åsikter kan ha på den framtida yrkesrollen. Ett slutligt ställningstagande togs av en majoritet om att allt bruk av illegala substanser kan vara problematiskt, dock problematiserades det hela när respondenternas egna presenterade åsikter om cannabis skiljde sig från det mer professionella förhållningssättet. Utbildningen tycks ha genererat ny kunskap och ökad förståelse som därmed har haft inflytande på de flesta av respondenternas personliga och professionella utveckling, något som i sin tur kan påvisa den förändring i attityd, till bland annat cannabis, som kan ha skett under utbildningens gång. Olika diskurser i samhället som influerar åsikter och attityder kring cannabis påverkar i sin tur resultaten i en undersökning som denna, där personliga och professionella åsikter ställs mot varandra.

The type of cancer pain management used may have an effect on the quality of life (QOL) of cancer patients. Researchers have determined that cancer patients are inadequately treated for pain and pain management is an essential determinant of patient survivability and QOL. Numerous clinical studies have been accomplished concerning opioid administration and noncancer and cancer pain management exist. Previous studies have examined the relationship between cannabinoid products, noncancer pain, cancer pain, and related QOL for patients but have not focused on the QOL of cancer patients while also moderating for gender. These relationships were investigated using the health belief model. The cancer pain management treatments (opioids and/or marijuana [cannabis]) and QOL, measured with World Health Organization Quality of Life Survey (WHOQOL-BREF), of 236 cancer patients were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), planned contrasts, post hoc tests, and moderated ANOVA (PROCESS tool) in the causal-comparative research. Research findings indicated significant benefit in cancer patient physical and psychological QOL in participants using marijuana when compared to participants using opioids and physical QOL for participants using marijuana over participants using both opioids and marijuana combined. Enhanced pain management options for cancer patients in order to reduce opioid side effects, increase pain treatment effectiveness, and improve patient QOL could yield positive social change. Growing rates of opiate addiction, abuse, and mortality are public health concerns and cannabis may be an effective pain treatment to reduce these social costs. This research may be of use to legislators considering rescheduling marijuana to less than Schedule I.

Does Nimbin have a drug problem? This tiny village in north-eastern NSW has an international reputation for its alternative community and its street drug market. Ever since the Aquarius Festival thirty years ago Nimbin has fascinated the media, and recurrent headlines about the village's (undefined) 'drug problem' suggested my research topic. My research aim was to investigate the meaning/s of Nimbin's 'drug problem' in the context of Nimbin's 'alternative' culture. Because the topic of illicit drugs is both ethically challenging and highly sensitive, my research design was strongly participant-focused, with an emphasis on confidentiality balanced by a mixed methodology to cross-validate results. My methods included an anonymous household (door-to-door) survey based on a national household survey; an anonymous mailed-back survey of Nimbin and Lismore drug injectors; taped interviews with health and legal professionals, cannabis activists and drug dealers; semi-structured interviews with 'professional' cannabis crop growers; and participant observation over several years. I found the multi-method research design to be particularly effective for investigating illegal drug marketing and use, and the design provided me with multiple perspectives on a complex issue. Superficially, there appeared to be two drug 'problems' in Nimbin — one was the (largely cannabis) street market, and the other revolved around heroin users, and included complaints about scruffy-looking people hanging around the main street, or overdosing in the public toilet. However, my research suggested that these issues, while immediately comprehensible as 'drug problems', obscured more complex issues. For example, the village's street drug market was intertwined with the local economy and with the alternative community's values and drug use, while close to half of the drug injectors lacked secure housing (which creates problems that are not related to heroin), and all heroin users were blamed for the actions of few. Many factors influence the creation and maintenance of what we might call 'problems', and drugs are frequently blamed for broader social problems. What is Nimbin’s drug problem? The answer depends, in part, on the drug of interest, but more importantly it depends on your definition of a ‘problem’. Some useful and meaningful perspectives on this important social issue include quantified indicators such as death, injury, arrest rates, the economics of black markets, the demographics of drug use, and estimates of ‘social costs’. Qualitative perspectives include people’s opinions about drugs, media-generated moral panics, the effects of social marginalisation, and the role of drug cultures. A number of ‘drug problems’ arise as a direct result of drug illegality. They include black markets, corruption, drug-related violence, theft, stronger forms of the drug, and more dangerous using practices (with the risk drug overdoses and HIV/AIDS), as well as public nuisance issues. Government policy, judicial sentencing and public opinion are moving towards the social reintegration of illicit drug users, but this is almost invariably counter-balanced by a toughening of legal sanctions against supply of the same drug. Most discussions about illicit drugs fail to consider the long-term implications of harsh penalties for, and elaborate and punitive police operations (such as occurred throughout my Nimbin research) against, small-scale independent growers and dealers. The only way to directly engage with drug markets and all the attendant problems, is to legitimise and regulate the supply of recreational drugs. I discuss several examples of the important role of the drug culture in mitigating problems caused by illegality. One example is the influence of Nimbin's alternative community on the style of the drug market. The village drug scene more closely resembles the many north coast village craft markets, than it does Kings Cross, Cabramatta or New York's Bronx. Buyers are north coast locals, along with national and international tourists (the small village is known to cannabis users world-wide, both through media attention and word-of-mouth). Nimbin offers a 'safe' village market ambience and competitive prices to a mainly cannabis using clientele. I suggest that there are two major underlying influences on the experience of a ‘drug problem’, regardless of the drug or the place. They are: 1. Political influences — specifically the effects of government policy on black markets, law enforcement practices, and access to services and resources; 2. Cultural influences — particularly the beneficial effects of norms and functional role models for the safe use of a drug, cultural effects on the drug market, and the role/s of the drug in the day-to-day life of the culture. These influences can operate with, or despite, each other, and can create or ameliorate many ‘drug problems’. In the case of Nimbin’s alternative culture, government policy has created a number of drug problems and the counter-culture has worked to minimise them. In my research into Nimbin’s ‘drug problem’ I have clarified some issues and raised a number of others. I have examined the notion of a ‘drug problem’ from several perspectives using a range of research tools, and discussed some key influences on the problem associated with drug use. Drawing from the Nimbin research and my reading, I suggest legalising the recreational drugs to bring them under the dual controls of supply legislation and social norms. In conclusion, I suggest that we need to be very clear about what ‘drug problem’ it is that we are talking about, and indeed, whether the problem is really about drugs at all.

Graduation date: 1999

The frequent consumption of alcohol and cannabis by youth poses both concern and ambivalence to society about the nature of the problem and how to respond. In the last few decades, social science research has devoted considerable attention to substance use among youth, making it an important issue to consider; however, controversy abounds when considering where consumption patterns of youth fall on a continuum from normal to deviant. Central to these debates is the social acceptability of the substances being used, their legal status, the frequency with which they are consumed, and the particular groups most often engaged in their use. Youth who consume alcohol are viewed with less trepidation than those who consume cannabis. Moreover, those who use either substance recreationally or experimentally are deemed to be more typical than those who have escalated their use to more regular or frequent episodes. Finally, drug-using youth who are embedded in conventional society are viewed more positively than those who occupy the margins of society, such as those who are delinquent or homeless. To fully understand the debate about the deviancy versus the normalcy of adolescent substance use, more inclusive approaches that take into account structural, individual and situational explanations are needed; however, existing studies fail to consider all of these influences. Instead, there is debate about the dominance of each of these explanations. This dissertation examines and tests these competing representations and explanations of adolescent substance use by drawing on multiple sociological theories of deviance including control theories, differential association theory, routine activity approaches, and drift theory. Using a combined sample of high school students and street youth, the findings suggest that adolescent substance use is far too complex to be explained by only one theory. Instead, explanations for the variations in substance use must take into account both individual backgrounds and more immediate situational influences. Most importantly, individual beliefs about substances are an important and often ignored aspect of individual substance use patterns.

El cànem (Cannabis sativa L.) és un cultiu que desperta en l'actualitat un gran interès per ser font de múltiples productes industrials renovables i tenir el perfil adequat per ajudar a establir sistemes agrícoles sostenibles, a més de ser un cultiu respectuós amb el medi ambient. L'objectiu principal d'aquesta tesi és estudiar agronòmicament diferents aspectes el cànem. En particular es pretén: i) estudiar l'efecte d'algunes tècniques culturals (adob nitrogenat, dosi sembra i data collita, així com culti-var) en el creixement del cultiu i la producció del cànem i ii) quantificar el possible efecte beneficiós del cànem com a precedent cultural del blat. Es van dur a terme tres assaig de camp des de l'any 1995 al 1999 a Merlès (42o N, 1o 99' E; 525 m d'altitud; 700 mm), als secans frescals del nord-est d'Espanya on cànem i blat es cultiven habitualment en rotació, en un sòl franc-arenòs i bàsic (pH=8,2; M.O.=1,7%). La densitat de cultiu del cànem va decréixer entre naixença i collita, més intensament a mida que adob N i dosi de sembra van augmentar. La densitat a naixença i l'autoaclarida van variar amb l'any, fet que pot resultar en una fibra de qualitat variable en secà. Adob N i dosi de sembra van afectar el creixement, rendiment i partició de la biomassa. El rendiment de biomassa (8814 kg ha-1) es va incrementar amb el N, si bé la dosi N òptima va variar amb l'any i la collita (30-50 kg N ha-1) i va ser superior per al cultiu per a gra i fibra, respecte al cultiu només per a fibra. El rendiment de biomassa i gra va decréixer a l'augmentar la dosi de sembra, mentre que la proporció de tija a la biomassa i de fibra cortical a la tija es van incrementar, si bé no justifiquen l'ús de dosis elevades, i uns 30 kg llavor ha-1 serien adequats per a la producció de gra i fibra en les condicions de l'assaig. Les culti-vars espanyoles Delta 405 i Delta-Llosa van tenir un rendi-ment de gra superior a Futura77 (francesa), però no es van diferenciar per als altres paràmetres. La presència de plantes mascle va ser important (10-35%), malgrat tractar-se de cv. monoiques.El cànem seria un bon precedent per al blat. L'efecte rotació -increment de rendiment de gra del blat rere cànem respecte al blat monocultiu- va ser de 1368 kg ha-1(47%) de mitjana, el qual va sorgir de l'increment del número d'espigues m-2 i del pes de 1000 grans. L'efecte rotació es va estendre al segon any de blat rere cànem (156 kg ha-1) i es va esvair per al tercer any de blat rere cànem, on rotació i monocultiu van mostrar rendiments similars. L'efecte rotació va variar amb l'adobat aplicat al cànem precedent. No adobar-lo, o reduir-ne dràsticament la dosi N, va disminuir el rendiment del cànem, va limitar l'increment de rendiment del següent blat i no va reduir el N nítric residual en el sòl després de la collita del cànem, ni a filloleig ni després de la collita del següent blat. És a dir, el N nítric residual que va deixar el cànem no seria el responsable de l'efecte rotació, sinó que suggereix relacionar-se amb la quantitat de fulla caiguda al sòl, a través d'algun dels seus components, a més de l'augment de l'estabilitat dels agregats del sòl que va originar el cànem. Tanmateix, aquest treball no va permetre explicar completament com el cànem va incrementar el rendiment del blat. A diferència del blat, el cànem es va adaptar bé al monocultiu, ja que va mostrar resultats similars al cànem en rotació.Es conclou que el cànem és un cultiu apropiat per als secans frescals, donat que va ser un bon precedent del blat, la producció de fibra va ser força estable i va destacar per tenir un rendiment de gra superior al que obtenen al centre i nord d'Europa, a més de no necessitar fitosanitaris i ajudar a suprimir les males herbes. I més en uns moments en què es parla de sostenibilitat, de rotacions de cultius i de reducció de fitosanitaris. No obstant, encara queda molt per investigar, com per exemple el motiu de l'increment de rendiment del blat rere cànem i si es poden obtenir culti-vars de cànem més ben adaptades a les condicions Mediterrànies. / El cáñamo (Cannabis sativa L) es un cultivo que despierta gran interés en la actualidad por ser fuente de múltiples productos industriales renovables y tener el perfil adecuado para ayudar a establecer sistemas agrícolas sostenibles, siendo un cultivo respetuoso con el medio ambiente. El objetivo principal de esta tesis es estudiar agronómicamente diferentes aspectos del cáñamo. En particular se pretende: i) estudiar el efecto de algunas técnicas culturales (abono nitrogenado, dosis siembra y fecha cosecha, así como cultivar) en el desarrollo del cultivo y la producción del cáñamo y ii) cuantificar el posible efecto beneficioso del cáñamo como precedente cultural del trigo. Se llevaron a cabo tres ensayos de campo desde el año 1995 al 1999 en Merlès (Barcelona; 42º N, 1º 99' E; 525 m altitud; 700 mm), en los secanos frescales del nordeste de España donde cáñamo y trigo se cultivan habitualmente en rotación, en un suelo franco-arenoso y básico (pH= 8,2; M.O.=1,7%). La densidad de cultivo del cáñamo disminuyó entre la nascencia y la cosecha, de forma más intensa al aumentar la dosis de N y de siembra. La densidad a nascencia y el autoaclareo variaron con el año, lo que puede resultar en una fibra de calidad variable en secano. Abono N y dosis de siembra afectaron al crecimiento, rendimiento y partición de la biomasa. El rendimiento de biomasa (8814 kg ha-1) se incrementó con el abono N, aunque la dosis óptima varió con el año y el momento de la cosecha (30-150 kg N ha-1) y fue superior para el cultivo para grano y fibra, respecto al cultivo solo para fibra. El rendimiento de biomasa y grano decreció al aumentar la dosis de siembra, mientras que la proporción de tallo en la biomasa y de fibra cortical en el tallo incrementaron, si bien no justifican el uso de dosis de siembra elevadas, y unos 30 kg semilla ha-1 serían adecuados para la producción de grano y fibra en las condiciones del ensayo. Los cultivares españoles Delta 405 y Delta-Llosa presentaron un rendi-miento de grano superior a Futura 77 (francesa), pero no se diferenciaron para el resto de parámetros. La presencia de plantas macho fue importante (10-35%), a pesar de ser cultivares monoicos.El cáñamo sería un buen precedente para el trigo. El efecto rotación -incremento de rendimiento de grano de trigo después de cáñamo respecto al trigo monocultivo- fue de 1368 kg ha-1 (47%) de media, el cual surgió del incremento del número de espigas m-2 y del peso de 1000 granos. El efecto rotación se extendió al segundo año de trigo después de cáñamo (156 kg ha-1) y desapareció para el tercer año de trigo después de cáñamo, donde rotación y monocultivo presentaron rendimientos similares. El efecto rotación varió con el abono aplicado al cáñamo precedente. No abonarlo, o reducir drásticamente la dosis de N, disminuyó el rendimiento del cáñamo, limitó el incremento del rendimiento del siguiente trigo y no disminuyó el N nítrico residual en el suelo después de la cosecha del cáñamo, ni en el ahijado ni después de la cosecha del siguiente trigo. O sea, el N nítrico residual que deja el cáñamo no sería el responsable del efecto rotación, sino que sugiere estar relacionado con la cantidad de hoja caída al suelo, a través de alguno de sus componentes, además del aumento de la estabilidad de los agregados del suelo que originó el cáñamo. Sin embargo, este trabajo no permitió explicar completamente como el cáñamo incrementó el rendimiento del trigo. A diferencia del trigo, el cáñamo se adaptó bien al monocultivo, dado que mostró resultados similares al cáñamo en rotación.Se concluye que el cáñamo es un cultivo apropiado para los secanos frescales, ya que fue un buen precedente del trigo, la producción de fibra fue bastante estable y tuvo un rendimiento de grano superior al que obtienen en el centro y norte de Europa, además de no necesitar fitosani-tarios y ayudar a suprimir malas hierbas. Y más aún en estos momentos en los que se habla de sostenibilidad, de rotaciones de cultivos y de reducción de fitosanitarios. No obstante, aún queda mucho por investigar, como por ejemplo el motivo del incremento de rendimiento del trigo y si se pueden obtener cultivares de cáñamo mejor adaptados a las condiciones mediterráneas. / Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is currently awakening great interest as a source of many renewable industrial products with a suitable profile to fit into sustainable farming systems, being an environmentally friendly crop. The main aim of this thesis was to study some hemp features agronomically. The specific objectives were: i) to study the effect of some cultural techniques (nitrogen fertilization, seeding rate, harvest date and cultivar) on crop development and hemp production and ii) to quantify the possible beneficial effect of hemp as a cultural precedent to wheat. Three field trials were carried out between 1995 and 1999 in Merlès (420 N, 10 99' E; 525 m above sea level; 700 mm average rainfall) in rainfed Temperate Mediterranean areas of northeastern Spain, where hemp and wheat are traditionally grown in rotation, in a sandy-loam, basic soil (pH=8.2; O.M.=1.7%).Plant density of hemp decreased between emergence and harvest especially when N dose and seeding rate increased. Plant density at emergence and self-thinning varied according to the year, which may result in a variable fibre quality under rainfed conditions. N fertilization and seeding rate affected growth, and yield and partitioning of biomass dry matter. The biomass yield (8814 kg ha-1) increased with N fertilizer, although the optimum N rate varied with the year and harvest date (30-150 kg N ha-1) and was higher when hemp was grown for seed and fibre rather than fibre alone. Both biomass and grain yield decreased when seeding rate increased, while proportion of stem in the biomass and bark fibre in the stem increased. Nevertheless, this does not justify using high seeding rates and about 30 kg seed ha-1 should be adequate for seed and fibre production. The Spanish cultivars Delta 405 and Delta-Llosa produced higher seed yield than Futura 77 (French), but no significant differences were found for other parameters. The male plants ratio was important (10-35%) although cultivars used are monoecious.Hemp is a good precedent for wheat. The rotation effect, expressed as the increase in grain yield of wheat after hemp compared to wheat monoculture, was 1368 kg ha-1 (47%) on average, which came from an increase in the number of spikes m-2 and from 1000 kernel weight. The rotation effect extended to a second year of wheat after hemp (156 kg ha-1) and disappeared in the third year of wheat after hemp, where rotation and monoculture showed similar yields. The rotation effect varied with the fertilizer applied to hemp. Non-fertilizing or drastically reducing the N rate applied to hemp decreased hemp yield, limited the yield of the following wheat and did not reduce residual soil NO3- after hemp harvest, at tillering or after the harvest of the following wheat. Thus, the residual soil NO3- left by hemp should not be responsible for the rotation effect, but seems to be related to the amount of leaf left in the soil through some of its components, apart from the increase in the stability of soil aggregates caused by hemp. However, this study did not allow a complete explanation of how hemp increased the yield of wheat. Unlike wheat, hemp proved to be well adapted to monoculture, since no significant differences with hemp rotation were found.It is concluded that hemp is a suitable crop for the rainfed Temperate Mediterranean areas as it was an excellent precedent to wheat, the production of fibre was quite stable and it gave higher grain yields than those obtained in the centre and north of Europe, moreover, hemp does not need biocides and helps to suppress weeds. It is even more appropriate nowadays when it is agreed that farming systems should become more sustainable, using appropriate crop rotations and applying less biocides. Nevertheless, there is still much research to be done, such as the cause of the increase in wheat yield after hemp and whether it is possible to obtain hemp cultivars better adapted to Mediterranean conditions.

No description available.

Background: Cannabis among patients admitted in psychiatric units is higher than the general population and this has been shown in various countries where studies on cannabis use have been undertaken. Such an observation has been made by psychiatrists in South Africa and the association between cannabis use and psychotic presentation among these patients has also been observed. Cannabis use by patients with severe or chronic medical illnesses to ameliorate the symptoms of such illnesses has been documented in the literature. A study to explore use of cannabis among psychiatric inpatients as well as medical patients was undertaken. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to firstly determine the prevalence of cannabis use in psychiatric patients admitted to an acute admissions unit in King Edward VIII Hospital and to correlate it with the psychiatric diagnosis. Secondly, it was to compare the cannabis use in psychiatric patients admitted to an acute admissions unit to patients admitted in a medical ward at King Edward VIII Hospital. Thirdly, to assess self reporting of cannabis use by psychiatric and medical patients. Methods: A case control study was conducted at King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban, where cannabis use among 64 subjects included in the study admitted in a psychiatric ward was compared with a control group of 63 control subjects admitted in a medical ward. Both groups were tested for urinary cannabinoids and a questionnaire was filled. The questionnaire contained demographic details as well as a question on use of substances including cannabis. Results: 17 subjects (26.6%) in the study group tested positive for urinary cannabinoids and 2 subjects (3.2%) in the control group tested positive. Cannabis use was significantly higher among males when compared to females in both the study group and the control group. Only 7 subjects in the study group reported cannabis use and out of those 7 subjects, 4 subjects tested positive for urinary cannabinoids. The commonest diagnosis among the study group subjects were the psychotic disorders and schizophrenia being the most common psychotic disorder. Conclusion: Cannabis use is significantly higher among psychiatric patients as compared to medical patients and it is probably higher than in the general population. Self reporting of cannabis use among psychiatric patients is low and unreliable and psychiatrists treating these patients must continue to use objective measures such as objective testing as well as collateral information to determine such use. In this study most subjects who tested positive for urine cannabis were likely to have a psychotic disorder and tended to be of younger age groups. The low prevalence of cannabis use in the control group makes it unlikely that there was a significant number of subjects in this group who were using cannabis for medicinal purposes. / Thesis (M.Med.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.