2. Cannabis and Its Effects AGGRESSION, VIOLENCE AND CRIME

Opinions in the literature on the relationship between cannabis and aggression. violence and crime are varied and contradictory. Laboratory studies of the acute effects of cannabis on human beings indicate that aggression and violence, at least under controlled conditions, are rare. Most investigators report a quieting or tranquilizing effect, although significant changes in behaviour are ordinarily difficult to detect at normal doses. No tendency towards aggression or violence was seen in connection with cannabis in any of the Commission experiments or social research. In a recent study, cannabis was much less likely than alcohol to produce signs of aggressiveness in a group of regular users of both drugs.108 In addition. no signs of cannabis caused aggression were seen in the Addiction Research Foundation's sub-chronic experimental study of daily marijuana use.436