Cannabis is the "gravest threat to the mental health of young people in Ireland today," according to a new report.
The College of Psychiatrists in Ireland is urging the government to initiate a comprehensive campaign on the dangers of the drug.
It adds that potency in the drug has spiked in recent years, with hospital admissions for young people due to diagnoses related to cannabis quadrupled between 2005 and 2017.
As well as the 300 percent increase in hospital admission between 2005 and 2017, the body is warning one in three young people become addicted if they use it weekly, or more often.
It adds cannabis affects a teenager's ability to learn social and problem-solving skills, while potentially stunting cognitive ability and general emotional intelligence.
The college is calling on the government to initiate a comprehensive public awareness campaign on the dangers of the drug, adding psychiatric services are under huge pressure due to misconceptions that it's mostly harmless.
Reporting by Andrew Lowth
