Sweden supports WHO conference on the adverse health effects of cannabis

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A World Health Organisation (WHO) expert conference was held in Bro, near Stockholm, on 21–23 April. “Sweden is giving its support to this WHO expert conference because we want the debate on the health effects of cannabis use to be based on science and research,” said Per-Anders Sunesson, head of the Division for Families and Social Services, in his opening address.

Bo G. Pettersson, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Paul Griffith, Scientific Director at the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and Maria Renström, WHO.
Bo G. Pettersson, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Paul Griffith, Scientific Director at the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and Maria Renström, WHO. Photo: Lina Pastorek/Government Offices Regeringskansliet

Sweden wishes to contribute to a knowledge-based discussion on cannabis, where the reasoning is based on research and science rather than opinion. For this reason, the Swedish Government was pleased to host WHO’s expert conference ‘Scientific meeting on harms to health due to cannabis use’, whose aim was to increase knowledge on the adverse health effects of cannabis use and abuse.

Concrete support from Sweden

As this was an independent research conference, WHO was responsible for its content and structure and selected the researchers who took part. Its ambition was to update the organisation’s research review from 1997.

The Swedish Government’s concrete role was to provide the funds to cover travel, venue and other costs to enable WHO to hold the conference.

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