Cannabis 'is making teenagers impotent', say doctors

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Growing numbers of teenage boys are being treated for impotence after smoking cannabis for several years.

Doctors have reported a large rise in cases of young men seeking advice to combat potential lifelong impotence.

They said most have a history of heavy cannabis abuse.

Experts are now calling for more research to be carried out into the links between sexual dysfunction and the drug.

Anecdotal evidence already points towards its role in causing impotence and in lowering testosterone and sexual desire.

Ian Russell, a specialist nurse practitioner in andrology and urology at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary in Scotland, said:

"In my clinic I see youngsters from the age of 17 onwards with sexual dysfunction. The age of onset of smoking cannabis is young, ten-year-olds in some areas.

"Puberty's kicking in and they're smoking regularly - five, six joints a week.

"This can potentially suppress and traumatise the formation of leydig cells, which secrete testosterone, in the testes.

"It means these kids, when they hit 14 or 15, will have sexual problems; for instance, not being able to get an erection, and possibly not have any sexual desire and a very, very low testosterone level.

"This is not healthy, let's put it that way."

Professor Sheena Lewis, one of the UK's leading experts on male reproduction, said: "I don't know of anyone who has done research on impotence and cannabis. It's about time someone did."

The research can to light as it emerged today that Gordon Brown has decided to throw out the recommendation by a high-powered group of government advisers who say cannabis should stay a "soft" drug.

The Prime Minister will instead take a hard line, sending a message that drugs are dangerous to young people's health and heavily linked to serious crime.

His stance was confirmed on the day that the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs was handing in an official report that is understood to recommend that cannabis should remain in the lowest category of illegal drugs, Class C.