PREMIUM --

Embargoed to 1800 Sunday May 22
File photo dated 29/10/2003 of a man smoking a cannabis joint. Excessive use of cannabis could lead to brittle bones, new research suggests. Scientists from the University of Aberdeen have found that molecules on the surface of bone cells are targeted by cannabis chemicals. They discovered that drugs which block these cannabinoid receptors may prevent bone loss. But the flip-side to the research is that smoking cannabis is likely to promote osteoporosis. See PA story HEALTH Bone. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Photo credit should read: PA