TweetStudy: Even Infrequent Use of Marijuana Increases Risk of Psychosis by 40 Percent
Friday , July 27, 2007



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LONDON —

Using marijuana seems to increase the chance of becoming psychotic, researchers report in an analysis of past research that reignites the issue of whether pot is dangerous.

The new review suggests that even infrequent use could raise the small but real risk of this serious mental illness by 40 percent.

Doctors have long suspected a connection and say the latest findings underline the need to highlight marijuana's long-term risks. The research, paid for by the British Health Department, is being published Friday in medical journal The Lancet.

"The available evidence now suggests that cannabis is not as harmless as many people think," said Dr. Stanley Zammit, one of the study's authors and a lecturer in the department of psychological medicine at Cardiff University.

The researchers said they couldn't prove that marijuana use itself increases the risk of psychosis, a category of several disorders with schizophrenia being the most commonly known.

There could be something else about marijuana users, "like their tendency to use other drugs or certain personality traits, that could be causing the psychoses," Zammit said.

Marijuana is the most frequently used illegal substance in many countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States. About 20 percent of young adults report using it at least once a week, according to government statistics.

Zammit and colleagues from the University of Bristol, Imperial College and Cambridge University examined 35 studies that tracked tens of thousands of people for periods ranging from one year to 27 years to examine the effect of marijuana on mental health.

They looked for psychotic illnesses as well as cognitive disorders including delusions and hallucinations, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, neuroses and suicidal tendencies.

They found that people who used marijuana had roughly a 40 percent higher chance of developing a psychotic disorder later in life. The overall risk remains very low.

For example, Zammit said the risk of developing schizophrenia for most people is less than 1 percent. The prevalence of schizophrenia is believed to be about five in 1,000 people. But because of the drug's wide popularity, the researchers estimate that about 800 new cases of psychosis could be prevented by reducing marijuana use.

The scientists found a more disturbing outlook for "heavy users" of pot, those who used it daily or weekly: Their risk for psychosis jumped to a range of 50 percent to 200 percent.

One doctor noted that people with a history of mental illness in their families could be at higher risk. For them, marijuana use "could unmask the underlying schizophrenia," said Dr. Deepak Cyril D'Souza, an associate professor of psychiatry at Yale University, who was not involved in the study.

Dr. Wilson Compton, a senior scientist at the National Institute on Drug Abuse in Washington, called the study persuasive.

"The strongest case is that there are consistencies across all of the studies," and that the link was seen only with psychoses — not anxiety, depression or other mental health problems, he said.

Scientists cannot rule out that pre-existing conditions could have led to both marijuana use and later psychoses, he added.

Scientists think it is biologically possible that marijuana could cause psychoses because it interrupts important neurotransmitters such as dopamine. That can interfere with the brain's communication systems.

Some experts say governments should now work to dispel the misconception that marijuana is a benign drug.

"We've reached the end of the road with these kinds of studies," said Dr. Robin Murray of King's College, who had no role in the Lancet study. "Experts are now agreed on the connection between cannabis and psychoses. What we need now is for 14-year-olds to know it."

In the U.K., the government will soon reconsider how marijuana should be classified in its hierarchy of drugs. In 2004, it was downgraded and penalties for possession were reduced. Many expect marijuana will be bumped up to a class "B" category, with offenses likely to lead to arrests or longer jail sentences.

Two of the authors of the study were invited experts on the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs Cannabis Review in 2005. Several authors reported being paid to attend drug company-sponsored meetings related to marijuana, and one received consulting fees from companies that make antipsychotic medications.

TweetI gotta call bullshyt on this one, just not buyin it.

Tweeti'm not a pot smoker...never did like it. hate the smell! but, i dont buy this shyt either! i dont believe it's any worse then alcahol. i've always said they (the government) should grow it, package it, retail it, and tax the shyt out of it! we could use the tax money! there's a way to do that, and not have "home grown" be legal...

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Originally Posted by daved150

i'm not a pot smoker...never did like it. hate the smell! but, i dont buy this shyt either! i dont believe it's any worse then alcahol. i've always said they (the government) should grow it, package it, retail it, and tax the shyt out of it! we could use the tax money! there's a way to do that, and not have "home grown" be legal...

exactly

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Originally Posted by daved150

i'm not a pot smoker...never did like it. hate the smell! but, i dont buy this shyt either! i dont believe it's any worse then alcahol. i've always said they (the government) should grow it, package it, retail it, and tax the shyt out of it! we could use the tax money! there's a way to do that, and not have "home grown" be legal...

Have to agree with you on that one. Was never a pot smoker and really could never stand being around the stuff but I think alcohol is worse

Tweetas bill hicks said years ago, "pot is safer than alcohol, end of story! you may stop your internal dialogue 'but bill, alcohol is an acceptalbe form of socia....' shut the phuck up, you're wrong, get over it!" trying to find the clip on youtube now.

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Tweetmmmmmm reeeeeeeeefer!!! Just recently quit and re-thinking it big time...And the GF says I need to start again...lol Phucking pot being illegal is ridiculous and laughable. It has a purpose for medicinal use as well as to help sleep. I have been having to take tylenol pm to sleep and that is worse on your body than pot......go figure.

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Originally Posted by Corrodo

mmmmmm reeeeeeeeefer!!! Just recently quit and re-thinking it big time...And the GF says I need to start again...lol Phucking pot being illegal is ridiculous and laughable. It has a purpose for medicinal use as well as to help sleep. I have been having to take tylenol pm to sleep and that is worse on your body than pot......go figure.

lol my wife says I should start back smokin sometimes too! That tylenol-pm crap makes my restless leg stuff go crazy! Same with benadryl.
I also, recently saw a study where they've shown that good ole Mary Jane also staves off Alzheimer's symptoms due to it preserving somethin in the brain.

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Tweethttps://www.askmen.com/sports/health/20_mens_health.html

Health risk myths & realities

Marijuana Overdose

There is no existing evidence of anyone dying of a marijuana overdose. Tests performed on mice have shown that the ratio of cannabinoids (the chemicals in marijuana that make you high) necessary for overdose to the amount necessary for intoxication is 40,000:1. For comparison's sake, that ratio for alcohol is generally between 4:1 and 10:1. Alcohol overdoses claim approximately 5,000 casualties yearly, but marijuana overdoses kill no one as far as any official reports.


Brain Damage

Marijuana is psychoactive because it stimulates certain brain receptors, but it does not produce toxins that kill them (like alcohol), and it does not wear them out as other drugs may. There is no evidence that marijuana use causes brain damage. Studies performed on actual human populations will confirm these results, even for chronic marijuana users (up to 18 joints per day) after many years of use.
In fact, following the publication of two 1977 JAMA studies, the American Medical Association (AMA) officially announced its support for the decriminalization of marijuana.
In reality, marijuana has the effect of slightly increasing alpha-wave activity in your brain. Alpha waves are generally associated with meditative and relaxed states, which are, in turn, often associated with human creativity.


Memory

Marijuana does impair short-term memory, but only during intoxication. Although the authoritative studies on marijuana use seem to agree that there is no residual impairment following intoxication, persistent impairment of short-term memory has been noted in chronic marijuana smokers, up to 6 and 12 weeks following abstinence. What other myths have been going around about smoking a doobie ?

More Marijuana Myths

Heart Problems

It is accepted in medical circles today that marijuana use causes no evident long-term cardiovascular problems for normal persons. Marijuana smoking, however, does cause changes in the heart and body's circulation characteristic of stress, which may complicate preexisting cardiovascular problems like hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, and coronary atherosclerosis. Marijuana's effects on blood pressure are complex and inconsistent as of yet.


Hormones


Chronic marijuana use has not been found to alter testosterone or other sex hormone levels. In contrast, heavy alcohol use is known to lower these same testosterone levels.





Reproductive Damage


No trustworthy study has ever shown that marijuana use damages the reproductive system, or causes chromosome breakage. Studies of actual human populations have failed to demonstrate that marijuana adversely affects the reproductive system. Claims that marijuana use may impair hormone production, menstrual cycles, or fertility in females are both unproven and unfounded.
The Immune System
Studies in which lab rats were injected with extremely large quantities of THC (the active compound in marijuana) have found that marijuana (in such unrealistically huge quantities) does have an "immunosuppressive effect" in those lab rats, in that it temporarily shuts off certain cells in the liver called lymphocytes and macrophages. These macrophages are useful in fighting off bacterial, not viral, infections.
But this is only for the duration of intoxication. There also exists some evidence that marijuana metabolites remain in the lungs for up to seven months after smoking has ceased, possibly affecting the immune system of the lungs (but not by turning the cells off).


This said, doctors and researchers are still not sure that the immune system is actually negatively affected in realistic situations since there are no numbers to support the idea. In fact, three studies showed that THC might have actually stimulated the immune system in the people studied.





Cancer

Smoking marijuana has the potential to cause both bronchitis and cancer of the lungs, throat, and neck, but this is generally no different than inhaling any other burnt carbon-containing matter since they all increase the number of lesions (and therefore possible infections) in your airways.





The Gateway Effect


Marijuana use has not been found to act as a gateway drug to the use of harder drugs. Studies show that when the Dutch partially legalized marijuana in the 70's, heroin and cocaine use substantially declined, despite a slight increase in marijuana use.


If the stepping stone theory were true, use should have gone up rather than down. In reality, it appears that marijuana use tends to substitute for the use of relatively more dangerous hard drugs like cocaine and heroin, rather than lead to their use.


Thus, oftentimes strict marijuana laws themselves are the most significant factor involved in moving on to harder drugs like cocaine. Such is the case in Nevada and Arizona, the states toughest on marijuana use.

The Potential Benefits

Because smoked marijuana contains a variety of combustion compounds, it can damage the lungs and possibly the immune system. Several health committees recommended the development of an inhalation device that delivers pure THC -- the active ingredient in marijuana -- to the lungs. Such a device has not yet been created
There is some evidence -- but no scientifically valid studies -- that marijuana is useful in treating some forms of epilepsy and spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis.
Some studies show that smoked marijuana is effective for some patients in relieving nausea caused by cancer and chemotherapy.
There is evidence that marijuana may improve the appetite and help patients gain weight. This could be lifesaving for AIDS patients who develop wasting , a severe weight-loss condition.
Smoking marijuana is effective in lowering pressure inside the eyeballs of some patients with glaucoma. A word of caution, however: the drug also drops blood pressure, and this could compromise blood flow to the optic nerve and damage vision.
So there you have it. For additional information on the benefits of marijuana, I highly recommend the book The Benefits of Marijuana : Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual by Joan Bello. <!-- 9: Next Page --><!-- IMPORTANT BEGIN: BOTTOM BOX -->
Article Suggested By:<!-- 10: Article Suggestion -->Bill Greig, Newark, NJ

Tweet"There is evidence that marijuana may improve the appetite and help patients gain weight."

he anit dead hes gonna wake up in a few minutes hungry enough to eat up all the food in your house. hungry happy sleepy thats it BUAHAHA

TweetWORD

TweetAmen Stout!

TweetIm a Oregon Medical Marijuana card holder and a West Coast Chapter Green Free member. lemme tell ya,..BULLS#IT on all that ! myself and thousands of others are free from all the bulls#it meds the docs wanna pump in you cause they dont have a backbone ! do they realize we dont wanna be zombies with kidney/liver problems and whatever else. we are self sufficient by growing and providing natural medicine for ourselves and other card holders (by donation). we dont rely on tax payers to blow millions on meds we dont really need. I was recently sitting in on a "manufacturing" trial and ya know what,..all except two, yes ALL jury members agreed that "the killer weed" should be leagalized and looked more into for medical purposes, and is by far no where near the catgory as alchohol or meth and the like. the judge even pointed out "this is not a meth trial" "it's about the illegal grow of marijuana". reguardless of whether ya smoke or not, if you have a positive opinion about it VOTE ! Millions can do without going broke, becomeing addicted, and costing tax payers millions of dollars for trying to lock up a sick or terminally ill person, or by paying the outraguos price of needless medications.