Posted on 12/01/2004 1:38:50 PM PST by DouglasKC
Psychotic symptoms more likely with cannabis
16:58 01 December 04
NewScientist.com news service
Using marijuana in adolescence and early adulthood can cause psychotic symptoms later in life, a new study suggests. The risk of developing these symptoms is “moderate”, say researchers, though is higher in people with a pre-disposition to psychosis.
Up to a third of people develop signs of psychosis at some point during their lives and several studies have already linked cannabis use with psychotic symptoms. But it is often difficult to decipher whether cannabis really triggers psychotic symptoms - such as hearing voices and paranoia - or whether people with mental health problems are more likely to “self medicate” and use cannabis.
A team led by Jim van Os of the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands followed 2437 people aged between 14 and 24. After four years, 21% of cannabis users had experienced psychotic symptoms compared with 15% of non-users. And the more a participant used cannabis, the more likely they were to develop symptoms.
Family history
The risk appears greatest for those with a predisposition to psychosis, as evidenced by mild signs of psychosis at the outset of the study. Within this group - about one-tenth of the total - 51% of users experienced symptoms compared with 26% of non-users.
he definition of psychosis used in the study was very broad, including occasional symptoms that would not require hospitalisation. Even so, van Os thinks the results have public health implications. “If you have a personal or family history of mental illness, you’re at risk of negative effects of cannabis smoking,” he says.
Martin Barnes, chief executive of DrugScope in the UK, agrees: "Frequent use, a predisposition to mental health problems and starting at an early age all increase the risk of adverse effects. This research underlines that there are potentially serious health risks associated with cannabis use, particularly for young people.”
Robin Murray of the Institute of Psychiatry in London, UK, notes that cannabis smoking accounts for about 8% of serious cases of psychosis.
The tiny Santa with the face of Herbert Hoover on my shoulder said I should ping you to this.
Potentially serious health risks can be associated to many behaviors including, gluttony, sloth, sexual promiscuity... Shall we make these activities illegal?
There is an air of absolutism and elitist fascism running rampant in the health care profession today. The puritanical dictates of this profession are a threat to the liberty and security of our nation. These issues are far more important than the possible health risks of an herb. They pander to parental fears in an attempt to adopt us all as children of a nanny state. All hail the oligarchy of the doctors, we want to be enslaved by paying top dollar for scripts for the elderly while paying debt service on the money we have to borrow to buy these drugs, even though we know there will not be a dime left for us when we get old. Meantime, the oligarchy will dictate what one may ingest, regardless of what one’s religious faith or the Constitution has to say on the matter.
Matthew 23:9
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
I can grow hundreds of herbs and flowers in my own garden all of which have an effect on the human body in one way or another. Some have medicinal properties. Some which I am permitted to grow have portions that are deadly if ingested at all and others if in too high a quantity. Why is it that this particular herb which pre-existed this nation upon this land is so different that it falls under the jurisdiction of the commerce clause?
Ask Billy Gray.
if (correlation != causality)
system("mv article /dev/null");
LOL!
It would be news if this type of story did not pop up every month or two. Since it does, then it can only be one thing, propaganda.
Especially, since it serious lacks any logic or evidence of truth.
Hence the modern Democratic party.
And, hence, modern Europe. They had no problem finding enough users in Holland to study, did they? Haha.
wodlist
That is, if death can be described as a symptom.
As is every intoxicant, dude.
.GIF)
Oh, wowwwww, Man.
Marijuana has no medicinal value; it is a toxic weed. Parts of it can be made into a useful fiber known as hemp; therein lies its only value.
But it is often difficult to decipher whether cannabis really triggers bad taste in music, or whether people with poor musical taste are more likely to "self medicate" and use cannabis.
"Frequent use, a predisposition to bad taste in music and starting at an early age all increase the risk of adverse effects."
I never tried Ecstasy for this very reason. Any drug that makes people want to listen to that crappy rave stuff can't be good for you. (Not to mention the longterm mental and physical damage, of course.)
“But it is often difficult to decipher whether cannabis really triggers psychotic symptoms - such as hearing voices and paranoia - or whether people with mental health problems are more likely to “self medicate” and use cannabis.”
I will agree that the use of pot will often cause paranoia, after all it is illegal to use or possess. Even in Holland possession of over 5 grams by an individual is illegal.
Until this is answered, the headline is very misleading – but like much of the information disseminated by drug warriors (and yes, they even exist in Holland) the intent is to scare the public and give drug warriors the incentive to keep fighting the “war”.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
