There’s mounting evidence that cannabis can cause schizophrenia. A large-scale study last year that examined health histories of some 6.9 million Danes between 1972 and 2021 estimated that up to 30% of young men’s schizophrenia diagnoses could have been prevented had they not become dependent on pot. Marijuana is worse in this regard than many drugs usually perceived as more dangerous. “Users of other potent recreational drugs develop chronic psychosis at much lower rates,” Ms. Madras says. When healthy volunteers in research experiments are given THC—as has been done in 15 studies—they develop transient symptoms of psychosis. “And if you treat them with an antipsychotic drug such as haloperidol, those symptoms will go away.”
Marijuana has also been associated with violent behavior, including in a study published this week in the International Journal of Drug Policy. Data from observational studies are inadequate to demonstrate causal relationships, but Ms. Madras says that the link between marijuana and schizophrenia fits all six criteria that scientists use to determine causality, including the strength of the association and its consistency.”
Marijuana destroyed my oldest son. He was bright and funny and a wonderful kid. He started smoking marijuana at age 14 and quickly became addicted. When he was around 18 his addiction became schizophrenia. He became disconnected from reality. He became threatening. Four weeks ago he died in a fire at his home at the age of 34. You will never convince me that marijuana didn’t cause his schizophrenia. You will never convince me that marijuana is not a gateway drug for at least some people. I am 100% against legalization of marijuana for any reason.
bttt
It was definitely the gateway drug for me. Started smoking at 16 and by 20 I was using needles and doing acid, shrooms. etc. Some just smoke pot and never go on to anything stronger, but nearly everyone who does hard drugs started with pot.
Condolences for your son. I can't imagine what you're going through.
It can cause more than that. It is definitely a gateway drug. Although the contents of cannabis itself have health benefits, actually smoking cannabis itself has numerous bad side effects. My wife retired from the Texas Justice System as a diagnostician. She cannot recall any one of her cases where the perp wasn't a cannabis user. And, they were all high when they did their crimes.
I’m sorry for your loss.
Made worse by governments making safety claims.
—”You will never convince me that marijuana is not a gateway drug for at least some people. “
Until an article posted here about emergency room doctors and marijuana users in Colorado with users extreme reactions, I was ambivalent. (Years ago)
Our son a teacher in one of Illinois’ top schools, said nothing new, he sees it occasionally. And more, not in the classroom.
His opinion was that today marijuana is far more potent and harmful as new cultivars increase potency, also noted in the article.
My brother worked in the same building as a former school chum, who was consumed by MJ. He said to come by his office and we’d have lunch with him.
I would have never recognized him, just a shadow of before.
Once the son of a prominent family...I could not believe my eyes. He passed from natural causes at age 60.
...It’s safe for adults and the state will collect tax instead of the street dealers...
And the state pays more to help those damaged by marijuana.
You will never convince me that marijuana didn’t cause his schizophrenia. You will never convince me that marijuana is not a gateway drug for at least some people. I am 100% against legalization of marijuana for any reason.
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’
The exact cause of schizophrenia isn’t known, but a combination of genetics, environment,
and altered brain chemistry and structure may play a role. Schizophrenia is characterized
by thoughts or experiences that seem out of touch with reality, disorganized speech or behavior,
and decreased participation in daily activities. Difficulty with concentration and memory may
also be present. Treatment is usually lifelong and often involves a combination of medications,
psychotherapy, and coordinated specialty care services. Treatment can help, but this condition
can’t be cured.
https://www.google.com/search?q=schizophrenia&rlz=1CAXGER_enUS1094&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
“ O man pots cool, you know?
Like it makes me real chill!
Man I just don’t worry about stuff, you know!
Like its just the best.”
Says the stoner pothead who has fried their brain smoking weed. You can’t carry on a conversation with someone who smokes pot all the time…
I’m here just to see the freepers freak out.
I felt your loss. Your kid shouldn’t have had to live the life you describe.
I feel it even more because it’s Mother’s Day and I know a dozen mothers who have suffered the same loss.
Young people often don’t see the friends that they once knew that are now in the treatment system. Mothers and Fathers do.
Teachers see the lost potential, but can’t speak up because their friends and bosses use recreationally.
I’m going out and pick some flowers and try for happier thoughts.
I am so sorry to hear that. Blessings for you as you deal with that trauma.
MJ is absolutely, without question a gateway drug. While it is supposedly not addictive, what it does to the brain causes addiction. That feeling, that need that users get.
Only by the grace of God did my son make it out of the hell of drug abuse. He went from MJ, to other drugs to meth. Stealing, breaking into things; it was horrible. And yes, he says it was the gateway into using other drugs as well.
He is now a proud member on the US Army doing well for himself. Prayers for you all.
Instead of bankrolling ballot initiatives to legalize pot, she says, George Soros and other wealthy donors who “catalyzed this whole movement” should be funding rigorous research: “If these folks, these billionaires, had just taken that money and put it into clinical trials, I would have been at peace.” It’s a travesty, Ms. Madras adds, that the “FDA has decided that they’re going to listen to that movement rather than to what the science says.”
Some additional facts:
Big pharma and the government in an effort to maintain prohibition for the sake of big pharma profits did nothing harm studies for 50yrs.
-——but it hasn’t been studied!
-Pfizer just paid $6.2billion to acquire Arena pharma over a weed drug in clinical trials.
-——but there is no redeeming evidence!
-Legalization in the face an epic fail drug war with redeeming facts.
These threads are always a rout in favor of the potheads.
Weed is not addictive but virtue signalling endorphins must be more addictive than heroin.
I once ran all of the replies in one of these virtue signalling climax threads through a whatsmyreadinglevel app and the virtue signalers lost by a grade and half.