(2nd International Cannabis and Mental Health Conference Programme [PDF] Logo)
Today, 13 states currently have active medical marijuana programs. Illinois, Texas, and Connecticut are chompin' at the bit (Connecticut just did the civil union thing - watch out). Grandma in the Bronx (colorectal cancer) isn't getting tagged for smokin' the rope. Hell, even Sanjaya's fam is in the growing business. Good reports? You got it: Marijuana has shown to cut lung tumor growth in mice and a marijuana-like compound may slow Alzheimer's.
So what has to come out? Marijuana makes makes you crazy and damages the brain. Sorry, that's FOX News. How about a more credible reporting source like Reuters through Scientific American?
Quick Psych 101: Psychology is only useful for broad, sweeping statements and we don't have a true understanding of all aspects of the brain or how they work, let alone how drugs interact with it (note: Not talking out of my ass; I have a Psych degree and recently had a great conversation with a neuroscientist on this exact topic).
From the article: the two main active components of marijuana are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). CBD produces a calming effect. THC is associated with the paranoia, euphoria.
There are upwards of 300 active compounds in marijuana. This study took the two most abundant (THC and CBD), and looked to see where the brain was affected. Because of anti-drug taboos, these studies are almost always conducted with synthesized THC. And an MRI will give you an image of activity or inactivity, but - as already mentioned - we don't know all the details of activity in certain areas of the brain.
To sum up: Doctors treated patients with a synthesis of a compound known to cause mild paranoia. They then put their patients in this machine:
and reported that the brain scan showed affected areas related to paranoia. No shit.
I am not trying to slam the study. The media and its fervor, however, can go take a flying fuck at a rolling donut on this one. Reuters has this article titled "Brain scans pinpoint cannabis health risk." But they didn't. The brain scans show activity or inactivity of the brain, and and the implications affect mental health outlook, while "health" implies physical health or brain damage. First sentence: "Brain scans showing how cannabis affects brain function...." Hold it right there. Function is not measured but by behavior. See previous explanation of what is being measured.
"It's no longer a contentious issue. The expert community, by and large, accepts that cannabis contributes to the onset of psychotic symptoms in general and the severe form of psychosis, schizophrenia," [Professor Robin Murray, conference organizer] said.Wrong. That sounds like the "Weed makes you crazy" defense. Dr. Zerrin Atakan, author of the study, was found to be an astute, reasonable human being completely void of the sensationalism that would follow a story like this. He was quoted in the Telegraph in 2004 as saying:
Cannabis psychosis is a very vague term. If we ever use the phrase, it is only to describe very short-term effects immediately following smoking, and it certainly doesn't refer to users having a psychotic disorder. People may feel frightened or paranoid, but these feelings pass in a matter of hours or, more rarely, days, and practically never require treatment.He even laid out some very lucid guidelines in a message to the 2005 Cannabis Education March & Rally, telling everyone to make up their own mind about marijuana, but hitting on some basic facts about smoking before your brain is done growing, smoking if you have mental illness, or smoking every day. Very understanding and well-understood.
So why the hullabaloo? Two words:
(note: The Movie is public domain and the Musical is phenomenal.)
The media loves a good weed story; Marijuana's been tried by 1/4 to 1/3 of the US population, probably twice that have been affected by proximity. Sensationalism sells. So if you can blow a study into a headline, go for it, especially if it concerns marijuana and something bad. The federal government is in love with that. It wants to marry it and kiss it on the privates.
As for Robin Murray and his "weed causes schizophrenia" sensationalism, you might want to ask him to tone it down a bit. Of course, he may have to conference in the pharma behind his conference: Janssen-Cilag and Sanofi-Aventis. But I'm sure that their involvement and their production of schizophrenia treatment drugs are all just a coincidence.
I'll dismount the soapbox now and spare you, fair reader, a venture into legalization, the justice system, hypocrisies, and alternative energy, and leave you with this:
"Casual drug users should be taken out and shot"For real information about marijuana, please visit NORML.
Darryl Gates
Head of Los Angeles Police Department
United States Senate Judiciary Committee (1990)
(Bonus: 420 Origin Story)
Posts
75 comments:
My guess is you missed your required screening of 'Reefer Madness'.
LOL major pharmaceutical will keep MJ outlawed since they can make no money off weed. That's one powerful lobby, with loads of cash and tightass repigs lining the pockets of lawmakers.
Marijuana doesn't induce Schizophrenia in people within the GENERAL population. Studies have shown marijuana to induce Schizophrenic episodes in people who already have a predisposition to Schizophrenia. Probably someone who wrote the other article just took a half of the truth he/she read and wrote an article about it instead of reading the whole truth. Even so, a decade later, they might just prove Marijuana has nothing to do with Schizophrenia, and is a miracle cancer drug of some kind. Either way, it's ridiculous that's it's not legal while alcohol and cigarettes roam freely in the open market.
Fox News reported that cannabis may fight lung tumors: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,266715,00.html
Fox News reported that cannabis does not increase the risk of lung cancer: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,196678,00.html
Who's biased?
"People with Schizophrenia probably shouldn't use pot". Now there is a headline the press would never bother to print, but that is almost all the studies are showing. Scary images are frightening is the other result. And you can make a living churning that research out....
My thoughts are kind of split on this one. I did experience schizophrenia like symtoms first after using cannabis for a few years but I have no way of knowing if it would have happened even if I had never toked the rope. I rather think there is a direct realation because after having the symtoms recede they would sometimes reappear (hearing voices) after having a toke.
Then again weed does help me counter depression and I continue to use it, I just make sure not to over do it. Much like I try not to drink myself into delireum tremens on the occations I drink.
Regardless I believe legislation against cannabis (and any drug for that matter) is counter productive since it only leads to a) higher potency, b) higher prices (that means greater initiative for sellers), c) lack of control (against polluted products).
Who want's a Big Brother for governement, those who do not use weed should ask them selves if they would care for the governement to punish them for drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco or eating butter.
I have a few friends who are not on psychotic meds after psychotic episodes after weed smoking. And there are lots of documenting cases in WELL KNOWN journals about such cases. So play the roulette if you wanna smoke.
Medical weed is just a joke, there are MUCH better prescription drugs for pain.
"Cannabis psychosis is a very vague term. If we ever use the phrase, it is only to describe very short-term effects immediately following smoking, and it certainly doesn't refer to users having a psychotic disorder."
Well, it lasted 6 monts for me.
Well it’s like this. I used Mary Jane for the most part of my adult life. I felt I never could get enough of it. I spent every spare cent I had on it always keeping to the fabulous furry freak brothers saying that “dope will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no dope”. Then something happened! I became a dealer and had more than I could smoke up in years. Then of course I got busted. I had to face all of my theories on pot. Was it good for you bad or you? Once I got out of jail I went over all of the decisions I made based on my use of pot. Here are a few you may find interesting.
I became paranoid because if I got caught smoking pot or selling it I would go to jail.
I used to base my daily schedule on the fact that I was stoned already so I couldn’t do certain things like talk business because of my pot breath.
I would get an increased heart rate when a cop would be behind me, mostly because I was holding and didn’t want to go to jail or it.
I thought I couldn’t get into things like playing music or web work if I wasn’t stoned.
I had to have a smoke break every so often just to keep the buzz going and always was paranoid of being caught by someone smelling it.
I made all of my travel decisions based on whether I could get away with burning one at the destination.
So if someone was to ask if smoking pot makes you paranoid I would say yes because I was always afraid of getting caught.
Now my daughter lives in a state where she has a prescription to use and grow it. She probably doesn’t have that paranoia to deal with.
As far as health issues go. Any time you replace oxygen with carbon from inhaling a burning material you are degenerating cells.
Any thing you ingest on a regular basis your body will become dependent on it for many reasons. It sees it as food and will use what it can from it.
So you can throw all those tests out the window and be assured that if you smoke this herb on a continuous basis that it will cause you some problems. Problems that you will not fully recognize until you quit. Sooner or later you will have to quit so why wait till it becomes a problem. I don’t see the value in it now but that is because I have lost the desire to smoke it. Now if I could just grow it to make hemp oil for bio fuel I’m sure my love for the herb would return.
Signed,
Over It
My ol best friend fell schitzo from extreme usage right in front of me, so i can attest. It took about 6 months of heavy heavy smoking before the signs came out and then he just fell overboard.
We all assumed that he was predispositioned to it but He never had any signs of predisposition to the illness before hand at all. After being extremely high all day (yes, all day in the literal sense) for about 6 months its as if he crossed a line. When we took him away from the mj the schitzo side went away. After that threshold, the slightest bit of the drug would set off an episode that would last until he sobered up.
Now, about 6 years later, after being committed and released he only smokes about a bowl a day. Its nowhere as bad as it used to be, but you can actually see signs of the condition wanting to come back. Speaking in riddles of gibberish, extraction of conspiracy theories out of strange sources (like in "a beautiful mind"), arguing with himself out loud, following coke bottles on the street convinced they are leading to somewhere profound, talking to god in a journal and getting pissed that god isnt writing back, witnessing people's eyes change color based on their hidden intentions, i could on and on the stories I could tell. And a large group of friends here could tell you the same. Some might suggest it was just silly stoner behavior, but I cant help you understand the severity of it if you havent seen it first hand.
This is just my contribution from personal experience. People defend their drug to no end, he did the same. But even now he believes that marijuana was at the root of it.
I personally believe that it IS a side effect of the drug because ive seen it from beginning to end. At the bottom of the list and rare.
This is such a minor issue, I can't believe people actually devote serious time and effort to it. The drug is out there, if you want it, you got it. No need to force it upon everyone en masse. The only problem is that cops use it as an excuse to send black and poor (or poor black) people to jail and start them up on a criminal record, which is the only reason why people care about this crap to begin with. Oh yeah, and the fact that it's not taxed. Funny how something that is outside the reach of the tax man becomes such a burden to the taxpayer.
Another thing. Generally kids are introduced the drug in high school and early college, precisely the time when they need their brains as drug free as possible because it's still in the process of forming. Yes, there are dope fiends out there that are successful, but the vast majority of us need as much of our brains as possible so we can get good jobs to be able to pay the rent and achieve some sort of financial security. Introducing a potent drug such as marijuana to a young person, who is confused to begin with, will only add to the struggle that life is for the overwhelming majority of us.
This is a non-issue.
Now, using hemp products on a more industrial scale is a much better cause. Quick growing, strong fibers, thousands of uses, you can't go wrong. If only the dope people realized this, and their minds weren't totally dominated by the drug, there might be some headway and we'd have cheaper and stronger (and easier to recycle) paper, fabrics, oils, soaps, detergents, et cet.
Any drug is not advisible for the entire population. My issue with marijuana law as it stands is that it removes any and all choice in the matter. It's a giant mess and the only ones who profit from it's illegality are criminals and the pharm. companies (who I think are criminals as well, but that's mho)
Pharmaceutical companies are assholes, they found a drug that specifically attacked cancer cells and inhibited cancer from metastasizing and spreading but they chose not to bring it on to the market because it could not be patented and therefor they could make no money off of it. In conclusion they rejected a cure for cancer because they couldn't make money off of it.
I've been high every day all day (except around Christmas) for the past year and have smoked for 4. I don't have any of the issues 'Jeremy' said about basing your schedule and travels on pot. I don't need it.
I went a week around Christmas without it with no problem. I also have an officially tested 136 IQ. I can tell you first-hand that it doesn't make you stupid, nor do you get any type of addiction from it.
I'll admit, I do wanna get high when I don't have it, but in a completely different sense than an addiction. It's more like someone wanting a steak when all they have is rice.
I recently quit smoking cigarettes, so I do have some experience with addictions.
Signed,
"Pot doesn't help me make good blog comments"
Please excuse me, the post I referred to in my last comment was talking about the one ABOVE 'Jeremy'.
Signed,
"Pot doesn't help me make good blog comments" AKA "Nor does this mistake help my credibility"
I do not currntly smoke weed, but I used to be a daily smoker and I have known 100's of heavy smokers. I had never heard of any of them having pschotic episodes. I know that when I was smoking heavily, I had a hard time retaining things whether I was high at that moment or not, but that was the only problem.
Intensive marijuana use is reported to cause effects similar to schizophrenia and cravings for food. Sanofi reasoned that if you blocked the THC receptor with a drug, you would block the endogenous agonist, which I believe is still unknown, that would normally act on that receptor.
This could be a natural agent that would trigger schizophrenia-like behavior or trigger the desire to eat. The anti-schizoid effect must not have worked, but the drug is marketed for treatment of obesity and associated cardiovascular problems and is listed as a selective cannabinoid type I blocker.
I always thought this was a pretty clever piece of work.
The other comment was the real reason for the opposition...if it were a profitable venture for the staggeringly rich and powerful drug industry, we'd have had it long ago. As Bill Maher said, they don't want to put prozac against MJ, because they know prozac will lose. I know plenty of users who are just plain, old middle America; work their jobs, love their kids, coach their kids' sports teams, and pay their taxes...in short, who are criminal in no other way, and are good folks.
Re: Pharmaceutical companies are assholes....
No comment on the anal aspect, but if you found a new clinical indication for a drug, you would get merket exclusivity for the use and be able to make some money even if it were not patented. There are a number of examples on the market. get your facts straight.
Ok- as a schizophrenic who has used MJ medicinally, anyone without a disease needs to grow up, you smoke it because you want to. If you don't actually suffer from something for which there is NO alternate relief, put the pipe down long enough to help legitimize MJ in mainstream life. I can/have/will argue with anyone you needs to learn how Big Pharma medications are more harmful to the schizophrenic than helpful. I can testify to this. My recovery from episode time span is only increased with Big Pharama's ideas on how to 'treat' my disease.
I am a completely rational and reasonable person; and can pass any psych eval. thrown my way-> some of us in with this condition are not running around in raving lunacy, rather I learn how to control symptoms, and otherwise learn how to utilize any uncontrollable symptom. It just means I am exceptionally creative so long I as I communicate that these expressions are merely artistic.
I personally don't care what the authority has to say about MJ one way or the other, I know what works for me.
Again, I want to state that those of you who do not have this condition need to stop trying to create nonsensical drama with which to obtain more web traffic. The facts are, whatever system of control that denies a human the right to heal himself is a form of dependence generation; a means with which to dominate existence.
MJ has a right to me; not the other way around.
This article seems to ignore every other study done on the correlation between marijuana use and schizophrenia (and I just did a quick search, and found hundreds of studies ). However, most studies come to this conclusion: Cannabis use does not appear to be causally related to the incidence of schizophrenia, but its use may precipitate disorders in persons who are vulnerable to developing psychosis and worsen the course of the disorder among those who have already developed it.
However, you are still breathing in smoke, so I imagine the same risks of lung cancer are still there (even if FOX claims that it stops the growth of tumours... the marijuana probably caused it in the first place haha).
Its funny though, another study I found looked at the potential for Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the major products of the marijuana plant, to threat some forms of schizophrenia, but found it wasn't effective.
Those pharmaceutical companies are bastards, there is a treatment for cancer already being used, but because it cannot be sold in 'drug form' the pharmaceutical companies don't care.
Some people just have a weak head. If you shot my grandmother up with synthetic THC and shoved her in an MRI she would freak the F out and undoubtedly insist she's having a heart attack. This is because she is a fundamentalist Christian with a guilt complex and lives in fear of death. This is all in her head though, yet it causes real reactions that others would insist are psychotic.
Some people shouldn't use drugs at all. Only happy, secure, stable and responsible individuals should ideally be the one's toking up. Shit, I've eaten 25 hits of acid and found myself back chipper than a chirpin' bird by the next day.
Again, I think many people have weak senses of identity and anything that removes this static notion of identity alarms their nervous system and your left with someone who is confused about who they are, left to restack their identity yet lacking the proper know how in the first place.
I'm taking a middle road here. I've had psychotic symptoms on dank pot, only a joint even, but I think it's extremely rare. I only know one other person in real life who's gone through that kind of stuff. Most people just chill, and I usually do too, but once in a blue moon I go through pure insanity for about 6 - 8 hours.
I felt like I couldn't think anymore; the only thoughts I had were rhythms. I was thinking in tribal music. This led to some bizarre delusions about who made my fan and why he put it next to my bed.
I think for most people pot is safe, hell even daily use is fine for the majority of people. You just have to know your brain and know how you react. Ever since a few of those horrible episodes I've learned to take a couple of tokes only. After five minutes I can tell whether I'm on the path to paranoia or bliss and I act accordingly.
what were you smoking when you wrote this convaluted rant? Oh that's right.
Might want to check out a couple of psych wards over the last 10 years population has changed from schiz and depression to drug induced psychosis usually with only THc involved, look forward to seeing you soon
Is it worth noting that a lot of street weed is cut with other substances? I know a number of weed users. School valedictorian is one, he's going to an ivy league. You can use it safely, without it causing trouble. Pointing to one case of psychosis is silly- alcohol is more dangerous than pot.
And if you want proof? Ever meet a dry drunk? Compare them to a former pothead.
"I'll admit, I do wanna get high when I don't have it, but in a completely different sense than an addiction. It's more like someone wanting a steak when all they have is rice."
Just curious... How would you describe the feeling of a "real" addiction? If you get cravings for something when you don't have it, you have an addiction. Maybe you aren't writhing in withdrawal pain like a full junkie, but the psychological element of addiction is already there.
@Jeremy:
Holy crap! The symptoms you described in your friend are exactly what happens to me:
"Speaking in riddles of gibberish, extraction of conspiracy theories out of strange sources (like in "a beautiful mind"), arguing with himself out loud, following coke bottles on the street convinced they are leading to somewhere profound, talking to god in a journal and getting pissed that god isnt writing back, witnessing people's eyes change color based on their hidden intentions"
I've been experiencing all of those (except the Coke bottle thing) for years now... I believe it is directly related to smoking. It's taken me a long time to learn to separate fact from delusion - I've made a lot of bad decisions based on "crazy" ideas I've had, have been hospitalized once, and seen my life go to ruins. I'm currently passively suicidal because of it... I've already made four attempts using pills and monoxide and now have some possible brain damage because of it...
To the skeptics: scoff all you want but until you have been there or seen it, you won't realize that for some people, this is no joke. Weed CAN destroy a life. It nearly did mine... and may still.
I think the general rule is:
If you smoke heeps of pot and Schizophrenia runs in your family, chances are your gonna fry yourself.
I know two people that I went to high school with. Both smoked loads of weed. Both developed drug induced Schizophrenia. Both can no longer hold a job or live a full independant life like the rest of us.
That is all i have to say
"Just curious... How would you describe the feeling of a "real" addiction? If you get cravings for something when you don't have it, you have an addiction. Maybe you aren't writhing in withdrawal pain like a full junkie, but the psychological element of addiction is already there."
I'd call it a hobby. Addiction is a feeling of craving; as in "goddammit if I don't have a fucking cigarette I'm going to flip out on someone" or "shit without my morning coffee I can't even keep my eyes open"
What he's describing is a casual enjoyment of marijuana's effects. Kind of like Television. Millions of people like to relax to the tube after dinner; if they don't watch tv, they'll probably miss it, but it's bearable and besides a little boredom it's nothing serious. Same goes for video games.
Are these people addicts? You tell me. And if you call that an addiction then I guess I'm addicted to bikeriding too. Lord knows if I miss my afternoon bikeride I miss it! OMFG I'M A BIKING ADDICT!!! CALL T3H REHABZ!
"Is it worth noting that a lot of street weed is cut with other substances?"
A common misconception man. There are really only two smokable drugs with low-enough dosages to be applied to marijuana: crack cocaine and PCP.
First of all, neither of these drugs are anything like pot psychosis. You can get paranoid or have a bad trip on either, but it's fundamentally different from a weed trip. Not necessarily worse or less bad, but very different.
Secondly, both of these drugs are quite expensive. It would cost the dealer fuckloads of money to lace his weed. Why would he do that? Even with crack, the addiction is highly exaggerated. You don't smoke it once or twice and feel cravings or anything. It takes several weeks of heavy use to really become an addict. You're not going to make customers by lacing your weed with crack, but you'll lose a lot. Most stoners really only like weed and hallucinogens, and are seperate from the other types of druggie.
Don't get me wrong, in some places "chronic" is a slang word for weed laced with crack, and "sherm" is weed laced with PCP, but these two things cost extra and people seek them out. It's not like the dealer just sprinkles some extravagantly expensive dope on cheap grass and sells it willy-nilly. I know one case where someone bought sherm and shared it with a friend, not telling him what it really was, but such occurences are rare.
Unfortunately there is so much miss-information and people who have "heard" something from someone or "seen" it happen. The fact remains that no one is doing any proper studies and probably never will- unless a direct correlation is seriously suspected and treating the lung cancer/schizophrenia or whatever, starts costing a particualar health authority money. Therefore I think the bottom line is no one really knows- its all very well people putting over forceful opinions on the subject, but the fact is it is only an opinion- the people commenting know as much about the actual effects of mj as they do about the third moon of jupiter- they have read about it, and a few priviliged people have seen pictures from miles away, but no one has landed there yet.
From my personal experience I love the drug- I had smoked it solidly for years- got good marks in exams and a good degree. I am now living in Dubai, and have been for a year or so. Obvioulsy i dont smoke it out here, and interestingly i do not "crave" it, nor have i had any adverse side effects- however i will be the first to conceed that these are only my own experiences. I do however support the theory that you may have to be pre disposed to adverse mental health and the mj acts as a catalyst- to me there is a simple solution- take a look at yourself and attempt to stop- its the alcoholic realisation that you may have a problem- stop smoking it then, I will fully admit that no one, no one needs to smoke it all day every day- and one thing is almost certain- you are far more likely to get some form of lung cancer. Medicinaly I am sceptical, there are better clinical drugs out there- lets all just enjoy getting high, having good chats and good food with friends, in moderation!
"It would cost the dealer fuckloads of money to lace his weed. Why would he do that?"
How about lacing it with some sprinkles of Drano? Comet? Would that cost a wad of money?
I've smoked for 56 years so far, have run a successful business, raised my son to be a healthy happy individual, am an active community member and think this to be a non issue. Unbridled use of anything can be a problem, viz those who eat themselves to death quite literally. I'm retired, have an adequate supply, and it helps keep my mind and body active. Best wishes from Captain High
Just some points:
Hardly anyone here is pointing out there could be a big difference between kids using pot frequently and those over 25 - about the age your frontal lobe stops developing.
i read Scientific American, some of their articles are just not that good. Ever read the one on alternative fuels that did not mention E85 at all? One article on Marijuana was bad because it seriously did not have hard facts, just opinions. But they also had an article on how much more THC is in Pot nowadays as opposed to our parent's generation. Think how much more that would effect a young kid.
For chemotherapy induced nausea, i don't think there is any better drug than Zofran and it does not hurt your lungs.
Everyone who is anyone smokes a ton of weed in college, why aren't colleges a hotbed of psychosis?
@rt: My wife used Zofran during severe sickness when Pregnant.
It was $30 / pill, and she was supposed to take 3 per day.
The script was over $900.
It was completely useless also.
The weird taste when it dissolved in her mouth made her vomit, and it did nothing afterwards.
To all this BS about "Stronger" weed:
When I get better weed, I naturally and automatically and unthinkingly...
....JUST SMOKE LESS.
For someone with a 'Psych degree' you don't do a lot of referencing to back up your claims. One would think that's something you would've learnt (especially for psychology!) that's vitally important when writing such claims as your own- more so when you are criticising what someone else says. Reading this was a complete waste of my time. Total and utter rubbish.
A note about skizofrenia: according to a Danish professional magazine about drug abuse the causal relationship between cannabis and skizofrenia was rejected as very unlikely. The argument: when looking at society before and after MJ became popular there was the same frequency og diagnosed skizofrenics.
Had MJ actually CAUSED skizofrenia there would definitely have been more skizos post-MJ introduction and popularity.
However, MJ may aggravate symptoms a lot and counteract the medicine. So it's not recommended that skizos smoke, although a lot of skizos do smoke more than the general population.
Source: "Enkelt er det ikke" ("It's not so simple"), Peter Ege, "STOF" no. 7, Center for Rusmiddelforskning, 2006
hey people,
I have been smoking everyday for about a decade now. I am 24. I am not retarded, or psycho. I am about to graduate with an urban systems engineering degree from a respected university. I graduated high school early from THE HARDEST ACADEMIC PROGRAM IN THE U.S.... called I.B. MJ has shown me a calmer side of life, made me think things through. You people who claim that you have friends with drug induced psycho problems are either lying or reading into this. I didnt smoke the cheap shit either... the kind bud I smoke everyday before class and/or work is some of the best available in the world. Some people have bad experiences on weed, and so they decide it cant be good for anyone. The city I live in (one of the 5 biggest in the U.S.)has many pot smokers. I have dozens of friends and can only count on one hand how many never smoke. I read a post saying a guy hear voices...etc. Really? I hear stuff all the time when Im high. My cell phone ringing, the doorbell, sometimes I think my phone is vibrating in my pocket. We call this trippin. Just because MJ makes you feel different doesnt mean you a psycho. After all, thats why we smoke all day every day... because its something different. If you dont like to smoke, thats cool. However, dont go accusing MJ of turning you into a psycho. I used to get into trouble all the time with the law until I was 15, around the time I started smoking. You people say weed turns you into a psycho but it saved me from being a psycho
@Mike: "I have been smoking everyday for about a decade now. I am 24."
Oh the arrogance of youth. Give it another 10 years. Life before 24 is EASY. You have no real shit to deal with yet. Mom and dad pay for everything, and you have zero responsibility. Of course getting stoned every day is a party. When you have to hold down a job, pay your mortgage, support your wife, and raise some kids, let's see how well you do with your daily habit. I doubt your "trippin'" will be so amusing, and no one will care about the time back in high school when you could actually accomplish something...
"Only happy, secure, stable and responsible individuals should ideally be the one's toking up."
lol they wouldn't be toking up if they were happy, secure, stable and responsible individuals.
I'm glad that I was not the only one who was pissed about that article. The word BS was the first thing that left my lips after the first few sentences.
1. They never mention what the effects really were by those tested anyway.
2. Schizophrenia "runs" in my immediate family...and the only thing that has kept me sane is drugs.
i have smoked pot for 40+ years...it just gets better. I use it to keep from having seizures, to relax, and to think better. It's stronger now...great! better smoke 2 puffs than 2 joints to get high.
Lot's o smokers here. Does that tell you anything?
While it is not outside the realm of possiblility that any ingested substance of any type (big mac, sugary cola, smog, nasty perfumes) could have some negative health consequences for some people. I just want to ask which is more likely to cause paranoia/schizophrenia in the general public...cannabis or irrational laws, politicians and the media??? (I'd rather take my chances with the plant over the other 3 any day.) Stupidity is the most dangerous thing to human life on the planet.
Signed,
Dumb is Dangerous
I'd just like to briefly respond to the some of the posts above concerning pot and really really bad experiences.
(stay with me here)
How many bums do you see a day? You ever talk to them? Find out what they're into? It's rarely pot, mostly booze and junk; a lot of the guys are a little gone, mental illness isn't substance specific. It's sad to be sure though.
For all the issues we have with teenage alcoholism and our habitual drinkers who drink their way into a mental home or across the nation; it would appear we could do with making booze illegal. For the same reasons that people seek to justify keeping pot illegal (and laws based on lies are never justified by the way). But established businesses have a way with things; but nothing we can't change with some outcry.
We can't base our laws on 1-2% of the population, it is a ludicrous plan that only emboldens lawlessness and contempt for majority rule and impartial law. (of which we already have plenty in CA)
Just like the ol' bottle, pot can be very dangerous for a small percentage of people. But I think that's easy to recognize that it can serve many other roles in the nervous system.
There is no reason to give pot special treatment from substances with similarly dangerous properties, except...that people are completely wacko about pot for silly, and usually personal, or predictably programmed reasons. (ala 30's programming: to you, I say, bugger off alch'y.)
That is my beef-- people just can't treat pot like beer. WTF.
good night.
-BigD
"I read a post saying a guy hear voices...etc. Really? I hear stuff all the time when Im high. My cell phone ringing, the doorbell, sometimes I think my phone is vibrating in my pocket. We call this trippin. Just because MJ makes you feel different doesnt mean you a psycho."
That guy would be me. When I say voices I mean constant chatter in many different voices with different accent, telling me among others that the suicide rate is up or down depending on my actions that day. So trippin yes, yet a very bad trip.
Okay, some people cant get enough of chocolate cake. They groan erotically when eating it. I dont. Some people get paranoid when they smoke a doobie. I do. Some people get shitty if they cant have a cup of tea (Im in England) in the morning, I dont. Some people come up with fantastic ideas when theyve had a toke, I do. My point is, everyone reacts differently to stuff and the mood you are in to start with plays a part aswell. Sometimes drink makes me aggressive, sometimes I have a laugh and sometimes I get loud and show off. Same with weed really, if I feel down it can exaggerate it, and so on. Personality comes into it too. I cant smoke weed around people Im not really really comfortable with without feeling paranoid and self conscious. It ruins my night so I only smoke it alone or with close mates. Thats just me and weed. My boyfriend feels more confident when he smokes it, and cant deal with social situations comfortably unless he is stoned! Thats his personality, I suppose he hides behind the weed whereas I feel the weed exposes the real me.
We are all different and the effects will be different for different people, however...
...We all have lungs that need clean air to stay healthy and weed is mostly consumed with tobacco and without any kind of filter so the only FACT here hidden amongst all of these interesting opinions, is that marijuana is NOT good for your body. The mind... well it would seem to me that individual circumstances apply and that there are no FACTS.
Everything in moderation, if its not messing your life up then whats the problem? What? You wanna be the healthiest person in the graveyard?
Last Anonymous:
Very right. The person really defines the drug. However, your input that marijuana is most frequently inhaled with tobacco I believe to be a British-based form of popular consumption (Brit ex-girlfriend of my college girlfriend frequently enjoyed a spliff or two). We do have blunts here, but generally marijuana is consumed pure-bud: bowls, bongs, joints, and every iteration in between. It's probably consumed mixed with tobacco as often as it is mixed with cocaine in the States.
Overall, there are no FACTS here. Just speculation and wit. Hence, the blog.
alright. all ya'll just need to relax, there nothing to worry about, Make love not hate. If you never tryed weed shut the fuck up. is makes you happy, it makes every moment of nothingness something, make you think this is a good place to live, we all just need to get along and live life to the greatest because its shorter than you think. weed doesnt harm you in any bad way at all, try it sometime, you'll regret everything mean you said in your life, and forgive everyone that was mean to you, I think people need to realize we are here for a reason...eternal happiness, life long love, peace, love, mind. life.
I love all of you no matter what you say. we got to be glad and not take this life like it just here
My best friend smokes the stuff everyday, all day, and spends every last dime on it. Coincidently, she is as crazy as a bucket of bolts. I'm just saying...
Granted, some people have a bad reaction to pot and all drugs must be used in moderation. However there is no basis to keep it illegal when most pharmaceuticals are much more harmful. I have been smoking for 27 years and during that time received my Ph.D in chemistry and work for a pharmaceutical company. I am not stupid unless I was Einstein prior to smoking. The positive effects for me are being able to think outside the box, be more creative, look at problems from another perspective, judge myself more harshly, check my anger, identify when propaganda or tv shows are trying to manipulate me or are phony, relate better to others, think before I speak and improved sex life. Just my 2 cents.
I have used pot on two occasions: It was absolutely great. The pulsations that shot through me from my head to my balls etc.. as well as the chilled sensation that I have never experienced before were lovely. Unfortunately, on both occasions, I became oversuspicious - or as lay people put it paranoid. I was convinced that my m8 was not interested at all in me. Despite his reassurances, I got into a frenzy that spiralled out of control. I feared that I could harm him and asked him to remove all sharps and glass from the room. This might sound ridiculous. However, it was frustrating because I planned a "good" experience not a bad trip. Also it felt terrifying.
Noteworthy, i do not have a history of mental illness neither personal nor in the family. I must admit I tend to analyse things a great deal.
I really enjoyed the "stoned" state and wonder whether it is possible to smoke again without experiencing the paranoia. I'd appreciate a reply.
Btw, can I just add that Zerrin Atakan is a female. :)
People don't believe it because of all the other false health allegations.
(Lung cancer link has even been debunked, people who still say there's a link are full of shit and should look at the studies.)
But there is a risk to young people, even without heavy use, of mental health problems later in life, we need to legalize, put on an age limit, and educate the fuck out of everyone.
Pot does different things for different people, Personally it makes me more irritable and paranoid than i already am,so i don't use it. But i have the goddamn right to make that choice.
Prohibition's just gotta end folks.
If you really care what the effects of Marijuana are on your brain, check out www.pubmed.com and do some research yourself.
Here is a study that indicates Marijuana affects the Hippocampus negatively, which then causes problems with the ability of the brain to remember.
Memory deficits produced by marijuana arise partly via interaction of the psychoactive component, Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9)-THC), with cannabinoid receptors in the hippocampus. Although cannabinoids acutely reduce glutamate release and block hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), a potential substrate for learning and memory, the consequences of prolonged exposure to Delta(9)-THC for hippocampal function are poorly understood. Rats were injected with Delta(9)-THC (10 mg/kg, i.p., q.d.) for 1, 3, or 7 d, and electrophysiological recordings were performed in hippocampal slices 1d after the final injection. At this time, Delta(9)-THC was undetectable in hippocampus using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Hippocampal LTP generated using high-frequency (HFS) or theta burst stimulation was not observed in brain slices from the 7-d Delta(9)-THC-treated animals. Delta(9)-THC also blocked HFS-LTP after 3 d, but not 1 d of treatment. The complete blockade of LTP persisted for 3 d after the last Delta(9)-THC injection, and full reversal of the LTP deficit was not observed up to 14 d following Delta(9)-THC withdrawal. The cannabinoid antagonist AM251 (2 mg/kg), administered before each Delta(9)-THC injection prevented the blockade of LTP, and 7-d treatment with AM251 alone significantly increased the level of LTP. Chronic Delta(9)-THC also produced tolerance to the inhibition of synaptic GABA, but not glutamate release by the agonist WIN55,212-2. These data define consequences of repeated Delta(9)-THC exposure for synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus that may help explain memory impairments in humans following chronic marijuana use.
Here's the link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17202425&ordinalpos=8&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Don't depend on Doctors. Do research yourself. www.pubmed.com is an excellent source for this. It's your brain, take care of it and don't do Marijuana unless you've read the data for yourself...or, if you have difficulty try to make friends with an Epidemiologist to analyze all the data for you...
I have a friend who has schizophrenia, and says all the delusions and paranoia stopped when he started smoking marijuana.
It should be understood that schizophrenia is a heterogenous disorder, manifesting itself in many different ways, and marijuana is a heterogenous drug(some have more THC, some more CBD), so the two will interact differently depending on the individual and the pot. I'm guessing his dealer gives him high-CBD marijuana, which calms him down. It seems to be working. I was shocked when he told me he had schizophrenia. He seemed completely normal.
I actually read somewhere (forget where) that a drug company producing medicine for schizophrenia helped pay for this study. Most likely they know marijuana will be legalized anyway and want to scare schizophrenics away from trying something that might work for some of them.
marijuana is GOD, RELIGION, LIFE and more more profit things if you are logical person but if you are not marijuana can be DEVIL, non RELIGIOUS, DEATH and everything BAD.
marijuana is nothing but a miracle drug. it was obviously created for a reason. Who is the goverment to tell us we cant smoke a plant?? if i am wrong, correct me, but isnt tobacco also a plant, dried and smoked, just like marijuana? except tabacco has been shown to cause cancer, and is addictive, causing people to continuesly buy more, isnt that what the goverment wants us to do, spend spend spend. in my experience, alchohol drinkers always have something bad to say about marijuana. wow, marijuana is not an addictive drug. The goverment wont legalize it because the pharmecutical companies pay them not too. they would lose so much money. people are paying big bucks for popping man made chemicals to treat depression,
isnt that what the canabis club is all about??? just another way for the pharmecutical companies to make $$. if it was legal, we'd be growing this in our own backyards, but thats exactly what the pharmecutical companies dont want. because theyll lose so much money. The list is endless how many ailments marijuana treats.and about it causing schitzofrenia, heres a simple solution. Use it, dont abuse it. nothing good can come of getting super loaded everyday, all day. im sure that could make you think your schitzo. this goverment is SO corrupt. money is all they care about, and they dont make one decision without the ALL MIGHTY DOLLER being at the center of it. If they had it their way we'd all be working our fingers to the bone, just making more money that we can pay them in taxes.
I'm really confused and curious about all of these comments about "I've seen it first hand with my friend, and I went crazy due to weed"
Can you answer some honest questions?
1) Did you, or your friends have a pre-disposition to psychosis and schitzophrenia? If you said no, do you actually know this 100%?
2) You have never used any other drugs? Ecstasy puts holes in your brain on one use, and gives certain people horrifying experiences that they remember for the rest of their life. Crystal Meth can destroy your brain quickly. PCP causes insanity.
3) Think about yourself/friend, were you/your friend really, "normal" in the sense that you/he never had any signs of developing a mental illness.
I smoked weed from 17-21 heavily, every day, the best weed any of you will ever see(no lie, super fantasic indoor smothered in THC crystals) I live in Canada, we get it cheap and potent. I never had anything close to a psychosis episode, ever, and I smoked so many different types, almost assuredly had occurences smoking weed sprayed with crap, but I just threw anything that smelled fishy out after a while. I never came anywhere close to "hearing voices" or "talking gibberish" I just developed a heavy dependancy and I was highly unmotivated as a result of this. I like to smoke weed, it makes me relaxed, it slows down my brain when I'm stressed. This seems like a bunch of nonsense, it honestly seems dependant on someone having A) A predisposition to mental illness or B) Use of other, stronger drugs that are made in a chem labs I.E Ecstasy which you can die of.
So like this blog is very interesting! I'm 16 - been smoking for about a year, pretty much everyday for the last 8~9 months.
The other night I had an anxiety attack brought on by smoking a pure bud spliff whilst being drunk and having just woken up from 4 hours of sleep. I can honestly say it was the most horrifying experience of my life. I was convinced that I was going schizo! I swear I could see faces when I shut my eyes, and maybe even conversing voices in my head! I was shaking uncontrollably, heart beat at 200bpm and my mind was racing! I was honestly completely terrified!
So because of all the Cannabis causes psychosis bollocks I've stopped smoking it - but I don't fucking want to! I LOVE BEING A STONER!
I'm a musician. Self taught Pianist of a high-standard. Smoking the herb gives me some amazing creative ideas and really has the ability to chill me out - but after the other night I'm scared to smoke again.
Apparently, if you worry about mental-health issues then your fine - as a true nut-case would see themselves as normal, regardless of talking shit and hearing voices etc...
I think that the government/media have only done bad things for the publicity of Cannabis - I wonder how many Schizo's there are in Amsterdam??!!
Also, how the fuck would you know if your "pre-disposed" to mental-health issues - coz I really want to know so I can have a joint asap!
I know of many Schizo's that smoke green to calm their symptoms down though...
- (not-so)SmokeyJoe.
Honestly, you kind of fail at life if you need a drug.
Also, how can you say that other people's bad experiences must be made up? Just because you have never had a bad trip does not mean the marijuana does not cause bad trips. Really, different people experience different things. Not all cigarette smokers develop cancer, but it still puts you at greater risk for cancer if you smoke. It's not like marijuana is doing your lungs any good, anyway...
xyz said...
"Only happy, secure, stable and responsible individuals should ideally be the one's toking up."
lol they wouldn't be toking up if they were happy, secure, stable and responsible individuals.
@xyz...That was right-on. haha
This is odd. There are people saying they became schizophrenic or their friends did by smoking pot and then there's people saying they use pot to treat schizophrenia and it works. Plus, I know a schizophrenic guy who smokes pot for his disease and based on his behavior it seems to have worked.
I don't disregard anyone else's personal experiences, but this is strange. Why would marijuana sometimes cause or exacerbate schizophrenia and sometimes treat it?
Are the cases of schizophrenia just high-THC strands? Maybe my friend's dealer knows he has schizophrenia and knows certain types of weed help and certain types hurt, so he always gives him the type that helps. That would probably by Indica, since it has a higher concentration of CBD in comparison with Sativa.
Or maybe the cases where people reported developing schizophrenia from marijuana were repeatedly sold laced strands?
Another thing I've read about is that we have our own natural THC-like substance, annandamine, which has been suggested to reduce some symptoms of schizophrenics. THC stimulates its production. Maybe while it increases paranoia in one part of the brain it decreases other factors of the disease. That one study when followed through suggested that CBD by itself wasn't that affective. Maybe CBD outweighs the paranoia effects of THC, while not disrupting the production of annandamine. They should do a study of the effects of different strains of marijuana with different levels of THC and CBD each.
Also, it's worth noting that big pharma companies that sell meds for schizophrenia helped pay for these studies. Companies like this don't usually contribute if there isn't anything in it for them. Seems like they were afraid marijuana would be found to be an effective treatment for schizophrenia.
I have witnessed the use of marijuana have directly affected my brother in developing schizophrenia symptoms. Not once, but MANY times... I just wonder how stupid are the people that publish this type of articles and challenge serious studies that make these links. Most likely they´ve never experienced or seen anyone with schizophrenia and doesn´t have a clue of what it is.
I have witnessed the use of marijuana have directly affected Anonymous in developing teh bad English symptoms.
I do love that I'm still getting comments on this post but, as always, hope for two things: 1) that you'll read the whole article and 2) respond with a readable level of English.
Anonymous: if this article and comments clarified anything, it is that there is no clarification on the issue, that marijuana affects everyone differently, some having mental illness symptoms suppressed, some having them exacerbated; some people are non-functional, some are world-class doctors who are stoned every day.
Marijuana, like reality, is subjective.
Keep those comments coming!
This reminds me of the study that linked fire trucks to destroyed homes.
Who would have thought that there is a high correlation between the number of fire trucks and the extent of damage of home on fire?
Therefore, fire trucks must be banned.
I also heard of another study that found people with a history of drug seeking behavior, especially benzos, were very likely to have anxiety and panic attacks. Do we see a pattern here? People with a predisposition to schizophrenia (who claim to benefit from marijuana) smoke pot and get diagnosed as batpoop crazy. People likely to freak out in public places, find benzos calming, get diagnosed with social anxiety and panic attacks.
Since benzos are chemicals that can be patented, the same logic does not apply here. Benzos must be made legal so the share holders get rich and their wealth will trickle down on all of us and everything will be ok.
Good Job! :)
k, listen to this.
im kind of a wierdo, ive always been really really shy, and always afraid of what people would think of me, but i wasnt mentally ill, i was just a regular little boy, i had friends, and i lived a happy life
weed makes it worse homeboy, mr psychology degree.
ha.
so about 7 months ago i started smokin weed, the worst mistake ever.
time went by, kept tokin up, went by, kept tokin up.
after a while the nice relaxed feeling went away, and mental illness just flourished. id be sober for days, and the bad feelings the weed brought out never went away, and they still havent. i have delusions, like really bad ones, id be thinking one day, and id start to believe that all my friends
were hiding shit behind my back, and they were doing all this shady shit because they were out to get me. and eventually id realize how insane these thoughts were and get a grip, and id be normal again. so id decide to smoke that devils lettuce again. take a stab at what happened. i felt so down, more delusions, horiffic anxiety. i just thought these were the short term effects everyone talks about and i kept on smokin. it kept getting worse
so here i am today, sober at last, but ive paid the price. i cant really be in public anymore, the delusions take over, i cant look at anyone, i cant stand people looking at me. theres only like 3 people i can be around comfortably, and its because ive known them for years, but i can see theyre like for me fading, they see the illness in me and they cant take it either.
ever since ive stopped smoking weed the symptoms have been at a dead halt, and id bet you anything that if i did it again it would get worse.
its killed me, its killed my relationships, my personality, everything. im not even the same person, im not me anymore, im this crazy fuck who cant have normal thoughts anymore, just paranoid fucking delusions. cant have nice dreams anymore, just half awake half asleep halucinogenic nightmares that scar me worse and worse every night.
i know you all must think im a fuckin retard for kepping on pushing it and pushing it, and i know i am, but thats not the point, i do think weed can cause schizophrenia, maybe not in people who are completely normal happy doo dah, but in those of us who were never quite "normal".
Dear "your a fool,"
I do believe we've established here that marijuana is subjective. It works to temper the effects of schizophrenia for some, exacerbate it for others, and even bring on symptoms for a very few.
I do believe we've also established basic grounds for comments: names are appreciated but grammar is golden; your reply name has done something I have not yet seen: it breaks both rules.
Congrats! Your retarded!
This is a little ridiculous.
"I do believe we've established here that marijuana is subjective."
Really? Care to explain that?
What many people fail to notice or realize is ....
Which one is the variable?
MJ, or People?
How many people have different reactions TO THE SAME DRUG?
The drug is a constant.
What about that 6 pack?
I bet you know someone who can drink the whole thing and be completely fine, while someone else can drink 2 and there hammered.
When some people drink, they get belligerent and start fights, while others become the life of the party.
Ever hear the saying "A Drunk Never Lies"?
How about this one ...
"Drunkin Words Are Sober Thoughts"
For Most,IMO, substances, whether it be MJ or alcohol, brings out the real or otherwise "hidden" thoughts, actions, and/ or motives that already exist within one's self.
Being under the influence, or better yet, thinking that one is under the influence, provides the user an excuse to act however they want, or to unleash, whether consciously, or subconsciously, thoughts or actions that have been waiting to come out.
Now, before you start saying that's bull****, I have one word for you ...
"PLACEBO"
Not Good Enough? How about this one.
Near Death Experience.
There have been soo many people who claim to have seen many many different things upon near death.
While these people come from many different places all over the world, from many different cultures, there is one more thing that separates them all, and that is what they have stated to see during their experience. But there is one thing that ties all these cases closely together ...
They all claimed to see what they believed that they would see.
Christians may claim to see Jesus, or a bright light, while others make claims of seeing budda, or other figures known to their beliefs.
NOW, to get back to the topic of MJ and Schizophrenia.
Right before coming across this blog, I have been researching Schizophrenia, for about 14 hours straight.
"Only happy, secure, stable and responsible individuals should ideally be the one's toking up."
That doesnt make sense. It is a drug. How I do say that, however i do not put it in the came class as "real drugs", but more in the sense of how caffiene is a drug.
Why do most people take drugs? Whether they realize it or it, the usage almost always maps back to self medicating.
SO that smashes that theory.
MJ causes Schizophrenia ...
Unlikely, Very Unlikely.
Lets say that you have been smoking MJ, all day, everyday for the past 5 years, since you were 16 years old.
Your now 21 years old, and you start to experience episodes of phrania.
Was it the MJ?
What do we know so far?
Well, we know, its a fact, that people resort to drugs as a method of self medication.
But wait ...? Self Medicating for what? 10 years ago you werent having these episodes.
Are you sure?
Almost always, a sufferer will not become self aware of any symptoms or quite some time, if ever.
The average age of onset is 20.5 years old.
Almost five years elapse between symptom onset and diagnosis of any kind of mental health condition.
So who is to say that the MJ wasnt being used because of an unconscience or semi-conscience awareness of some minor beginning onset of the disease?
hmmm .... Dont think that is possible?
What if i told you I could prove it? Well, i can ... Almost.
I can prove this with a diffrent drug. Nicotine.
*FACT*
On average, about 25% - 35% of the world smoke cigarettes.
*FACT*
On average, about 85% - 90% of people suffering with Schizophrenia smoke cigarettes, usually heavily.
Considering the numbers, it would make sense to consider that Schizophrenia may be caused by smoking, and it was considered.
"Smoking occurs at much higher rates than other types of substance misuse or dependence, which have been shown also to be elevated among patients with schizophrenia."
"excessive smoking tends to be a lifelong habit among patients with schizophrenia"
Considering these numbers, theories were developed, and broken down into 3 possibilities.
1.smoking is another risk factor for schizophrenia
(Just like some claim about MJ)
2.something about the illness leads patients to smoke.
3.smoking is another risk factor for schizophrenia.
So research is conducted to see which, if any, is the true cause.
Which you do think it is? ...
"Most patients who smoke began to do so before psychotic aspects of the illness appeared, premorbid characteristics are perhaps important."
"While only one in four Americans now light up, cigarette use hovers near 90 percent among schizophrenics. But for folks with this personality disorder, smoking may be a form of self-medication. Nicotine, it seems, counteracts some of the impairments caused by schizophrenia and the drug most often used to treat it."
"In experiments at Duke University Medical Center, nicotine patches boosted schizophrenics’ performance on tests of short-term memory and of mental processing speed abilities with which Haloperidol, the leading antipsychotic drug, interferes."
"Nicotine also improved participants’ attention spans as they tackled a boring computer task for 14 mind-numbing minutes"
"the study supports the idea that for schizophrenics, smoking is probably an unconscious attempt to restore some of their blunted mental abilities."
OK, now that I have pointed out the FACTS, I will go into my own experiences.
I should state now that I have not been diagnosed with Schizophrenia yet.
As I have mentioned, I have been doing alot of research on this within the past 24 hours.
If someone had suggested to me that I have Schizophrenia 48 hours ago I would think they are the ones who are crazy.
However, the moment I noticed the symptoms listed on a website, i had a great feeling that I was suffering from this.
Now this hasnt come out of no where. I have always had a disability, many years before I started smoking MJ myself.
At the age of about 6 or 7, I was diagnosed with ADHD. The doctor who provided this prognosis was an expert in the field, and had written many books on the topic.
He stated that I had the most severe case he had ever seen, without any learning disability.
At the age of about 9 or 10, i had an iq of 114. Before I even hit puberty, I had an iq higher than most adults.
My last online iq test, stated an iq of 138. This was less than a year ago.
I am a very over active thinker. my brain is always running.
Have absolutely no focus, and am easily distracted.
MJ has been the most effective tool to prevent this, and slow my process down.
Because of that, I have been smoking MJ since I was 13.
Since 14, i have been off of ADHD medicine. This is becuase i was homeless, and going through foster care and group homes, and was always moving around.
I am 27 now, so i have been smoking MJ for 14 years.
During those 14 years, i have never experienced any psychotic behavior.
A little less than a week ago, i was finally able to get back to the doctor. A doctor. I never saw him before.
While my MJ was working for me, i didnt always have it. When I did, i would smoke about every 2-3. From the time i wake, till the time i went to sleep.
So I am going through the questions he is asking me, and we get to the topic of drugs.
I tell him no substance abuse history, other than the occasional experiment. Then i tell him that i am an active MJ user.
This isnt no simple head shrink. This is a Neurologist.
What do you think he had to say about my MJ usage.
NOTHING
that should tell you something right there.
Now I said I have never had any psychotic episodes, let suspect I have Schizophrenic.
That is because I have symptoms from the cognative and Negative types of Schizophrenic.
"Studies have shown marijuana to induce Schizophrenic episodes in people who already have a predisposition to Schizophrenia."
Predisposition huh? Try this out for size.
I have the highest risk of Schizophrenia possible.
While I did my research, i asked if there was any history of Schizophrenia in my family.
Come to find out my mother's uncle is in a group home due to his Schizophrenia and was told that my father had been diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia with Homicidal tendency's plus the ADHD.
"young people who have a parent or sibling with schizophrenia and who also have ADHD may be at very high risk of developing schizophrenia."
So If I can smoke MJ croniclly, have the highest possible probability of developing Schizophrenia, and not come close to some of the stuff the people here have claimed, thats got to tell you something ...
"some people flip out while others are unaffected; some say it exacerbates schizophrenic symptoms while others say it ameliorates them."
If anything dont you mean
"exacerbates schizophrenic LIKE
symptoms".
So If one takes acid, or LSD, they may hear or see things that are not there.
That does NOT mean LSD CAUSES Schizophrenia, it causes a similar symptom.
Big Difference.
One can be paranoid, without being mentally ill.
You people are losers and i can kick al of your asses!!
For a lengthy list of medical journal articles and research linking marijuana use with schizophrenia, I encourage you to read this:
http://www.modern-psychiatry.com/marijuana2.htm
Dear stoners,
Here is the deal everybody is different and some can handle it and some go nuts.
I started smoking at 14 and became schizophrenic at 32 I am controlled on Prolixin and other meds and can smoke as much as I want and it doesn't interfere with my meds.
The idea that it took mj 18 years to cause me to go schitzo is ridiculous. If it were gonna happen it would have happened sooner.
My advice is if you go schizo try 1cc injections of 25mg of prolixin every 2-3 weeks and smoke up and see if you have any troubles once schizo symptoms have cleared.
IT WORKS, and you don't have to do anything but stick a needle in and press the plunger once in a while.
Hell, thats great for me. I love dope and want to smoke it 24 hours a day. But eating is just fine too for those that don't want lung damage.
I'd rather choose marijuana compared to any other addictive substance because of it's medical capabilities. Besides, it's got no real risk according to the latest study.
I can really say that this is one interesting story. There are lots of people who comment. That story is good and I really have a great time reading it.
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