Daily cannabis use linked to psychosis

[beforewisdom]

From
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10113187

Daily cannabis use linked to psychosis

02.03.05
by Rebecca Walsh

People who use cannabis every day are nearly twice as likely to suffer psychotic symptoms than non-users, a Canterbury University study has found.

The research, by Professor David Fergusson and colleagues at the Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, is part of a longitudinal study which has followed 1000 people for 25 years.

People were asked at ages 18, 21 and 25 whether they used cannabis. In a typical year about 4 to 5 per cent said they used cannabis every day and 50 to 60 per cent said they never used it.

Professor Fergusson said daily users suffered a clear increase in psychotic symptoms. They were between 1.6 and 1.8 times more likely to experience symptoms such as hearing voices others couldn't hear, to suffer paranoid thoughts and feel isolated from others. There were no differences between males and females.

Professor Fergusson said about six major longitudinal studies had reported a link between cannabis and psychotic symptoms but there had been doubts about whether it could be due to other factors, such as use of other drugs. Questions were also raised about whether people with psychotic symptoms were more likely to use cannabis to start with.

The new study, to be published in the international journal Addiction, had controlled for such factors and still found a clear association.

"These are not huge increases in risk and nor should they be because cannabis is by no means the only thing that will determine if you suffer these symptoms," he said.

Occasional cannabis smoking would not have any impact.

Professor Fergusson said debate around cannabis use had been polarised into two camps - those who believed it caused terrible harm and those who believed it was not harmful and should be legalised. "I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle."

Ross Bell, executive director of the New Zealand Drug Foundation, said the study reinforced the fact the issue was not black and white.

"This kind of research sends out a warning we need to take into account the harm of cannabis."

Cannabis use and its impact on mental health had been widely discussed as part of a health select committee inquiry in 2003.

United Future's support agreement with the Government rules out any changes to the legal status of cannabis.

[pseudo_vegan]

:lol:

I'm going to send this article to my friend who likes to "toke the righteous herb"...

...I'm sure he'll get defensive...even though there's nothing to argue about... :-/
((sigh))

:nigel: Cheers.

[Brandon]

Professor Fergusson said about six major longitudinal studies had reported a link between cannabis and psychotic symptoms but there had been doubts about whether it could be due to other factors, such as use of other drugs.

the bold is my adding ^^

This sentence pretty much ruins the credibility of the rest of the article, imo. This is sort of like making a big claim, and then saying "or something else that's not this."
The article was interesting, though. :)

[Vicky]

paranoic thoughts :lol: well of course they get paranoid sometimes - that's one of the effects. some people get more paranoid than others.
i don't think this article whill make anyone that smokes stop.... maybe just laugh

[pseudo_vegan]

the bold is my adding ^^

This sentence pretty much ruins the credibility of the rest of the article, imo. This is sort of like making a big claim, and then saying "or something else that's not this."
The article was interesting, though. :)

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I love that! MFG I'm cracking up over here!!

:nigel: Cheers!

[TheFirstBus]

Hmmm lets see there are masses of people who say that cannabis is one of the most evil things they have seen and on the other side people who say it has "healing" properties. So I have come to the conclusion that personal judgement must be used on the situation.

[delicious]

Might just be something missing in the life of the person who wants to smoke weed every day...

[ebola]

I have already critiqued this study on veggieboards.
In sum, we cannot infer causation from these types of correlational studies, nor do we know if the interaction between preexisting predisposition to psychosis and cannabis use is key. That being said, psychedelics such as cannabis do appear, at least anecdotally, to act as psychotic triggers in those who are vulnerable.


ebola

[Richard]

Christchurch School of Medicine????? Give me a break! Is that like medicine using leaches, and magic spells?

Guess what, using anything recreationally "every day" is a problem, drink too much booze every day: you'll have a lot more wrong with you than just "having paranoid thoughts".

Smoke Cigarettes daily: you'll enjoy breathing through a tube one day.

Eat junk food every day: go watch the movie "super size me".

smoke weed every day... yea, I'm sure its not good for you either...

but unlike other crap the government wants to push on you, Cannabis kills cancer cells, its a lot safer and better for you than alcohol, tobacco, or fast food as a matter of fact... (burger king and McDonalds killed many more people than weed).

Anyhow, god, sorry for the rant, I hate the propaganda.. its as sick and disturbing as refer madness...

[SweetP]

Christchurch School of Medicine????? Give me a break! Is that like medicine using leaches, and magic spells?

Just FYI Christchurch is the city where Canterbury University is located not a Church of Christ which is the way I think you may have read it.

What are y'all doing reading the NZ Herald anyway - I thought it was strictly for locals like me.

[catswym]

"Occasional cannabis smoking would not have any impact."

even if everything in this study is true, this line from the article points to (one reason)why i still think it is fine. certainly no worse than alcohol or cigs.

[treybo]

psychosis:


A severe mental disorder, with or without organic damage, characterized by derangement of personality and loss of contact with reality and causing deterioration of normal social functioning.

i think i suffer a type of psychosis in my lack of any motivation to be part of this "social functioning" that surrounds me. the futility of being driven by money, with money and toys being the goal and drive of every function doesnt seem to impress or entertain me like most others buzzing around here. ill admit i have a problem dwelling on this fundemental error of existence, but until i figure out how to free my mind permanently of it marijuana certainly helps my friends and i detach our conscious and appreciate somethings more enjoyable.. maybe good music, bike rides, working out.. cooking.. if this temporary vacation for my mentality is psychotic, sign me up.

[ebola]

heh...that's hardly psychosis...sounds like you're just thinking more.

[ebola]

well...the increase in risk is only twofold for DAILY users in comparison to the controls, so that is rather unsurprising.

[treybo]

like most studies on cannibas, this info seems pretty silly... i guess there needs to be some justification on why there are billions of dollars spent on preventing the use of this drug and why my smoke buddies should be in jail instead of studying with me at school. lets binge on alcohol and break things instead.. or on cigarettes and f*K over ppl with secondhand.. or caffeine.. or sell meats and dairies with even worse drugs built in free of charge.. illogic freaking crap hurts to think about. why do ppl have to get so stuck in tradition and habit.. there is nothing wrong about being wrong.. its when u cant admit it is when i see a problem.

[Richard]

The prohibition against cannabis is not silly at all, and there is a huge reason behind it... Its not something done by the ignorant, but, its targeting ignorant people.

In a nutshell... The government (USA/Canada/most other places) could not care less about your health and well being... sorry, but that’s a fact. The prohibition is not against people using the drug and becoming dependant.. its simply about money... The government (as well as a small group of those in power) make a tremendous amount of money off certain legal drugs they would like you to purchase... 1. tobacco, and 2. alcohol. Now, if weed was legal, it would lower alcohol sales (without a question... you would basically give your consumers a choice in which recreational drug to purchase). Now, unlike most types of alcohol, weed is cheap to produce, and most people can grow it in their gardens.... if they don’t, their friends will... now, your whisky dealer is getting less business, alcohol sales drop, and the government does not wish to see that happen... if they could sell it and tax it (it would be a different story) - but since its a simple herb that can grow wild... you won't see them egger to legalize it... so let the propaganda flies... fortunately most people are not buying it anymore.

Also, once people try it, and realize its 1. more fun than booze, 2. no hangovers, 3. less money, 4. well, you get the idea.. most of the public would turn off to booze...

Oh, and as for cigarettes… because unlike alcohol, weed does not make you stupid.. its main buzz is about “thinking” and makes you think and introspect everything… if you smoke cigarettes, your average pot user might realize that smoking is a real stupid idea, and just might quit too… oh god, now that I think about it, how dangerous would a world of “free thinkers” be? It would be like the 60’s all over again… bush would lose his sheep.. what a nightmare…






like most studies on cannibas, this info seems pretty silly... i when u cant admit it is when i see a problem.

[ebola]

>>Oh, and as for cigarettes… because unlike alcohol, weed does not make you stupid.. its main buzz is about “thinking” and makes you think and introspect everything… if you smoke cigarettes, your average pot user might realize that smoking is a real stupid idea, and just might quit too… >>

Rates of tobacco use among cannabis users show this to be highly unlikely.

ebola

[Richard]

I dunno about that... I know a lot of people that smoke weed, but believe cigarette smoking is retarded... and from personal experience, the mild "weed trips" make you quite open to thinking... I know weed (as well as mushrooms and lsd in high school) changed my life in many ways:

1. I realized how important school was, that I needed a good job, etc... that’s why me and a hand full of my drugie friends left our steal town in search of enlightenment (at a university far far away)... now I teach at a university myself... the other is a doctor (vet actually) and the third friend is a computer programmer (mostly a java/C++ guy).

2. I realized smoking is stupid.

3. stopped eating meat..

4. started exercising and staying fit.

5. gave me insight into dating... (made me realize what was important).

6. made me a spiritual person.

Now, I'm not saying that without drugs, I would never have done any of this, but, these were salient changes I went through when evaluating life while high, and I remembered these experiences had an impact on these issues afterwards.... Now, watching your typical beer drinker here… I doubt many of them kick back and wonder “why was I put here?”….





>>
Rates of tobacco use among cannabis users show this to be highly unlikely.
ebola

[ebola]

I'm not saying that cannabis (and other psychedelics) don't provide insight...I'm just saying, that there is little evidence that cannabis leads most users to figure out that smoking tobacco is stupid.

>>.... Now, watching your typical beer drinker here… I doubt many of them kick back and wonder “why was I put here?”….
>>

I think you may be as guilty of stereotyping drunkards as many are of stereotyping stoners. Don't most people, at some point, wonder "why"?

ebola

[treybo]

we are on the same wavelength, richard.. how this is all driven by money instead of logic or health is what seemed silly to me.

[mayuko]

Now, if weed was legal, it would lower alcohol sales (without a question... you would basically give your consumers a choice in which recreational drug to purchase).

bull. well, at least speaking from the experience of myself and other stoners who also like to drink. i know that given the choice (oh god! those hypothetical situations i hate!) between only being able to have alcohol or cannabis for the rest of my life, the alcohol has it.

(...not that i can buy that legally yet either...)

it's an interesting study though, whether there's any truth to it or not. i think i'll pull that out next time i don't feel like smoking and my friends wonder what the hell's going on with me lately. haha. they all know i don't need anything adding to my psychosis.

(you know, like the sleep deprivation i'm on now, hence why this is a stupid, rambly, not-well-thought-out post.)

[Richard]

Your right... I never thought of it that way... I guess I've always been turned off by the chubby hockey crowd drunks... or the rowdy hostle drunks you run into in bars... but ya, thats a good point, I'm not thinking about those having a drink in a restaruant, and some good converstaion, or on a patio.. that type of thing...






I think you may be as guilty of stereotyping drunkards as many are of stereotyping stoners. Don't most people, at some point, wonder "why"?

ebola

[Richard]

So true... isn't the everything driven by money these days...

Makes me think of some interesting studies they did a while back... seems Burger King used below standard food - however, somewhow they had enough $'s to change the canadian food and drug standars to pass them through...


we are on the same wavelength, richard.. how this is all driven by money instead of logic or health is what seemed silly to me.

[Richard]

Yea, but mayuko, what I see is that your still pretty young... I liked drinking when I was younger too... but, what ends up happening a lot, as you get older, you find your body is just not ready to handle the hard impact alcholol has on it.. god, I would die if I ever lived though some of those university days again... - In my old age, a few puffs, and some green tea is pretty much as hard as I like to go anymore... I can't imagine how those wisky drinkers my age are doing it :)


bull. well, at least speaking from the experience of myself and other stoners who also like to drink. i know that given the choice (oh god! those hypothetical situations i hate!) between only being able to have alcohol or cannabis for the rest of my life, the alcohol has it.

[mayuko]

Yea, but mayuko, what I see is that your still pretty young... I liked drinking when I was younger too... but, what ends up happening a lot, as you get older, you find your body is just not ready to handle the hard impact alcholol has on it.. god, I would die if I ever lived though some of those university days again... - In my old age, a few puffs, and some green tea is pretty much as hard as I like to go anymore... I can't imagine how those wisky drinkers my age are doing it :)

hehe, yeah that's a good point. most of the people i hang out with/relate to/get along with are older than me, so i forget i'm a young'un sometimes :D