> > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Duveyoung <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > Pot has been used for thousands of years and has never been anything > > but a boon to any culture -- until Hearst et al. > > Actually, research being done at Columbia University for the last 10 years shows that > cannabis use (yes plain old marijuana) increases the likelihood of developing psychosis by > ten fold.
You are joking right? Another satire? quote ---- Down at the bottom of the CNN report ("Marijuana may increase psychosis risk, analysis says ") on the Lancet published study that claims that frequent marijuana use may cause psychosis we find: Two of the authors of the study were invited experts on the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs Cannabis Review in 2005. Several authors reported being paid to attend drug company-sponsored meetings related to marijuana, and one received consulting fees from companies that make antipsychotic medications. Thank goodness that the drug companies have those scientists on staff. As seems quite possible a scientist could make quite different conclusions from the study. CNN's nay sayer offers weak protest: Dr. Wilson Compton, a senior scientist at the National Institute on Drug Abuse in Washington, called the study persuasive. but Scientists cannot rule out that pre-existing conditions could have led to both marijuana use and later psychoses, he added. Actually, the Lancet report does offer to rule out pre-existing conditions but don't let that stop mainstream news from burying any protests against cooked science deeply under a mountain of neocon BS. Also, note the politically convenient timing of the report: In the U.K., the government will soon reconsider how marijuana should be classified in its hierarchy of drugs. In 2004, it was downgraded and penalties for possession were reduced. Many expect marijuana will be bumped up to a class "B" category, with offenses likely to lead to arrests or longer jail sentences. It has been shown that the War on Drugs has increased terrorism (especially in poor third world countries). It is still possible that marijuana is being used by psychotic people like medical marijuana is, as an actual palliative. This could be what the drug companies fear, a natural, growable, alternative to their expensive drugs. -------- quote 2 Psychosis and Marijuana Use There is no proof that cannabis can cause a psychosis with people who don't have a history of psychotic behavior or a tendency for psychosis. It is a fact that only a small percentage of the estimated 300 000 people who smoke cannabis in Holland become psychotic. As far as we know it only concerns people who are consciously or unconsciously sensitive for psychosis. However, it is possible that cannabis can turn out badly with "healthy" people as well and cause anxiety or depression. Fortunately, these symptoms will not last and quickly disappear. There is no proof whatsoever that long-term and daily use of cannabis can cause a psychosis among "healthy" people, but the risk cannot be totally ignored. There are examples of people in India who - after years of daily use - started to show symptoms similar to psychosis, like hallucinations, delusions and total introversion. However, these are just descriptions of cases and are not scientifically proven. So cannabis is almost positively harmful to people who tend to psychosis. Therefore, in 1993 research was done at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam (AMC) among 93 psychotic patients. It showed that 61% of the patients who used cannabis during 15 months, more than once a day, fell back into a psychosis. Almost every user suffering from psychosis turned out to use cannabis at least a year before their first psychosis. According to the researcher it meant that the use of cannabis by vulnerable people could result in developing a psychosis. (Source: Don Linszen et al., Archives of General Psychiatry 1994). Further research to the use of cannabis by people with a tendency to psychosis shows that: * Relapse in a psychosis occurs more often among cannabis users than non-cannabis users. * Cannabis has a negative effect on the course of the psychosis. * Users of cannabis suffering from a psychosis become psychotic faster, more heavily and more sustained. * Users of cannabis with a tendency to psychosis become psychotic at a younger age than non-users. * Medication necessary for psychotic patients is less effective when someone uses cannabis. At the same time the side effects are less harmful. Often that is one of the reasons why people use cannabis. * Psychotic people often use cannabis because it decreases the symptoms of the psychosis. It is used as a form of self-medication against fears, especially social fears like difficulty in talking in public. Patients indicate that it was easier and they felt better when they had used cannabis. Note that using cannabis is illegal in most countries. end of quote ------------------------------------------ Whatever you are on let us know so we can add it to list of things to stay way way away from.