Cannabis: The Terrible Truth

[unregistered]

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

Got any?

 

[SgtSpiderMan]

Yet there are those who continue to believe this scourge is beneficial. Colorado and large aspects of society are at risk:


The terrible truth about cannabis: British expert's devastating 20-year study finally demolishes claims that smoking pot is harmless


.One in six teenagers who regularly smoke the drug become dependent

.It doubles risk of developing psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia

.Heavy use in adolescence appears to impair intellectual development

.Driving after smoking cannabis doubles risk of having a car crash

.Study's author said: 'If cannabis is not addictive then neither is heroin'


By BEN SPENCER, SCIENCE REPORTER FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 18:02 EST, 6 October 2014 | UPDATED: 19:46 EST, 6 October 2014

A definitive 20-year study into the effects of long-term cannabis use has demolished the argument that the drug is safe.

Cannabis is highly addictive, causes mental health problems and opens the door to hard drugs, the study found.

The paper by Professor Wayne Hall, a drugs advisor to the World Health Organisation, builds a compelling case against those who deny the devastation cannabis wreaks on the brain. Professor Hall found:

.One in six teenagers who regularly smoke the drug become dependent on it.

.Cannabis doubles the risk of developing psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia,

.Cannabis users do worse at school. Heavy use in adolescence appears to impair intellectual development

.One in ten adults who regularly smoke the drug become dependent on it and those who use it are more likely to go on to use harder drugs,

.Driving after smoking cannabis doubles the risk of a car crash, a risk which
increases substantially if the driver has also had a drink,

.Smoking it while pregnant reduces the baby’s birth weight.

Last night Professor Hall, a professor of addiction policy at King’s College London, dismissed the views of those who say that cannabis is harmless.
‘If cannabis is not addictive then neither is heroin or alcohol,’ he said.

‘It is often harder to get people who are dependent on cannabis through withdrawal than for heroin – we just don’t know how to do it.’

Those who try to stop taking cannabis often suffer anxiety, insomnia, appetite disturbance and depression, he found. Even after treatment, less than half can stay off the drug for six months.

The paper states that teenagers and young adults are now as likely to take cannabis as they are to smoke cigarettes.

Professor Hall writes that it is impossible to take a fatal overdose of cannabis, making it less dangerous at first glance than heroin or cocaine. He also states that taking the drug while pregnant can reduce the weight of a baby, and long-term use raises the risk of cancer, bronchitis and heart attack.

But his main finding is that regular use, especially among teenagers, leads to long-term mental health problems and addiction.

‘The important point I am trying to make is that people can get into difficulties with cannabis use, particularly if they get into daily use over a longer period,’ he said. ‘There is no doubt that heavy users experience a withdrawal syndrome as with alcohol and heroin.

‘Rates of recovery from cannabis dependence among those seeking treatment are similar to those for alcohol.’

Mark Winstanley, of the charity Rethink Mental Illness, said: ‘Too often cannabis is wrongly seen as a safe drug, but as this review shows, there is a clear link with psychosis and schizophrenia, especially for teenagers.

‘The common view that smoking cannabis is nothing to get worked up about needs to be challenged more effectively. Instead of classifying and re-classifying, government time and money would be much better spent on educating young people about how smoking cannabis is essentially playing a very real game of Russian roulette with your mental health.’

Cannabis was given a Class B rating when the classification system for illegal drugs was set up in 1971, putting it below Class A substances heroin and cocaine in seriousness but above Class C drugs such as steroids.

The Labour government downgraded the drug to Class C in 2004 – meaning officers did not normally arrest those caught with it – but reversed its decision within five years. Other failed attempts to liberalise the approach to cannabis include that of former Metropolitan Police chief Brian Paddick, who spearheaded a ‘softly, softly’ scheme while borough commander in Lambeth in 2001.

His party leader, Nick Clegg, has previously backed moves to partially decriminalise the sale of cannabis. At the Liberal Democrat conference yesterday, he called for people to be spared jail if they are caught with small amounts of drugs.

In 2005, David Cameron, when he ran for the Tory leadership, said it would be ‘disappointing’ if radical options on the law on cannabis were not looked at. He said he favoured ‘fresh thinking and a new approach’ towards drugs policy.

Mr Cameron also voted, when he was a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee, for the UN body on drugs policy to look at whether to legalise and regulate the drugs trade. Today, he no longer supports decriminalisation.

Professor Hall last night declined to comment on the decriminalisation debate.
But in his paper, published in the journal Addiction, he wrote that the rise of medical treatment for cannabis ‘dependence syndrome’ had not been stopped by legalisation. The number of cannabis users seeking help to quit or control their cannabis use has increased during the past two decades in the United States, Europe and Australia,’ he wrote. ‘The same increase has occurred in the Netherlands, where cannabis use was decriminalised more than 40 years ago.’

David Raynes, of the National Drug Prevention Alliance, added: ‘There is no case for legalisation and we hope that this puts an end to the matter. The two main parties agree that cannabis needs to remain illegal – we hope the Liberal Democrats see this research and re-examine their policies.’

For years, activists and celebrities trying to decriminalise cannabis have campaigned on the claim that the real health damage to users is done by the legal ban on drugs. They have dismissed the growing evidence that smoking cannabis is a serious risk to mental health.

Prominent supporters of decriminalisation have included comedian Russell Brand, singer Sting, writer Will Self and left-wing barrister Michael Mansfield.

A key figure has been David Nutt, who was chairman of the Home Office Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, until sacked for his campaigning five years ago. The professor said the risk of lung cancer from smoking was vastly greater than the risk of psychosis from cannabis.

He gave a lecture in 2009 in which he said: ‘The analysis we came up with was that smokers of cannabis are about 2.6 times more likely to have a psychotic-like experience than non-smokers. To put that figure in proportion, you are 20 times more likely to get lung cancer if you smoke tobacco than if you don’t.

‘The other paradox is that schizophrenia seems to be disappearing from the general population, even though cannabis use has increased markedly in the last 30 years.

‘So, even though skunk has been around now for ten years, there has been no upswing in schizophrenia. Where people have looked, they haven’t found any evidence linking cannabis use in a population and schizophrenia.’

The claim that cannabis is harmless is repeated in a documentary shortly to be released in Britain called The Culture High, which features interviews with Sir Richard Branson and Mike Trace, Britain’s deputy drugs czar under Tony Blair. He was sacked after the Mail revealed he was planning to launch a decriminalisation pressure group.

The film contains an interview with an academic who states that ‘marijuana is the most non-toxic medicine I have ever come across’ and maintains, according to reports, that ‘scientific evidence overwhelmingly shows it has medical benefits’.

Sir Richard’s appearance in the film is part of a long-running personal campaign against the legal ban on drugs. Sir Richard is also part of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, a pressure group which says legalisation would ‘safeguard the health and security of citizens’.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...laims-smoking-pot-harmless.html#ixzz3FQ5oLtxv
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

I don't know if any of the legalization movements have advocated for minors to have access to pot.

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

I don't know if any of the legalization movements have advocated for minors to have access to pot.

Wat if they have medical necessity?

 

[SgtSpiderMan]

Wat if they have medical necessity?

Honestly don't know. Great question.

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

Honestly don't know. Great question.

Yeah, I don't really have a stance. I know it can't be good for you but so are a lot of other legal things.

 

[anchoredinocean]

Still trying to get into Nancy Reagan's pants?

 

[Disgustipated]

I don't know if any of the legalization movements have advocated for minors to have access to pot.

Do you have to quote long ass posts?

 

[Joeybagadonuts]

Vet, do you drink alcohol?

 

[sigh]

All drugs, even the most widely used and beneficial, carry a grocery list of contraindications, warnings, precautions and adverse reactions, some of them more dire by far than those listed in this report. And more common too. Medicine (or just getting high) is all about balancing risks and benefits. You can't look at one without the other.

PSA
In regards to marijuana, if you still smoke it, stop. Inhaling smoke on a regular basis is not a good thing. Black morning phlegm ring a bell? Get a vaporizer. Inhale aromatics, not smoke.

I think there should be a state-defined legal use age.

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

All drugs, even the most widely used and beneficial, carry a grocery list of contraindications, warnings, precautions and adverse reactions, some of them more dire by far than those listed in this report. And more common too. Medicine (or just getting high) is all about balancing risks and benefits. You can't look at one without the other.

PSA
In regards to marijuana, if you still smoke it, stop. Inhaling smoke on a regular basis is not a good thing. Black morning phlegm ring a bell? Get a vaporizer. Inhale aromatics, not smoke.

I think there should be a state-defined legal use age.

How about brownies?

 

[Phelia]

Yet there are those who continue to believe this scourge is beneficial. Colorado and large aspects of society are at risk:


The terrible truth about cannabis: British expert's devastating 20-year study finally demolishes claims that smoking pot is harmless

DEVASTATING! SIZE 5 FONT!

http://www.misfitopia.com/uploads/1250621854/gallery_1_1_11337.jpg

.Study's author said: 'If cannabis is not addictive then neither is heroin'

Awesome! Thanks for posting! *starts using heroin recreationally*

 

[sigh]

How about brownies?

Those are fine. Severe risk of overdose, however, so make no more than one pan at a time.

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

Those are fine. Severe risk of overdose, however, so make no more than one pan at a time.

I'm sort of stuck in reality at the moment and it kinda sucks.

 

[sigh]

I'm sort of stuck in reality at the moment and it kinda sucks.

If I had a pan of brownies baked, they'd be yours.

 

[badbabysitter]

colour me suprised.. but vette has used misleading stats again


I was ready to accept some of his findings untill a couple things jumped out

namely a couple of his claims

first claim that bugged me


.It doubles risk of developing psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia

this struck me as insanely odd.. as schizophrenia is a genetic condition


so i looked up what the study actually said


This study shows an association between genetic risk factors for schizophrenia and cannabis use. However, as it is a cross-sectional study, it cannot answer the often debated cause and effect question of whether cannabis use increases risk of schizophrenia, or whether there is a common genetic predisposition to both.

The study cannot prove that cannabis use is a risk factor for developing schizophrenia.

It also cannot prove that the genetic risk factors (SNPs – variations in the DNA sequence that have been associated with schizophrenia) also directly increase the risk of using cannabis. As the researchers’ results suggested, the genetic risk factors they assessed only predicted a small amount of a person's risk of using cannabis. There may be many other factors involved. A complex mixture of genetics (including DNA variations not examined here), lifestyle and environmental factors is likely to contribute to a person’s risk of developing schizophrenia, and to their risk of using cannabis.

It should also be noted that none of the participants in the study actually had a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Though the SNPs thought to increase the genetic risk of developing schizophrenia were identified in a large Swedish cohort study, the authors do point out that they may not be accurate.

They say that in this Swedish sample from which these SNPs were identified, use of cannabis may have been more common among the people who had schizophrenia than in the controls without schizophrenia.

They say this could mean that the SNPs actually increase risk of cannabis use rather than risk of schizophrenia.

A further limitation of the study is that cannabis use was self-reported which may give rise to inaccuracies in the estimated level of use. Also people may not have been willing to disclose any use of an illegal substance during a telephone interview.

so yeah, claim is bullshit... just hype from a newsrag


the other claim that bugged me


.Driving after smoking cannabis doubles risk of having a car crash

this direcly means that if you smoke a joint and get behind the wheel, you could get in a car crash

which is probably true.. but most stoners dont get behind the wheel.. because they're stoned


meanwhile drunk driving is the leading cause of death for death for persons under the age of 24 in the US... in fact, 40per cent of the US population will be involved in a traffic incident invo0lving alcohol during their life

vette of course isnt warning us about the evils of alcohol despite how directly more fatal it is

next claim


.Study's author said: 'If cannabis is not addictive then neither is heroin

which would be a horrible inditement of marijuana.. if he was refering to physical withdrawl

which he is not

he was refrring to those who are predisposed or were in fact addicted to other substances.. and how the withdrawl symptoms with these groups would be just the same for a marijuana user who was prone to addiction or addicted to other susbtances

 

[mark_j]

Good Lord!

I think someone has been watching "reefer madness" again.

 

[Comshaw]

Alcohol the Terrible Truth

Alcohol's Effects on the Body

Drinking too much – on a single occasion or over time – can take a serious toll on your health. Here’s how alcohol can affect your body:

Brain:
Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior, and make it harder to think clearly and move with coordination.

Heart:
Drinking a lot over a long time or too much on a single occasion can damage the heart, causing problems including:

Cardiomyopathy – Stretching and drooping of heart muscle
Arrhythmias – Irregular heart beat
Stroke
High blood pressure

Research also shows that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol may protect healthy adults from developing coronary heart disease.

Liver:
Heavy drinking takes a toll on the liver, and can lead to a variety of problems and liver inflammations including:

Steatosis, or fatty liver
Alcoholic hepatitis
Fibrosis
Cirrhosis

Pancreas:
Alcohol causes the pancreas to produce toxic substances that can eventually lead to pancreatitis, a dangerous inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels in the pancreas that prevents proper digestion.

Cancer:
Drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of developing certain cancers, including cancers of the:

Mouth
Esophagus
Throat
Liver
Breast

Immune System:
Drinking too much can weaken your immune system, making your body a much easier target for disease. Chronic drinkers are more liable to contract diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis than people who do not drink too much. Drinking a lot on a single occasion slows your body’s ability to ward off infections – even up to 24 hours after getting drunk.




Comshaw

 

[SweetErika]

Wat if they have medical necessity?

In WA, minors can receive medical marijuana recommendations for very specific conditions and use cannabis with a parent/guardian's consent (said parent/guardian would be an authorized caregiver and could obtain it at medical dispensaries). Otherwise, medical is strictly 18+, and recreational is 21+. I believe CO has similar standards for treating minors.

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

In WA, minors can receive medical marijuana recommendations for very specific conditions and use cannabis with a parent/guardian's consent (said parent/guardian would be an authorized caregiver and could obtain it at medical dispensaries). Otherwise, medical is strictly 18+, and recreational is 21+. I believe CO has similar standards for treating minors.

We just throw everyone in jail. More humane.

 

[SweetErika]

We just throw everyone in jail. More humane.

Yeah, really. I think it's absolutely appalling that so many states still deny legitimate patients access to medical marijuana.

Honestly, I see both sides of the issue. I think habitual use of marijuana can certainly affect the developing brains of minors and be addictive, especially when getting high is used as a coping/escape mechanism. However, I also wouldn't hesitate to treat my child with the least psychoactive medical cannabis possible if it had many advantages over traditional treatments, or there wasn't any adequate traditional treatment, for my child's condition.

 

[miles]

Read a few of Botany Boy's posts and you'll come to the same conclusion.

 

[duranman]

Causes all kinds of problems short and long term. Sadly alcohol is always used as comparison to justify it's use and there is no comparison whatsoever..

 

[girlsmiley]

All drugs, even the most widely used and beneficial, carry a grocery list of contraindications, warnings, precautions and adverse reactions, some of them more dire by far than those listed in this report. And more common too. Medicine (or just getting high) is all about balancing risks and benefits. You can't look at one without the other.

PSA
In regards to marijuana, if you still smoke it, stop. Inhaling smoke on a regular basis is not a good thing. Black morning phlegm ring a bell? Get a vaporizer. Inhale aromatics, not smoke.

I think there should be a state-defined legal use age.

This.

I also think that NZ scientists are leading the way when it comes to cannabis, both practically and educationally. Let's just say I've spent some time in the lab with a few Maori boys and some THC.

Last time I went ('bout 6 months ago), there was an overwhelmingly cool and irie feeling towards marijuana. After years of hating the drug, some kiwis are now choosing to embrace it.

Hence, my partner and I have come to the conclusion that if any nation were to be top grower, it would be New Zealand. Clean and green. Just look at all that volcanic soil. The kiwis are so good with the green.

 

[girlsmiley]

Don't get me wrong.

Other studies:

eg. NZ have the highest rate of male suicide in the world.
Highest rate of smokers (Maori women)
Teenage pregnancy.