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m3talsmith · Jun 20, 2004, 04:30 pm

I had it brought to my attention, in another forum, that marijuana use causes schizophrenia and is highly addictive. I'm not claiming it's true. I would like everyone's opinion on it.

My opinion is based on past use. I would like some scientific opinions. So I will withhold all but scientific proofs myself.

Here are the links given to me by those making the claims as proof:

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/Heal...sion021122.html
http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/13/thread13350.shtml
http://www.hon.ch/News/HSN/510418.html
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hspo...ealth-headlines
http://www.marijuanaaddiction.info/
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/Dail...ijuana0331.html
http://www.drug-rehabs.org/faqs/FAQ-marijuana.php
http://www.jointogether.org/sa/news/summar...,571698,00.html

I'd like to see a rebuttal. Thanks in advance,

Michael

dotcoma · Jun 20, 2004, 04:38 pm

Quote:

"Marijuana use can stimulate the symptoms of schizophrenia"...

stimulate. Marijuana does not cause schizophrenia. That is utterly ridiculous.

Quote:

Michael Lynskey, a psychiatrist at Washington University in St. Louis and a co-author of the Australian study, says he "wouldn't want to make a definitive statement either way" about whether marijuana causes psychosis

It sounds like these people have an agenda. I wonder who funded this "study".

alex · Jun 20, 2004, 04:59 pm

While I'm not generally one to quote anecdotal evidence as fact, but I would think that the 50 million or so Americans who admit to smoking marijuana "infrequently" would be a pretty good indicator that it doesn't cause schizophrenia in a large portion of its users.

And furthermore, it would be difficult to isolate those predisposed to schizophrenia from those who possibly were induced to it by marijuana. We still don't understand schizophrenia enough to make that sort of distinction.

I also won't speculate as to why this debate continues in America. I personally think it is long past time we had an honest, open debate about this in politics. For some reason or another, it keeps being shoved under the carpet. I suspect when the current generation of congressmen pass on, we'll have a different country to improve upon.

Alex

m3talsmith · Jun 20, 2004, 05:53 pm

http://www.norml.com/index.cfm?Group_ID=5997

m3talsmith · Jun 20, 2004, 06:23 pm

http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/h...t12000/abel.htm

Scribbler1 · Jun 20, 2004, 09:12 pm

The quote about there being a "group of causes" concerns me. It reminds me of Delaware having the 2nd highest lung cancer rate in the US, and the anti smoking crowd linking that rate to smoking when we also live around several old and badly maintained refineries and chem plants.

We also have unsafe levels of Mercury in the Delaware River, which caused the state to ban eating of anything caught in it. Mercury causes dementia, and I'll bet the "this is your brain on drugs" group would ignore that when studying pot smokers and their connection to mental illness.
The fact that the study was conducted outside the US would give it more credibility, but what I have read for years (sorry, no sources) would indicate pot smoking has little or no connection with mental illness than anything else. As you pointed out, all those people who have smoked (and still do) are in the vast majority, normal people. The problem is you can't do a truly accurate test without removing ALL possible causes of anything from the test group.

(edit for dumb typo)

bishop · Jun 20, 2004, 10:16 pm

hell, breathing the air causes cancer.

anything's possible, but imo, pot is one of the most harmless foreign substances that exists. from my own personal usage and the point that alex raised (how millions of americans use it, and we don't hear much about schitzo epidemics amongst potheads).

edit - some pot does give you a psychoactive high though. i'm not a huge fan of that stuff when i'm with other people, but by myself it's damn cool

LogicaLunatic · Jun 21, 2004, 05:39 pm

After doing QUITE A BIT of experimentation I've concluded that I.. Er.. My subjects didn't get addicted to it and didn't experience psychosis :)

mrmufin · Jun 22, 2004, 06:49 pm

Well the biggest problem with marijuana use is... the more you smoke it, the quicker you run out.

Regards,
mrmufin

bishop · Jun 22, 2004, 08:22 pm

ha!

tru dat.

m3talsmith · Jun 22, 2004, 08:33 pm

I've found one ill effect, the eyes. They always dry out and bug when smoking. However, if you ferret out the stems, leaving seed and fruit, and puts some in a mortar and pestle, it makes a nice powder to put in drinks, and no ill effects to the eyes or dry throat.

Err... hmm

Not quite scientific but it's a fact.

Suburbanite · Jun 23, 2004, 04:04 am

I think it does cause schizophrenia. I have no proof, but as a Marijuana user, I think it is highly likely that it causes such a horrific effect.

samsara15 · Jun 23, 2004, 07:54 pm

I doubt the connection. I have seen no definitive proof, either for or against. I have seen a lot of wishful thinking, on both sides of the fence.

prettyredhead · Jun 28, 2004, 04:32 pm

It doesnt cause anything but the munchies.

Gracchus · Jul 2, 2004, 03:44 pm

Quote:

Originally posted by prettyredhead,
It doesnt cause anything but the munchies.

Just take another drag and forget about it. When I had access to grass, I lost weight. :)

Jun 20, 2004, 04:30 pm	#1 (permalink) (top)
m3talsmith Igneous Magma Location: Southern, MI Posts: 400	I had it brought to my attention, in another forum, that marijuana use causes schizophrenia and is highly addictive. I'm not claiming it's true. I would like everyone's opinion on it. My opinion is based on past use. I would like some scientific opinions. So I will withhold all but scientific proofs myself. Here are the links given to me by those making the claims as proof: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/Heal...sion021122.html http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/13/thread13350.shtml http://www.hon.ch/News/HSN/510418.html http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hspo...ealth-headlines http://www.marijuanaaddiction.info/ http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/Dail...ijuana0331.html http://www.drug-rehabs.org/faqs/FAQ-marijuana.php http://www.jointogether.org/sa/news/summar...,571698,00.html I'd like to see a rebuttal. Thanks in advance, Michael One vote for for Freedom. One vote for Michael Badnarik for President. One vote that won't be wasted this year.

Jun 20, 2004, 05:53 pm	#4 (permalink) (top)
m3talsmith Igneous Magma Location: Southern, MI Posts: 400	http://www.norml.com/index.cfm?Group_ID=5997 One vote for for Freedom. One vote for Michael Badnarik for President. One vote that won't be wasted this year.

Jun 20, 2004, 06:23 pm	#5 (permalink) (top)
m3talsmith Igneous Magma Location: Southern, MI Posts: 400	http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/h...t12000/abel.htm One vote for for Freedom. One vote for Michael Badnarik for President. One vote that won't be wasted this year.

Jun 20, 2004, 09:12 pm	#6 (permalink) (top)
Scribbler1 Skeptical Patriot Posts: 7,746	The quote about there being a "group of causes" concerns me. It reminds me of Delaware having the 2nd highest lung cancer rate in the US, and the anti smoking crowd linking that rate to smoking when we also live around several old and badly maintained refineries and chem plants. We also have unsafe levels of Mercury in the Delaware River, which caused the state to ban eating of anything caught in it. Mercury causes dementia, and I'll bet the "this is your brain on drugs" group would ignore that when studying pot smokers and their connection to mental illness. The fact that the study was conducted outside the US would give it more credibility, but what I have read for years (sorry, no sources) would indicate pot smoking has little or no connection with mental illness than anything else. As you pointed out, all those people who have smoked (and still do) are in the vast majority, normal people. The problem is you can't do a truly accurate test without removing ALL possible causes of anything from the test group. (edit for dumb typo) Not a day goes by that I don't see something that reinforces my belief that people are idiots.

Jun 20, 2004, 10:16 pm	#7 (permalink) (top)
bishop moderat-e/o-r Location: boston Posts: 11,184	hell, breathing the air causes cancer. anything's possible, but imo, pot is one of the most harmless foreign substances that exists. from my own personal usage and the point that alex raised (how millions of americans use it, and we don't hear much about schitzo epidemics amongst potheads). edit - some pot does give you a psychoactive high though. i'm not a huge fan of that stuff when i'm with other people, but by myself it's damn cool hope for america... http://www.ronpaul2008.com/

Jun 20, 2004, 04:59 pm	#3 (permalink) (top)
alex Molten Ash Location: Arlington, Virginia Posts: 75	While I'm not generally one to quote anecdotal evidence as fact, but I would think that the 50 million or so Americans who admit to smoking marijuana "infrequently" would be a pretty good indicator that it doesn't cause schizophrenia in a large portion of its users. And furthermore, it would be difficult to isolate those predisposed to schizophrenia from those who possibly were induced to it by marijuana. We still don't understand schizophrenia enough to make that sort of distinction. I also won't speculate as to why this debate continues in America. I personally think it is long past time we had an honest, open debate about this in politics. For some reason or another, it keeps being shoved under the carpet. I suspect when the current generation of congressmen pass on, we'll have a different country to improve upon. Alex

Jun 21, 2004, 05:39 pm	#8 (permalink) (top)
LogicaLunatic Hrm... Location: MN Posts: 445	After doing QUITE A BIT of experimentation I've concluded that I.. Er.. My subjects didn't get addicted to it and didn't experience psychosis :) "Statistics show that of those who contract the habit of eating, very few survive." -- Wallace Irwin

Jun 22, 2004, 06:49 pm	#9 (permalink) (top)
mrmufin Molten Ash Location: Earth Posts: 76	Well the biggest problem with marijuana use is... the more you smoke it, the quicker you run out. Regards, mrmufin "...a wild eyed misfit prophet on a traffic island stopped and he raved of saving me." (N. Merchant)

Jun 22, 2004, 08:22 pm	#10 (permalink) (top)
bishop moderat-e/o-r Location: boston Posts: 11,184	ha! tru dat. hope for america... http://www.ronpaul2008.com/

Jun 22, 2004, 08:33 pm	#11 (permalink) (top)
m3talsmith Igneous Magma Location: Southern, MI Posts: 400	I've found one ill effect, the eyes. They always dry out and bug when smoking. However, if you ferret out the stems, leaving seed and fruit, and puts some in a mortar and pestle, it makes a nice powder to put in drinks, and no ill effects to the eyes or dry throat. Err... hmm Not quite scientific but it's a fact. One vote for for Freedom. One vote for Michael Badnarik for President. One vote that won't be wasted this year.

Jun 23, 2004, 04:04 am	#12 (permalink) (top)
Suburbanite BANNED Location: Los Angeles Posts: 3,203	I think it does cause schizophrenia. I have no proof, but as a Marijuana user, I think it is highly likely that it causes such a horrific effect.

Jun 23, 2004, 07:54 pm	#13 (permalink) (top)
samsara15 I'm the camel Location: Maryland Posts: 657	I doubt the connection. I have seen no definitive proof, either for or against. I have seen a lot of wishful thinking, on both sides of the fence. Economic Left/Right -8.88 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian –6.97

Jun 28, 2004, 04:32 pm	#14 (permalink) (top)
prettyredhead Igneous Magma Posts: 336	It doesnt cause anything but the munchies.