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Heavy Pot Smoking Might Raise Schizophrenia Risk

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Angry Girl

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:15 PM
Original message

Heavy Pot Smoking Might Raise Schizophrenia Risk

Now this one falls into my category of "WTF science". Schizophrenics have a problem with balance/moderation, so heavy ANYTHING is bad for these folk....

Btw, the article cited below reads much better if you replace the concept of heavy marijuana use with religiosity....

Heavy marijuana use may increase the risk of schizophrenia in adolescents predisposed to the brain disorder, according to a new U.S. study.

SNIP

They found repeated marijuana use to be associated with abnormalities in the development of a specific language/auditory pathway in the brain.

SNIP

The study found no abnormal developmental changes in this language pathway in the brains of the healthy adolescents, but the researchers did detect abnormalities in the brains of both marijuana users and schizophrenia patients.

"The finding suggest that in addition to interfering with normal brain development, heavy marijuana use in adolescents may also lead to an earlier onset of schizophrenia in individuals who are genetically predisposed to the disorder," co-principal investigator Dr. Sanjiv Kumra, an assistant professor of psychiatry, said in a prepared statement.

http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/health/feeds/hscout/2005/11/30/hscout529335.html

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BurgherHoldtheLies

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:18 PM
Response to Original message

1. "Reefer Madness: The Sequel"????

Ya, and I'm sure the genetic component is outweighed by the pot-smoking factor....riiiiiiiight.

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drdtroit

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:19 PM
Response to Original message

2. BBC: "Marijuana may block Alzheimer's"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4286435.stm

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orpupilofnature57

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:23 PM
Response to Original message

3. No more than the stress of grasping for the unattainable, I'm 48 and my ..

Edited on Wed Nov-30-05 09:28 PM by orpupilofnature57

only apparent dysfunction in 31yrs. of partaking is,I forgot what I was going to say.Corn syrup kills , how come theres no report on that??

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merwin

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:29 PM
Response to Original message

4. That article cuts out a MAJOR fact that the RNSA article points out.

Edited on Wed Nov-30-05 09:29 PM by merwin

RNSA = Radiological Society of North America.... so they probably know what they're talking about

"It is also important to mention that at this time, DTI and MRI are not diagnostic means for schizophrenia patients or marijuana smokers."

So basically, if DTI cannot diagnose schizophrenia, how are you supposed to say that the results of a test based on this technology concludes that marijuana contributes to schizophrenia?

Insane.

http://www.rsna.org/rsna/media/pr2005/Marijauna.cfm

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MADem

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:38 PM
Response to Reply #4

6. Cui bono?

Could it be the folks at FORBES are heavily invested in the pharma industry???

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Teaser

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:35 PM
Response to Original message

5. So we hail studies that marijuana has positive effects

but we dismiss those that show negative effects with a similar level of rigor?

And don't deny that it's done here. It is most assuredly the case. The studies showing positive effects are every bit as nebulous and ill-thought out as studies like this one.

It is inconceivable that a mind altering drug, even one that is relatively tame like marijuana does not have some negative effects.

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MADem

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:39 PM
Response to Reply #5

9. Hell, SUGAR has positive and negative effects!

Water, too. EVERYTHING in excess can hurt you.

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Webster Green

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:42 PM
Response to Reply #5

10. I certainly dismiss them...

The government has an agenda, and they decide who gets to do research.

Everything they are telling us about pot is lies.

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merwin

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:43 PM
Response to Reply #5

11. I agree that it may have some negative effects. But that is a BIG leap

that they're making between marijuana use and schizophrenia.

The positive studies are related to things like pain killers, which is pretty easy to tell the results of the study...

This is similar to the studies that relate marijuana use to lung cancer and don't bother to ask whether or not these marijuana users are also smokers.

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niallmac

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:49 PM
Response to Reply #5

12. Decades of insipid condescending voodoo scare propaganda

have likely created a similarly stubborn and resilient defense. When the government speaks to it's citizens like they are complete morons and offers not one whit of deference to science or objectivity I have a hard time scolding those who now throw it back. Correct, two wrongs do not make a right but on occasion I like to enjoy a purely spite driven harangue.
}(

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Fovea

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:52 PM
Response to Reply #5

13. I worked in an ER for 5 years

so my test for what is harmful is based on a simple question.

How many patients does it bring through my door?

Based on that rude model, I would say cannabis was not so much a danger as a mild concern. ETOH, Tobacco, Amphetamines and Cocaine on the other hand...

I think on the scale of known health dangers, white sugar is worse.

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merwin

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Wed Nov-30-05 10:17 PM
Response to Reply #13

17. I don't know ANY pot smoker who has ended up in the ER or had any adverse

health effects from pot smoking.

Some are a bit on the lazy side, yes... but nothing that would land you in the ER or cause you to have any major medical issues.

I definately agree that white sugar is worse :-)

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Fovea

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Thu Dec-01-05 12:17 AM
Response to Reply #17

18. In some folks with

Tachycardia very strong pot can induce tach/anxiety episodes.

But having said that, so can Starbux.

Saw this maybe twice in 5 years both times a bit of vitamin V and a paper bag did the trick. Also pulled a baggie out of a motorcycle accident victim's pocket. He hit a parked car, IIRC.

Now, ask me how many booze related fatalities I saw...

We even lost a 12 year old kid whose dad taught him not to smoke cigarettes by making him eat an entire pack.

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Webster Green

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:38 PM
Response to Original message

7. Bullshit!

The only marijuana studies that our government allows are the ones that promise to deliver negative misinformation about cannabis.

Twas ever thus!

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firefox

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:38 PM
Response to Original message

8. Might this, might that

This is a propaganda piece that demonizes the greatest medicinal plant in the history of man. And it has saved many horses and mules with colic too. One thing is for sure, the 2000 people arrested today had the government inflict some real harm on them. But hey, if you want to arrest science and medical research, you gotta have a blanket federal prohibition by means of the Schedule One Lie.

This article is also up at http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread21343.shtml

Harm reduction under a health care model would say that cannabis prohibition has to go.

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moriverrat

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:55 PM
Response to Original message

14. The anti-freedom folks...

Have cunning methods of persuasion.

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az chela

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Wed Nov-30-05 09:59 PM
Response to Original message

15. Are you picking on me??

I am being followed,I just know someones out to get me!!!Did you see that person sneaking down the street???Is it just me seeing these things??

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PDJane

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Wed Nov-30-05 10:05 PM
Response to Original message

16. Oh, heck..........

Edited on Wed Nov-30-05 10:06 PM by PDJane

Catholicism tends to have more schizophrenics, Jews tend to be depressed. Those with alzheimer's have a higher concentration of aluminum in their brains (so if you drink tea, use filtered water).

Every one of these things has been touted in a "study" from one source or another.....on the whole, I would tend to say that there are more legal substances that are abused more and have greater effect.......

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