Marijuana and risk of psychosis part II

July 9, 2:32 AMPortland Drug Policy ExaminerJohn English

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What does the photo say to you? A plea for help? Put it all into an historical perspective by watching this video which Sony showed at this year’s executive conference. In spite of this age of information, marijuana users it can be said, are akin to lemmings rushing toward the cliff.

We are at a critical crossroads in America; it’s right that we focus on marijuana more than other drugs because it’s marijuana that’s first used; it is the (illicit) gateway drug.

Users, of course, deny that marijuana causes some to suffer from a mental illness like the man reaching out. This, in the face of the fact that bi-polar and depression have grown to out-of-control proportions in the sub-culture of users.

Denial is to be expected; it’s their defense mechanisms at work. For a user to admit a psychological problem, would require the rejection of their druggie lifestyle – the sub-culture they’ve come to fit into, where they’re accepted by their peers. Leaving that behind is not going to happen; it’s their identity; it’s who they’ve become. Inside, they don’t truly like themselves but what else have they? It takes guts to face the lies within and change!

That many users begin to experience psychosis, even begin to ‘think differently’ is not speculation. The causality may be somewhat at question. Either way, using marijuana is ill conceived at best!

Whether or not psychotic symptoms are only triggered by pot, that ought to be enough to keep younger peers from trying it. But the community of users openly denies all of the studies – openly displaying their paranoia by claiming (what they call) “these lies, all exist because of prejudice and corporate conspiracies.”

The problem is, they’re telling younger peers that, using pot is not only safe, … it’s medicinal!

In light of the video, in spite of the rapid advance of science, and already mounting evidence, what gives them the right to tell young people that using marijuana is safe? Clinical depression and mental illness are there, and significant, … overwhelmingly so in younger users.

Those who monitor the anti-social and psychotic episodes are confident an overwhelming number of users are headed for an unseen abyss! Again, those entrenched in the drug culture will, continue to reject new information. They must; it’s rooted in their deep-seated need to continue to believe they’ve not made a bad choice. Still, that does not justify taking others with them into the abyss.

Using, they risk their mental acuity, their livelihood, their freedom, all with no regard for what it may do to their loved ones. Like the lemmings, they rush onward toward the cliff! This, in and of itself, indicates a deep-seated, self-destructive nature.

From the Lancet, look again at the study they’ve not considered.

“Cannabis use and risk of psychotic of affective mental health outcomes: a systematic review.” [ 1 ]

“We systematically reviewed the evidence pertaining to cannabis use and occurrence of psychotic or affective mental health outcomes.”

“Use has increased particularly during early adolescence, when the developing brain might be especially susceptible to environmental exposures. Experimental studies and surveys of users provide strong evidence that cannabis intoxication can produce transient, and usually mild, psychotic and affective experiences. Of greater concern are the chronic symptoms that persist beyond, or occur independently of, intoxication effects.

Whether cannabis increases the incidence of established syndromes such as schizophrenia or depression is unclear, but this question is important because these disorders lead to substantial distress for individuals and their families, and to public burden from health care costs. Randomized controlled trials (RCT’s) of cannabis for medical use are unlikely to be helpful in addressing the question of causality because there are substantial differences between the pharmacokinetic profiles of such preparations and of cannabis used as a recreational drug. The typically short follow-up periods of such trials also substantially hinder interpretation of results.

Previous reviews in this field have not been very systematic, have examined broad psychosocial outcomes rather than mental illness, or have included cross-sectional data. We have systematically reviewed longitudinal studies of cannabis use and subsequent psychotic or affective mental health outcomes and we have assessed the strength of evidence that cannabis use and these outcomes are causally related.”

So what does all this foretell for America’s future?

Drug use is an observable part of the crumbling of American society. Along with users, our loved ones are caught up in the users’ lemming-like dash. America’s manufacturing jobs are gone; our economy is failing, narco-terrorists seduce the oblivious hedonists, and terrorists wait patiently to strike. Couple all this with the drive of other nations to become world powers and the dropout rate of our druggies - it’s obvious they contribute little insuring chaos in the homeland in the not-so-distant future.

Conclusion:

There is no time nor place to get loaded! Timothy Leary is dead; so is his message of "Turn on; tune in; drop out!" To maintain a competitive edge, to survive, one must be about their responsibility to their loved ones appropriate role-modeling and education.

1) Lancet 2007; 370: 319-28