July 26, 2007
Pot And Psychosis: Possible Link?
British Studies Show Marijuana Use May Raise Risk Of Psychotic Illness Risk By 40%
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The more than 40 percent increase in risk applies to those who have ever used the drug, and the risk rises even more with frequent use, according to Stanley Zammit, M.D., Ph.D., clinical lecturer in psychiatric epidemiology at Cardiff University and the University of Bristol in the U.K., a study co-author.
"People who have ever used cannabis, on average, have about a 40% increased risk of developing psychotic illness later in life compared with people who have never used cannabis," he tells WebMD.
"People who used it on a weekly or daily basis had about a 100% increased risk, or twofold." Even so, he adds, "the risk is still relatively low."
But as Zammit and his colleagues note in the new report, scheduled to appear in the July 28 issue of The Lancet, there is enough evidence of a marijuana-psychosis link that they believe policymakers need to provide the public with information.
The report drew protests and skepticism from representatives of The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, who questioned the validity of the findings.
Zammit and his colleagues pooled the results of 35 published studies on marijuana use and mental health effects, including psychotic effects such as schizophrenia (in which people may hear voices or hallucinate) or affective problems such as depression and anxiety. They analyzed the results of all the studies, a method known as a meta-analysis.
The increased risk of psychosis with marijuana use persists, Zammit's team found, independently of the transient intoxication effects of the drug and independently of what they call "confounding factors," such as existing mental health problems or other drug use. "We can't be sure it is causal," he says of the association. "[But] studies find an association rather consistently."
Still, he tells WebMD, "It's always possible people who use cannabis may be different [in some way] than those who don't."
The researchers also looked at the association between marijuana use and depression and anxiety but found that the evidence is "less strong than for psychosis but is still of concern."
In the U.S., marijuana is the most widely used of various illicit drugs, according to the University of Michigan Monitoring the Future Survey. About 6.8% of middle school and high school students used marijuana in 2005, down from 7.6% the previous year, according to the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a federal report.
In the U.K., Zammit estimates, about 15 percent of youths aged 16 to 24 say they use cannabis on a monthly basis.
In an accompanying comment, two scientists from Copenhagen University Hospital echo Zammit's belief that "there is a need to warn the public of these dangers, as well as to establish treatment to help young, frequent cannabis users."
In an editorial in the same issue, Lancet editors note that the publication ran an oft-quoted editorial in a 1995 issue stating that "the smoking of cannabis, even long term, is not harmful to health." Now, the editors note, research published in the interim, including the meta-analysis, has triggered a change in their thinking, with them now stating that cannabis use "could increase the risk of psychotic illness" and that more research is needed on any link with depression and anxiety.
If the association exists between marijuana use and psychotic illness, "we would have seen the negative effects they were warning about if they were significant," says Paul Armentano, a senior policy analyst for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), based in Washington.
Most Western cultures, he tells WebMD, have witnessed "an explosion among marijuana use among adults and young people.
"Where is the explosion in cannabis-related mental illness?" he asks. "The paper says, 'You are right, we haven't seen it. Maybe it is a delayed reaction.'"
Armentano argues the rise in mental illness would have already occurred if the link exists.
Armentano also wonders if the psychosis may have come first, before the marijuana use, for some people. In the paper, the authors note that such reverse causation is not likely for psychosis but that the studies of marijuana and depression did not adequately address the possibility of reverse causation.
Politics in the U.K. may be driving the effort to analyze an association between marijuana and mental illness, Armentano tells WebMD. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been quoted in the British press as saying he has never used cannabis, even as cabinet ministers tell about their cannabis-filled younger days. In 2004, the U.K. downgraded cannabis to a class C drug, reducing penalties for possession, production, and supply.
Now, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs in the U.K. will look at evidence for harms caused by cannabis and discuss whether the drug should be relabeled, perhaps as a class B drug of misuse, with stiffer penalties for possession.
"The article is worth paying attention to," Bruce Spring, M.D., an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, an expert familiar with the study but not involved in it.
"It certainly gives cause for concern," Spring says of the findings about marijuana and psychosis risks. Still, he says, the overall risk is relatively low, statistically speaking.
"In general, the overall risk of someone getting a psychotic illness is about 3 percent," he says. "Now what this study is saying is that that 3% risk is increased by 40 percent [or more]," he says. So the risk with marijuana use would rise to 4.2 percent.
Put another way: In a group of 100 people, three would be expected, statistically speaking, to develop a psychotic illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder with psychosis. "When you factor in the marijuana study, one or two more, depending on how often they use it, will have psychotic illness," Spring says.
Says Spring, "I would tell people there is now some pretty good evidence that smoking marijuana can have some harmful consequences, and they are putting their future well-being at risk [if they smoke marijuana]. The more you smoke, the greater the risk, according to this study."
Zammit, the study co-author, adds, "I think the important message is to be aware of these risks." Those who have other risk factors for psychotic illness, such as a family history, might want to pay closer attention, he tells WebMD.
By Kathleen Doheny
Reviewed by Louise Chang
©2007 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.
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See all 55 CommentsLittle Wonder-why the : Justice Department is Totally :
"Criminal"
In - Oct 2005 :- FBI Director Robert Mueller
Announced :
The FBI would begin to hire people.
Who had a history of smoking :
"Marijuana"
The Federal Government is in control of the biggest
illegal drug operation in the United States.
Has the thought ever occurred to you :
Why is it that - If someone will post questionable
pornography on the Internet.
The - "FBI" - is " Johnny on the Spot.
Tracking Them Down ! ! ! !
When a group of people posts the - "Methamphetamine"
Formula on the Internet.
The - "FBI" - All of a sudden - Starts playing : "Dumb and Stupid"
Now ! - They can't track anything - On The Internet. ! ! !
One of these days - I will post a small - "Formula"
That will allow you. To find out - if you have :
A Federal illegal Drug Operation going on in :
Your own city's
It's not hard - The work - Has already been done for you.
All you have to do is : Make a couple of phone calls.
As a matter of "Confirmation"
Lastdance
Using every technique known to modern science evaluate 1000 people, aged 20 to 30, and predict which of them will show psychosis after age 50. You won't be able to do it. So how can you possibly look back and claim to have controlled for all variables that might lead to psychosis to the point you can honestly say marijuana use results in a 40% increase in psychosis. You don't even know what the variables are enough to make predictions for the future let alone evaluate the past.
Like a crooked FDA, a Bent President and Mafia pharmaceuticals, all taking us for a ride, filling us with poison and getting very fat from it.
Perhaps they smoked some and forgot to mention the two paid people.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."
From MSNBC web site.
"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 %u201CB%u201D category, with offenses likely to lead to arrests or longer jail sentences.
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."
What about me is psychotic?
"Politics in the U.K. may be driving the effort to analyze an association between marijuana and mental illness, Armentano tells WebMD."
Ya think? From a government and from researchers whose professional funding (and thus professional careers and status) are dependent upon keeping a government funding agency happy?
From governments like USA and UK with such a pristine reputation of being honest with their citizens about every little thing?
Pot was made illegal in the US to help racist state governments of California and ARizona oppress their Mexican and Black populations--at the time Whites prefered booze and tobacco--by federalizing the crime with a phony license and tax scheme, where was a mere pretext for taking this typically state law matter into the hands of the Bluebellies.
Double minded in all ways.
IDIOTS ALL!!!!
I am a CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN and I am for the legalization of Marijuana...don't group all of us in that bundle.
I've been a pot smoker (smot poker) since '77. I have literally THOUSANDS of pothead friends and I smoke EVERY DAY- yet- I don't know of ONE SINGLE PERSON who has had a psychotic episode related to their marijuana use.
Never heard of this kind of thing happening ONCE.
I DO know HUNDREDS of drunks that have gotten arrested for all sorts of hideous freak outs caused by alcohol, but that ain't news, is it?
and, CarlyLaine, you sound psychotic, you're not making any sense, maybe you'd better smoke some pot?
huh? is this guy stoned? "people who have ever used vs. people who have never used....."
Please Get Educated:
www.leap.cc
www.mpp.org
Scientists would probably find a close tie between the two.
But Liberal Moonbats prove that link every day!
(watch them try to refute my post...)
How about a study comparing death, serious illness, auto accidents etc., between marijuana users and drinkers? I am not saying there is no reason behind these new marijuana studies, I just question the motives for them. Like the man says, follow the money trail...I know of no marijuana smokers going berserk (greater than in the general population) but check out some bars on Friday nights and count the drunks exhibiting bizarre behavior.. Is it just me, or do others see the same thing? Perhaps legalizing the sale of MJ might induce politicians to think differently when profit is introduced into the equation..
Publish a result that shows "it does cause" something.
Test after test and we get same results reported. One minute it may not be that harmful, the next it might cause a problem.
Why publish a report at all? Those that use it will ignore the "might be harmful" because they already read "it may be harmless" in another report.
Take chocolate for example, one minute it makes you "fat", thus not good for you, the next report shows it "might" be good for your heart.
Fish oil, chew able vitamin C and on and on. Each new report always contains "might, maybe or possible" whether it's good or bad for you.
When you know for sure, then report it.
From MSNBC.com
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."
I'm a self-centered Southern Fascist that votes Repuglicon because I was told I would get a tax cut. I don't care that our national debt is now $8.9 trillion, and our annual interest payments to service this debt are $500 billion per year. Because all I care about is myself!
Bubba, you really should change your moniker to One_Fascist_Southern_Hypocrit, because your rap doesn't strick me as a real american in anyway.
Facts:
Pot has no LETHAL dose, Alcohol does.
Alcohol kills 100,000 + Americans per year, Pot kills ZERO.
Alcohol leads to dysfunctional families Pot doesn't.
I want a candidate for public office that suports full and complete legalization. Get one and 60 million votes will follow. Conservatives and Liberals enjoy POT!!!!!
We do not know if these people we already diagnosed at the time of their use, or if they were already symptomatic, etc...
This is not a controlled experiment.
Take a population, blind divide, then blind administer pot or placebo, then follow through life and see what happens. This is more likely, comb through questionaires of pyschotics and see how many smoked pot.
I think a better conclusion would be that Drinking water causes pyshosis, since 100% of those people that are psychotic have been shown to have drunk water.
Posted by msheda
Or how about breathing air?
Little Wonder-why the : Justice Department is Totally :
"Criminal"
In - Oct 2005 :- FBI Director Robert Mueller
Announced :
The FBI would begin to hire people.
Who had a history of smoking :
"Marijuana"
The Federal Government is in control of the biggest
illegal drug operations in the United States.
Has the thought ever occurred to you :
Why is it that - If someone will post questionable
pornography on the Internet.
The - "FBI" - is " Johnny on the Spot.
Tracking Them Down ! ! ! !
When a group of people posts the - "Methamphetamine"
Formula on the Internet.
The - "FBI" - All of a sudden - Starts playing : "Dumb and Stupid"
Now ! - They can't track anything - On The Internet. ! ! !
One of these days - I will post a set of instructions
That will allow you. To find out - if you have :
A Federal illegal Drug Operation going on in :
Your own city
It's not hard - The work - Has already been done for you.
All you have to do is : Make a couple of phone calls.
As a matter of "Confirmation"
Lastdance
Children under the age of 16 shouldn't smoke or drink anything anyways (developing brain cells)
Devils weed?
You mean God made the planet in seven days and realized later he created a plant that grows everywhere... was a mistake???
It's been used by humans since before we kept records with not one documented case of psychosis.
Marijuana is a thorn in the governments side because the plant itself has so many uses. Hemp, same plant no THC, can be used to produce everything from lumber to textiles. Lobbying efforts by indudustries wishing to avoid the competition spend hundreds of millions of dollars to pressure our gov. representitives to keep it illegal.
God forbid I should receive junk mail made from a plant that can be harvested and grown every six months. Let's keep cutting down four hundred year old trees to let me know about Joe's carwash grand opening! Great logic!
British Studies Show Marijuana Use May Raise Risk Of Psychotic Illness Risk By 40%"
When I saw the headline, my first reaction was "DUH!!!"
I am the only survivor fo a group of high schoolers in th late 40's. They all used pot and drank booze, I didn''t because of a medical condition. I watch them destroy themselves on pot and booze. I KNOW what I saw, I outlived them all by 40 some years. My mind still works well. my vision is better than I have any right to hope for , hearing could be better and I have lost most of my sense of taste due to smoking since 1953. All in all, I am very happy to still be here. Please don't come to me with that "its only 'POT'" junk, I know better.
They're coming to take you away, ho ho, hee hee, ha haaaaaa!!!!
(apologies to Dr Demento)
that's the money quote; it betrays these studys' shoddy methodology (and perhaps hints at the researchers' motives).
as noted by others here, the desired implications of this and other hyperbolic pronouncements about cannabis, that it is a dangerous "drug" without medical value, are totally counter-intuitive and at odds with all known experiences of humans with this plant.
if i'm not mistaken, i read an article (on an online UK-based newspaper, i've forgetten which one) some months ago summarizing this study, with the requisite alarmism, and interviewing "pot survivers" who testified to how pot ruined their lives (which were replete with details of childhood alcohol and other drug abuse, as well as poverty and familiy instability; somehow these factors are all irrelevant when considering causal links to "psychosis").
these types of studies and articles are just more anti-cannabis propaganda. there's big business, especially for "law enforcement" [sic], in the drug war, and the truth simply gets in the way of "gittin' er done!"
to all those who care to know, talk to any one of the millions of adult cannabis users (doctors, nurses, lawyers, judges, to paraphrase a tune) if you want to learn something about it. forgot about these compromised sources of mis-information and trust your own abilities and intuition to educate and enlighten yourself.
taochiapet
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