Reefer Madness!

[JaxSon]

Just thought some of you young whipper-snappers might take heed:



Smoking Pot Raises Psychosis Risk in Youths

Smoking pot increases psychosis risk in young people, especially among those who are already vulnerable to psychosis.

At the study’s start, 13 percent said they had smoked marijuana at least five times. Four years later, about 17 percent of all participants had had at least one psychotic symptom.

Psychotic symptoms include hallucinations, such as seeing or hearing things that aren’t really there, and delusions, which are false beliefs that do not go away with logical or accurate information. Other possible psychotic symptoms are incoherent speech, confused thinking, and strange behavior. The most common psychotic disorder is schizophrenia.

Pot smokers were more likely to have psychotic symptoms than those who didn’t smoke pot. The more pot that participants smoked, the greater their chance of having at least one psychotic symptom. The risk held after screening out other influences including alcohol and other drugs.

Pot had “a much stronger effect” on psychotically predisposed participants, say the researchers. People who have a family member with psychotic symptoms are more likely to suffer similar symptoms themselves.

It’s not the first time that marijuana has been linked to psychosis. But until now, no one knew which came first -- the psychosis or the pot use. Were participants using pot to soothe their psychological problems?

Probably not, say the researchers. Psychotic predisposition wasn’t a good predictor of future pot use, they note.

Youth may be a particularly risky time for pot use.

Puberty is “a vulnerable period” for pot’s negative effects, say the researchers, citing studies of lab rats. Pot’s active ingredients may interact with brain chemicals to create negative psychological side effects, they say.

In 2002, a study published in the British Medical Journal linked frequent marijuana use at a young age – more than 50 times -- to an increase in schizophrenia later in life. Similar to the current study, this previous research showed that the more pot people smoked, the more likely they were to suffer psychosis.

Another study published in the same issue showed that daily pot smoking as a teen increased the risk of depression as an adult. When that study was released in 2004, researcher Louise Arseneault, PhD, told WebMD that their research suggested that there is a direct causal link between pot smoking and psychological problems that cannot be explained by tendency toward mental illness.

[Khazad]

were the participants high during the tests?

[Cleetus]

Out the crazies early

Good thing the Cleetus never ended up becoming delusional or incoherent

[i n e p t]

Out the crazies early

Good thing the Cleetus never ended up becoming delusional or incoherent

or blind

[Khazad]

Out the crazies early

Good thing the Cleetus never ended up becoming delusional or incoherent

right ...

[WebHead]

Yeah,.. the only thing I ever did was drink beer as a kid. And even THAT I didn't abuse or anything like that. I don't even drink much at all anymore. I did try marijuana when I was a teenager, but hated it. It made me feel like crap. I don't know how anyone could do that stuff. Besides,.. I'm naturally a loon, so I don't need any additional items to get me messed up.

[3fingersalute]

another scare tactic

[meatwad]

Yeah,.. the only thing I ever did was drink beer as a kid. And even THAT I didn't abuse or anything like that. I don't even drink much at all anymore. I did try marijuana when I was a teenager, but hated it. It made me feel like crap. I don't know how anyone could do that stuff. Besides,.. I'm naturally a loon, so I don't need any additional items to get me messed up.

Good point. I don't smoke, drink, shoot or pop. So what the hell is my excuse? Maybe mom did all of the above? I gotta go make a phone call.

[WebHead]

Good point. I don't smoke, drink, shoot or pop. So what the hell is my excuse? Maybe mom did all of the above? I gotta go make a phone call.

Well,.. for me, when I was a young lad (6-10 years old approx), I was HEAVILY into roller skating. I ALWAYS fell down backwards and hit my head on the cement at least once a month or so. Later as I got older, roller skating seemed kinda gay, so I skateboarded instead. Same thing though. Fall down, hit head on cement. Helmet? Nope,.. back then helmets were for wussies. Anyway, I think that is what my problem is.

[jitBob]

I thought this thread was about scuba diving, you know REEF madness!

[meatwad]

I thought this thread was about scuba diving, you know REEF madness!

Nope. It's about the dangers of smoking pot. If you continue to smoke, you could turn into....THIS!

[Stalemate]

I could go for a big bag of cheese puffs right now.

And some peanut butter to dip them in.

[Khazad]

Ah Want Mah Cheesy Poofs!!!!

[Lost]

mmmmm...cheesy poof's...*puff*

[Johnny Blaze]

Snakes!! Snakes Everywhere !!!