"Reefer madness," indeed. Heh-heh (note, emphases below, mine):
"Smoking high-potency marijuana every day could increase the chances of developing psychosis by nearly five times, according to the biggest-ever study to examine the impact of pot on psychotic disorder rates.
The research adds to previous studies that have found links between marijuana and mental health problems, but still does not definitively pinpoint marijuana as the cause.
Psychotic disorders — in which people lose touch with reality — are typically triggered by factors including genetics and the environment. But experts say the new study’s findings have implications for jurisdictions legalizing marijuana, warning they should consider the potential impact on their mental health services."
To be clear, we're apparently talking about Cheech and Chong levels of smoking, and the stuff that's being smoked is of the newer, more powerful strain of cannabis, not the old school Mary Jane that all the burners used to toke back in the day.
Speaking from an epidemiological standpoint, I don't think the study's the definitive, final-nail-in-the-coffin, last word on dope use and mental health issues, however. For one, as the article's authors admit, psychosis per se is usually understood to involve environmental and genetic factors, so quantifying just how large a role MJ plays in each dope smoker's case is tricky.
Plus, as I said; the quality and amount of the pot you'd have to smoke to generate the end result psychosis seems pretty high (no pun intended) to me. In looking at the usage rates in the study, we're talking multiple times per day, seven days per week, of some pretty strong weed. I don't know any dope smokers who are that into the stuff, to be honest.
"Politics is just show business for ugly people."
"Smoking high-potency marijuana every day could increase the chances of developing psychosis by nearly five times, according to the biggest-ever study to examine the impact of pot on psychotic disorder rates.
The research adds to previous studies that have found links between marijuana and mental health problems, but still does not definitively pinpoint marijuana as the cause.
Psychotic disorders — in which people lose touch with reality — are typically triggered by factors including genetics and the environment. But experts say the new study’s findings have implications for jurisdictions legalizing marijuana, warning they should consider the potential impact on their mental health services."
To be clear, we're apparently talking about Cheech and Chong levels of smoking, and the stuff that's being smoked is of the newer, more powerful strain of cannabis, not the old school Mary Jane that all the burners used to toke back in the day.
Speaking from an epidemiological standpoint, I don't think the study's the definitive, final-nail-in-the-coffin, last word on dope use and mental health issues, however. For one, as the article's authors admit, psychosis per se is usually understood to involve environmental and genetic factors, so quantifying just how large a role MJ plays in each dope smoker's case is tricky.
Plus, as I said; the quality and amount of the pot you'd have to smoke to generate the end result psychosis seems pretty high (no pun intended) to me. In looking at the usage rates in the study, we're talking multiple times per day, seven days per week, of some pretty strong weed. I don't know any dope smokers who are that into the stuff, to be honest.
"Politics is just show business for ugly people."