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February 7th, 2011
05:56 PM ET
Marijuana use may speed psychosisUsing marijuana, or cannabis, may cause psychosis to develop sooner in patients already predisposed to developing it, and in other patients the drug may even cause psychosis, according to a new study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. "This finding is an important breakthrough in our understanding of the relationship between cannabis use and psychosis," according to the study. "It raises the question of whether those substance users would still have gone on to develop psychosis a few years later." Patients with psychosis tend to lose touch with reality and are prone to hallucinations and delusions about what is happening around them. Psychosis is frequently reported among patients with diagnosed mental illness such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. According to the study led by Australian researchers, in which data from 83 studies involving more than 20,000 patients were analyzed, marijuana users experienced psychosis about three years younger than non-users. Users of other substances (besides pot) experienced symptoms of psychosis two years sooner. Alcohol use had no influence on development of psychosis, according to the study. "Reducing the use of cannabis could be one of the few ways of altering the outcome of the illness because earlier onset of schizophrenia is associated with a worse prognosis," according to the study. "An extra two or three years of psychosis-free functioning could allow many patients to achieve the important developmental milestones of late adolescence and early adulthood that could lower the long-term disability arising from psychotic disorders." But experts say the complexity of interaction between genes and environment, and the possibility that cannabis is, in fact, a way to self-medicate when psychotic symptoms arise are not accounted for in this study. The marijuana-schizophrenia link "It is distinctly possible, in fact likely, that folks who experience initial symptoms turn to cannabis in an effort to control them, then end up having a psychotic break of some sort earlier simply because they had their first symptoms earlier," said Mitch Earleywine, an associate professor of psychology at the State University of New York at Albany, who is also a marijuana policy expert. "This predicament makes it look as if cannabis preceded the psychotic symptoms when, in fact...folks with worse symptoms who are more likely to have an early break might simply be more likely to turn to cannabis." Theories about an association between marijuana use and schizophrenia include several –sometimes interrelated - scenarios: The possibility that cannabis causes schizophrenia; that cannabis may cause people vulnerable to schizophrenia to develop symptoms; that cannabis may make schizophrenia symptoms worse; or that people with schizophrenia are more likely to use cannabis, according to the study. Study authors suggest that this study, "lends weight to the view that cannabis use precipitates schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders," perhaps because of some confluence of genetic and environmental factors, or because using cannabis early in life may disrupt brain development. "[This study] found that cannabis is associated with early onset of psychosis and that is most likely true but it doesn't answer the question of which way it goes," said Dr. Charles L. Raison, associate professor in the department of psychiatry at Emory University, and CNNHealth's mental health expert doctor. "Does smoking cannabis early in life make you vulnerable to getting early psychosis or is the first manifestation of psychosis to do drugs and alcohol, or is it both?" Do you have diagnosed schizophrenia? How well are you managing it? Raison added that other studies suggesting a causal relationship between marijuana use and psychosis disagree with this one. Whatever the relationship between cannabis and psychosis, experts can agree that early use of cannabis is problematic. "No one wants to see young people get heavily involved with any psychoactive substances," said Earleywine. soundoff (1,357 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Next »Leave a Reply to JC
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Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love.
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So much noise; all those with agendas on either side are sharpening their knives. I will simply note that EVERYTHING has side effects.......
Smoking weed is a bad habit... I don't know why they let rap stars talk about doing the drug as if it was good! I am totally against it, healthy kids deserve a healthy environment, drugged free.
you say to keep kids away, what about the kids driving to school drunk? or what about the kids going into the supermarket to steal cough syrup? you want us to shut those out too?
I grew up in the San Francisci Bay Area and have been a regular pot smoker sice I was 16( now I am 21) ... Pot was the thing in high school, it was like the cup of coffee, a big social thing... Blunts in rotation with people... Getting the best looking buds possible... Going to the best view possible and soaking it in....It makes me more enthusiastic about things than I would not usually feel ( going to a ball game etc etc) I have a volcano vaporizer so i feel like I have somewhat cut out most of the bad stuff, but i do realize im still poisoning my body ( i know mom ) bottom line is, you cant be smoking every hour , it has to be moderation or you will have no chance... Its like my glass of wine, i go to school, come home, vaporize... Get stoned for 25 minutes than I when it wears off I am relaxed ( i have extreme Adhd) it relaxes me, but at the same time I can still work out at high levels and could have a concersation with a CEO of a company if i had too... I know its bad for you ( and i hear know theres levels of mercury in it?) but hey, if you were from the bay area you would understand...
Seems obvious to me that some who are mentally ill instinctively seek relief from their suffering by smoking pot. So of course clinicians will see more pot use among the mentally ill. How is using pot different from using lithium, geodon, lamichtil, or other pharmaceutical medicine? Those meds are very expensive, and come with some hefty side effects.
I'm not recommending that anybody "use" pot, of course, but mostly because it's illegal & any drug use should be supervised by medical professionals. Not only does the user risk serious legal trouble, but they are indirectly contributing to drug wars in Mexico. Boycotting illegal drugs is one way to stop the violence.
I think it should be legal. Until it's legal, it should be avoided.
medicinal quality marijuana is not grown in Mexico, rather is grown domestically.
Buddie that fact the your story revolves around what happened to you and your friends is very narrow minded , the fact that your still bringing up that you have black, white, pink friend, has nothing to do with how pot affect people, what you believe pot does to a person is flawed just because all your answer revolves around stories from your friends Tom, Dick, and Hairy and and what you think, i am a pot smoker and im am still in good health mentality, im starting to notice now that your very into yourself and not very aware of what really goes on, you cant even seem to understand what im saying, just because you and your lot (as in the bunch) of friends had a bad trip or experience or whatever YOU wanna call it, doesn't mean everyone else will die or even go crazy cause they smoke pot, now again if you don't mind stop trying to talk down to me when you can't even get passed what im saying to you, how ever old you are, i do feel sorry for you cuase your stuck believing 2+2+=3, your experience is not the same as other, and stop sayin you have fact when you dont know what a fact is, you and your friends experiences is not fact, its life.
Buddie that fact the your story revolves around what happened to you and your friends is very narrow minded , the fact that your still bringing up that you have black, white, pink friends, has nothing to do with how pot affect people, what you believe pot does to a person is flawed just because all your answer revolves around stories from your friends Tom, Dick, and Hairy and and what you think, i am a pot smoker and im am still in good health mentality, i've been smoking for 43yrs , im starting to notice now that your very into yourself and not very aware of what really goes on, you cant even seem to understand what im saying, just because you and your lot (as in the bunch) of friends had a bad trip or experience or whatever YOU wanna call it, doesn't mean everyone else will die or even go crazy cause they smoke pot, now again if you don't mind stop trying to talk down to me when you can't even get passed what im saying to you, how ever old you are, i do feel sorry for you cause your stuck believing 2+2+=3, your experience is not the same as other, and stop saying you have fact when you don't know what a fact is, you and your friends experiences is not fact, its life.
Seems exactly what is happening pharmaceutical companies are making way too much money and have way too much political power. Got a plant that cures cancer and is very inexpenisve? Got Marijuana Extract almost an instant fix of most all your ailments? No you must take medication that has shown multiple deaths hey but it's ok it's legal. Pfffft what horse crap this is.
It also seems as though alot have forgotten our many years of Marijuana as medicine. Is that not correct Odalice yolanda feliz?
Gabe I tried to give you the benefit of doubt....But it's quite evident your HIGH RIGHT NOW WITH THE SAME POST NOT ONCE BUT TWICE!!!! HELL NO DUDE I can't get past what your saying...the FACT YOU IDIOT!!! WAS THE EXPERIENCE. THE TRUTH WAS THE RESULT.NOW HIGH BOY,IF THATS NOT A FACT OF LIFE I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS...IS THAT REAL ENOUGH FOR YA??? Go to sleep now pookie.
Buddie you sound real small getting angry on a web post, u make no sense im not gonna argue with you any more, you you need to go get check out why you get angry so fast, maybe your bi-poler and that why you couldn't handle smoking, either way dude your argument are like talking to a baby, your a good reason why people shouldn't smoke pot, write something else that make no sense, let people see why smoking pot is bad, have your self a little meditation secession.
Pookie I told you to go to sleep....now hush up.
I once read a study that concluded that children who drink chocolate milk are more likely to later smoke put. By logical extension of this study, should we conclude that children who drink chocolate milk are more likely to develop psychosis later on in life???
Knock , knock , ...... Yeah ??? Hey , man open the door !!!! Who is it ????? ...... Hey man it's Dave , I got the stuff !!!!!
Huh ???? It's Dave man , open the door !!!!!!
DAVE'S NOT HERE !!!!!!!!
Damnit Dave you went to the wrong house again!
Here is the link to the actual study: http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/archgenpsychiatry.2011.5
***Notice the section labeled "Data Sources: Peer-reviewed publications in English reporting age at onset of psychotic illness in substance-using and non–substance-using groups were located using searches of CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and ISI Web of Science."
Basicly, all they did was read articles and drew their conclutions from that... Also, at the bottom it says tobacco was not included as "substance use".
This was not a news story CNN.
I have 40 years experience around cannabis, and most everyone I've known. This sounds like more propaganda, generated by people that have no experience @ all with the substance. As public opinion shifts for legalization, expect more fabricated stories about "THE DANGER OF REEFER". After all, a lot of anti-cannabis government jobs depend on your fear.
I smoke but don't inhale so I should be fine, right?
Aaron, try inhaling i do
This is a joke, for one this studie was edorsed by a pharm cop that makes anit depress, and just cus pot does do better and doesnt hurt u without smoked they had to come out with something new because of the highly used plant, they know that it kills brain cells and makes you kill people didnt work so now that people are exceptn it they had to do something, the war on drugs failed from day one, and how can you have a war on a plant that gets bigger and more used then ever before?
I understand that being born leads to all kinds of bad things !!!!!!! Life turns out good for some , bad for others . Geography , economics , environment , genetics , lifestyle , ........ in the end it is sometimes just a crap shoot .
This study is flawed . Or , I should say , this study of a bunch of other studies that were flawed to begin with .
There has yet to done a true and unbiased scientific study over a long term , say 10 years minimum , with standardized and accepted scientific protocols and closely monitored control groups that can prove any thing beyond occasional slight lowering of cognizance and motor skills and mild lung and throat irritation from the use of pot . THAT study will never be done due to the political ramifications and illogical hysteria spread by the government , liquor industry , big pharma ....... and religions !!!!!
And Yup , Dave's still not here man !!!!!!
watch what you say AI, some people in here might think your mentality ill, or some how different from the non-smoker.
some of you people really have a strange opinion about us pot smoker, like first of all, we or i at least don't condone having kids smoking pot, i don't condone a pot smoker committing any sort of crime (besides purchase pot), if someone cant handle smoking, im not gonna force them to, if someone doesn't like the smell, i go for a walk, again I've been smoking weed casual for about 43yrs, I'm still in good mental health, I've had my job for 26yrs still going, never committed a crime(beside for purchasing pot). to some smoker's smoking makes then happy, other it relaxes them, i admit and understand non-smoker and smoker still haven't found that happy medium yet where we both respect each other, but till then do some research, understand why we use pot as a medication, do some research for yourself so you understand what pot about, whether it's good for YOU or not.
Thanks Gabriel, however, I said I've been AROUND cannabis for 40 yrs. I do not use it, but many friends and my wife do.
So, just so I am clear, none of you can conclusively state anything about either side? Just wanted to confirm that, like everything else, your personal view will allow you to skew any data in your favor. Live and let live. As my well respected doctor told me about my pot use " as long as it does not affect your ability to be a good parent and citizen then it's fine by me". For those of you who don't condone, like or uphold the right to smoke pot then don't. On behalf of the other hard working mothers out there who bust there ass and enjoy a good smoke at the end of the day, leave us to our smoke.
I think what this really boils down to is that children whose brains are developing should not be habitual or frequent marijuana users. Whether they are prone to mental illness or not there is no way that a psychoactive drug like marijuana can be good for a developing brain. Ive been smoking since i was 16 (am 25 now) and there were a couple years where i smoked everyday, therefor my brain developed under the influence of a psychoactive drug. it HAD to have EFFECTED me for good or for bad. In that same vain i dont think any children should grow up under a daily influence of any drug be it adderol, xanax, alchohol or whatever. I see a difference in emotional development in friends who started smoking when they were 13 and the kids who started when they were 19 or 20 in college LIke my parents tried to tell me; wait until college, or atleast until you're 18. This being said, once your brain is mostly developed.... Have at IT!
I think there's going to be a lot of stoned retired boomers driving around in the near future, lol. Don't worry though, we're not all psyco as the article implies.
If anyone doubts the addictive power of marijuanna or it's ability to induce psychosis, he or she need only read through this blog.
I am impressed by the passion with which marijuana smokers defend its questionable benefits and dismiss evidence of its harmful effects. That is essentially what happens when the brain is hijacked by an addicting drug- one gains a distorted sense of reality- overvaluing the benefits and underrating the harmful effects of the drug.
It is also striking how many of these impassioned responses include conspiracy theories. Are all of these respondents self-medicating their paranoia with marijuana? Or is there something about marijuana that distorts one's perceptions and encourages conspiracy theories?
Cunning, baffling, powerful.
All this article shows me is fear from the non user, the inability to state concrete evidence.
This funny little Weed war.
Why does the government feel the need to control everything?!
say if Joe blow found the cure to his own cancer in his backyard, Cured his cancer, and lived his life but somebody found out he did so, it makes me think that the government would penalize him because he didn't use some sort of chemical that they are controlling. What would they do to that guy?!
take his cure, and give him no credit.
How long has this lovely little plant that is so controversial been around?! Ages right?! why was it ever made illegal?
do stoners go out and commit crimes?! Usually not. they just relax and eat and chill.
I dont get it.....and it all kind of makes me chuckle.
Conspiracy theories?
Do you even know why pot became prohobitied in the 1930's? It had nothing to do with health.
Did you know that Nixon commision a group to do a study on pot to support his 'war' on Marijuanna, and when he got back said report (the Schaffer Report) he discarded it because its conclusion was that it was mostly harmless.
Did you know that Judge Francess Young ,on the record, labeled Cannabis as one of the most benign substances know to man?
Did you know that the leading Anti-drug researcher Donald Tashkin did a 30 year study on Pot and its effects on lung health and proved that heavy pot smoking didn't cause lung cancer and offered a protective effect.
Look up cannabinoids and cancer.
You need to check your facts bud.
HAR !
you need to see a doctor.
I think alcohol makes people crazier...I don't care what the stupid article says
WOW! After reading all these posts, I'd have to say the pot smokers definateley win.
so ive been smoking for about 20 years. When exactly will i become psychotic?
Ha Ha!!! Exactly.....
Oh brother...what a stupid story. Alcohol causes violence and murders and who knows how many deaths on the highways...where is THAT story???
I also have to say as a proud Texan, that if affected Califorians would have put their bongs down long enough to go vote, they'd have legalized marajuana now. Instead, they sat in their armchairs with their tray and bong in their lap all nice and relaxed figuring the next guy would go do the voting for them........... I'm absolutley convinced that is what happened there. There are way too many weed smokers in this world to lose a vote like that. I'm surprised the government doesn't recognize this and legalize it for a form of crowd control to keep from what's happening in Egypt from happening here in the future..........
One reason prop 19 failed in California were the people profiteering off of the prohobiton. The people selling it, weather on the streets or in shops, all voted no. Once it's leagalized the price drops and they loose business.
Canabis Sativa L or Marihuana, is Hullucidgen, similar to coffee. In ALL Peoples, after Fatiqueing long useage, Toxic Phycosis becomes apparent. NOT Permanet Disease. Ammonialite of Marihuanas' active ingrediants is reduced 50% every 6 weeks of Non Useage, so after 18 weeks of non useage, body is at background level well within normal range.
Signed:PHYSICIAN THOMAS STEWART von DRASHEK M.D.
bull! stop spreading lies about the #1 medicine on the planet. It's healthier than the donut you ate for breakfast. it cures the cancer processed foods and DRUGS from big pharma causes.
http://truthknowledge.com
Anyone want to smoke a bowl?
Why is the sack in the picture on the ground? Who does that? All it would take is a good gust of wind and all their weed would just blow away. Call me Paranoid but I would never do that with my weed.
do you want to see what pot smoking does ??? come to san fransico and take a good long look around !
Oh, that explains the voices. Pardon me while I roll another.
So – to recap – if you are psychotic or are going to be psychotic and you smoke marijuana you will be psychotic faster maybe. Fortunately out of the thousands of individuals I have met in my life who smoked marijuana none were psychotic. Phew – what a relief. I would hate to have made a psychotic person psychotic.
I once drank a fifth of gin, blacked out, and started a fight. That is a psychotic episode. In 20 years of smoking pounds and pounds of cannabis, I've never once had anything close to that happen. There have been lots of snacks and naps... and cannabis did help to cure my alcoholism... but negative effects? Never had any from cannabis.
Call me psychotic or paranoid but I reallly do think.... wait a minute.
People stop stressing yourselves, When it was reported that marijuana MAY BE harmless, CNN supported that report also. NOW IT'S DANGEROUS AGAIN. I AM INCLINED TO BELIEVE WHAT I HAVE SEEN MARIJUANA DO.....IT MAKES YOU STUPID AND LOOK 25 years older than you really are.
"Marijuana May Speed Up Psychosis"...didn't we figure this out already?
It makes you stupid and lazy! I have a 3.79 GPA and work 2 jobs. Just think what I would be capable of if I hadn't smoked everyday for the last 13 years. Oh the humanity!
Even the most ardent defenders of pot will have to admit that it makes some people paranoid. I remember in college when certain friends would say they didn't smoke it precisely because of that reason. However, it probably doesn't affect everyone that way or it wouldn't be so popular, i.e. no one is going to deliberately take a drug that makes them feel bad (unless it's something like chemo which has a greater good); and for others it's probably a godsend, i.e. cancer patients, etc. In other words, just like any drug, it has some good effects and some bad effects, and can affect different people in different ways.
if it were legal you would not feel paranoid
Nice job CNN, keep pushing your once in a while random negative headlined story and/or study about cannabis. Nevermind that alcohol is far more dangerous, and that Pubmed contradicts this study and claims that alcohol does in fact contribute to psychosis. What is your agenda, CNN? Why would you only pick out this one study? Many other scientists disagree with the conclusions that are emphasized in this article, and feel that people suffering from psychosis may actually gain relief from cannabis use or be self-medicating an undiagnosed issue. Or how about we examine the actaul defintion of psychosis from Pubmed
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002520 – a religious experience or religious conversion could fit into the defintion. Or how about every 5-year old with an active imagination? What about the conspiracy theorists all over that U.S. that won't believe Obama is U.S. citizen no matter the evidence? Or how about those delusional people who tried to break the sound barrier? Did they all have psychosis? I think not. Maybe some conspiracy theorists do, but as most concepts go in the field of mental health – like addiction and psychosis – the definitions are far too broad and include perfectly healthy people into a category due to the ignorance of humanity and its attempt to classify everything, even with incomplete and inaccurate information.
I am the first author of this study and am a bit amazed by the extent of interest in it and it is impossible to respond to all the things that have been said in various blogs.
First I am only employed by my local hospital to treat patients (many of whom have psychosis) and I performed this study, like my co authors, in my own time and in good faith. None of us have links to big pharma, tobacco, alcohol etc.
Second the study had a limited aim – to work out if cannabis smokers with psychosis got ill before, at the same time or after non-cannabis smokers with psychosis. I had no idea what the result would be. If we had found that psychosis associated with cannabis came on later we would have argued that this supported a self medicating hypothesis but no result of this study could be conclusive as to cause .
Finally we are genuine in our concern for young people who seem to be most at risk.
Nice try, prohibitionists
I hate CNN
Matthew Large,
Are the arguments frustrating to read because so many people are only interested in defending their side of the fence? You can't win. If a study that doesn't get the results one side wants, they will try to discredit the findings.
I've been seriously bipolar for most of my life. I used weed for many years starting at 16 yrs. (Now I'm 58!) Weed just takes the edge of and helps me to relax. I know I'm more attracted to certain drugs because I'm looking for that relief. I also know (in my case) it's a mistake because the high feels good and then I drop. Then it starts a cycle that can get worse. Other meds I like are highly addictive, so no matter how good they feel at the time, I've got to be very cautious.
I'm living in Dubai right now, and I don't want to see the inside of a Dubai prison, so no weed. When I come home to Canada for the summer, it's always tempting. I've spent so long getting on the right balance of mood stabilizers and antidepressants that I'm thinking I better not add too much unprescribed drugs to the mix. I'll go have my daily 1/2 glass of wine now. (7:44 pm in Dubai and my windows are all open.)
People, pro and con, lighten up and try to keep an open mind to both sides and different opinions.
Also, There is help out there for mental illness. I love grass and it feels great but it wasn't helping me to be stable and function well. If life isn't worth living, it's probably your mood and with help that can be turned around. If you don't find the right doc, then keep looking until your well.
Thanks Linda,
I am happy to lighten up but perhaps I wont light up. Hope things go well for you.
Matthew
This is exactly the type of bad science that Sensational Sanjay likes to cook up. In the study cited, there appears not to have been any kind of test to determine whether the drugs caused the psychosis or if the psychosis caused the drug use. Either this study was done by inordinately absent-minded scientists, or was designed to produce a particular outcome.
Sensational Sanjay, being a doctor, has specific training to identify flaws in scientific practice like this, even when they're less obvious than this glaring oversight and yet continues to peddle this rubbish.
Just one more symptom of the decline of the once-great CNN.
A false link between marijuana and mental illness
The Baltimore Sun
2:15 p.m. EST, February 9, 2011
http://shar.es/3sB3z
Dr. Mitch Earleywine Ph.D. responds to latest “marijuana causes early psychoses” claim
http://bit.ly/eFHFrL
So CNN and dear idiot doc, is chocolate still bad for you and cause pimple? Is coffee going to kill you? Interesting stuff. The people that did this report, dear doc matty, are proof that it doesn't take a 4.0 to graduate med school. If the intent was to prove something, then the dear crew wasted their time. This is stupid. So is being paranoid SO dangerous? Nope! What is paranoid? Show me some evidence of a pothead like me (for 45 yrs) being so paranoid that he ran out and killed three babies! Criminal use MJ as an excuse to try and get out of charges against them. Read those doc! Do a study on those idiots. The silly writers picked a easy subject to twist. You are such idiots. You said nothing. Why not just read the facts from scientists and experts in the field and plagiarize? Also, if I contact your country and ask them if they gave you money for this study, what will the say? http://hempbeach.com/marijuana-linked-with-earlier-onset-of-schizophrenia-in-research-review/ And this is better then the CNN garbage. Matty you didn't prove anything with your study...bottom line is critical, you have no bottom line! Smoke a little pot and come up with another study you have a chance at winning. But of course contact your peers first idiot.