Better Late Than Never: Marijuana/Schizophrenia Link Questioned
At least some in the international news media have belatedly discovered a study casting doubt on the purported link between marijuana use and schizophrenia. I say “belatedly” because the study was published online back in June, although the print version came out this month.
A group of British researchers examined a rather basic notion: If marijuana use causes schizophrenia, then a major increase in marijuana use should lead to an increase in schizophrenia diagnoses in the following years. In an enormous sample of some 600,000 Britons, no such thing occurred – indeed, a spike in marijuana use beginning in the mid-1970s was followed by rates of schizophrenia that either remained stable or declined.
Of course this is not the first time that a lack of connection between marijuana use rates and schizophrenia incidence has been noted in the scientific literature. For example, a 2006 review in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry noted that “the treated incidence of schizophrenia did not obviously increase during the 1970s and 1980s when there were substantial increases in cannabis use among young adults in Australia and North America.” (Alas, that rather important discussion isn’t mentioned in the summary linked above, which is all you can get for free).
Overall, the evidence strongly suggests that marijuana may worsen or trigger schizophrenia in a few individuals with a pre-existing vulnerability, but that it is not a significant cause of mental illness in healthy people. That rather nuanced reality tends to be a bit too complicated for many in the media.
Tagged with: marijuana and Media and mental illness and schizophrenia and science by the author
23 comments
It it will not be the last time either. Especially when the fed govt severely restricts medical research on cannabis and when it does allow atleast the Ole Miss lab to do research, it never grants money that may result in positive results, only negatives, if it grants the money at all. Thus the THC suppository (thats bad comedy)
The “counterpoint” quote by Joseph Ray in the ABC Science article was pretty revealing:
Not showing that there is a link does not mean there is no link
Notice the implied burden of proof; in order for him to accept a lack of causation, he needs to be shown a lack of a link. This is a similar argument to the one we see used in favor of the gateway theory (and, incidentally, by creationists speaking out against the teaching of evolution). By shifting the burden of proof, they imply that it’s their position that should be considered the “default” truth.
Clever rhetorical maneuvering, but completely inconsistent with the scientific method.
Interesting………
Perhaps clinical testing of pre-diagnosed Schizophrenic individuals would be a better test to see if it increases or decreases the individuals Schizophrenia, considering they already have an enormous sample of 600,000 Britons that suggests otherwise.
Perhaps this study already exists, just needs to be found. Certainly, if the prohibitionist had any real information that shows cannabis is harmful, you can bet it would be all over the major news channels and newspaper headlines.
I used to work with chronic mentally ill and I have thought a lot and discussed with colleagues and clients about how people get schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. You are correct that there is a genetic cause to getting schizophrenia. In talking to people who got this disease, they said something stressful happened to them, sometimes in childhood or early adulthood that triggered the disease. Sometimes it was a bout of alcohol or other drugs use, including cannabis, sometimes it was a car accident or a serious illness, some stressor turns the gene switch on that allow expression of the disease. As you say most people don’t have that gene switch so they can smoke or use other substances, get traumatized, get into a car accident and they will never get schizophrenia.
The sky could fall tomorrow, but we don’t live our lives like it will for sure. same with cannabis. to link it as a cause of schizophrenia is unfounded at best, and mainly just rediculous. if any thing it helps eleviate some of the symptoms of this sad disease.
i am jazzed about the article on the right of this page i hope the govonator sees the potential wind fall of cash cannabis legalization will create.
The poeple who run this country are schizo. Not us who use cannabis. We know the truth and those in power also know. They do not know how to steal the money we do not spend on prescription drugs. But when they figure out how to steal all that money we will be victems all over again!
YES!!! More ammo for us!!!!! gotta love it
I say that we take a shit load of pot to the nut hutches in the USA and get the crazy people high. In my opinion and theories, pot, if legalized will not only end the war on drugs, but it could result in a gradule decrease in hate, racism, and anything else that is destroying society. I also think that if we get the lunies high, they might actually not be all that insane…hell, i know how pot is keeping me sane right now, and I have all the world against me on my sanity.
its the great legalized, then illegalized, then relegalized marijuana merry-go-round…soon alcohol while be illegalized, then relegalized..keeps the bumble puppies a spinning round-n-round
It will be eventually with org’s like MMP norml safer and and many thousands of volunteers that keep the issue of legalization on the forefront. Unfortunately, until the majority of users, come out of the smokefilled closet, like the gays had to do to get power of numbers to get the proper attn. We will have to write or email our attitudes to our reps and let them know we will only elect anti-prohibition reps!
It will be eventually with org’s like MMP NORML SAFER fRANK AND RrON pQAUL AND ALL THE OTHER RIGHT MINDED POLITICIANS GOD BLESS THEM and and many thousands of volunteers that keep the issue of legalization on the forefront. Unfortunately, until the majority of users, come out of the smokefilled closet, like the gays had to do to get power of numbers to get the proper attn. We will have to write or email our attitudes to our reps and let them know we will only elect anti-prohibition reps!
Sorry for duplicate post and cap lock recovering from stroke.
we need a revolution. plain and simple. we need a plan for every person in every state, a nationwide petition if you will, and mass mail the crap out of each state dept, whitehouse, everywhere, so that everyone can see that we want change.
why does not ALL the marijuana/cannabis organizations in the US work TOGETHER. where are all the donations and funds from the proactive supporters go to?
as one i am just a voice, together we are a force. a justifiable force that demands to be heard.
With 31 years of distributing Medical Marijuana you would think that the US Government would have ONE long-term clinical study on the effects of marijuana….. So tell me again why this hasn’t been done?
Maybe because if they actually studied the substance they would have a paper trail showing the past 72 years of lies and BS propaganda!!!
It sure would be nice to hear from a high level Government Official on why clinical studies were NEVER performed on the IND patients.
I am sure there has been a complete study on the effects of cannabis. The gov. does nothing without keeping detailed records. The reason we have not been told about it is there is NO adverse effects. That is not good for big pharma. With no side effects and no addictive properties cannabis is the SAFEST drug on the planet. Big pharma cannot allow a safe, non toxic harmless drug to be available to the public with out a huge fight. Two billion in fines is nothing to the billions they get from pushing bad, addictive, harmful drug that kill. I wish they took their own drugs so they will die and leave us harmless pot smokers alone. This country is turning from free to a dictatorship and we must stop this in the next election. ALL AMERICANS must vote next election and fire the ones against gods herb.
Just because a rooster crows every morning before the sun comes up, does not mean that if you kill the rooster the sun will not rise again. I have forgotten more about how to conduct viable research than some prohibition propagandists know based on their so-called “research” conclusions. Rather or not cannabis consumption causes ill effects is not the issue. The issue is government’s legitimate role in attempting to control such substances, the responsible adult consumption of which, does not violate the rightful freedom and liberty of another citizen. In a free country, the government has the duty and obligation to make sure such substances are freely available. In a police state, the government will try and regulate such substances, and all other conduct, to maximize benefit to the state as dictated by a religious inspired, political and powered money elite. I am an American patriot and believe in God’s will for people to live in freedom with liberty as acknowledged and cited in the Constitution of the United States. I do not want to live in the most free country on earth. I want to live in a free country.
It seems that a LOT of information regarding marijuana is “a bit too complicated for many in the media.” Not to mention the government. But isn’t the real problem that a lot of people aren’t listening? They’ve perceived that pot isn’t a big issue (and isn’t very dangerous), but it’s being stonewalled by power, and that the issue isn’t going anywhere, i.e. boring. Fortunately, I have cause to hope that it IS going somewhere.
Isn’t it funny that people who are perceived as being wild and crazy hippies, are really mostly down to Earth, quiet, productive people?
Oh, check out today’s Peanuts cartoon. It’s about Peanuts, I think, who’s hiding under a bed, refusing to go to school. He explains that “I’ve known too many people who went to kindergarten who never amounted to anything.” Kind of puts “anti-motivational syndrome” to rest, doesn’t it?
Why do I think the cause is moving forward? Because of the numbers of bills being introduced, everywhere, slowly chipping away at prohibition, and because of the now-that-we-have-internet support it’s getting. Even our traitor president has to admit that legalization is the most popular topic on his web site (keep it up).
Sooner or later it will hit some of them that pot is not very harmful, but that prohibition IS, and “ping!” they’ll suddenly get the picture. States will start legalizing it, and there will be on-going conflicts with the feds, and eventually, and reluctantly, the feds will come around. I just hope it doesn’t take 20 years, because if so, I may not be around to enjoy it.
Imagine what it’s going to be like: you’ll go to a store, and buy an ounce of the finest indoor sativa/indica blend, for maybe $50, and if your like me, it’ll last you months. You’ll be free to toke in your own back yard, and who cares who smells the smoke!
Ah, LIBERTY! Imagine that? in America!
Mike the cause is being stonewalled by the Republican Party… for what reason I still don’t understand.
Unfortunately I am finding that more and more Republicans do not follow the core beliefs of the party.
Here are three examples of core values that I was taught were fundamental to the Republican Party:
1) Smaller government:
—- Why are we spending all this money on an unwinnable war (this war on Marijuana)? The DEA continues to expand and use up vital resources with absolutely no possibility of accomplishing their stated goal (to eradicate marijuana entirely). Heck they aren’t even putting a dent in the supply chain and use continues to rise – up some 1200% since 1972 when the “war” started)
2) State’s Rights:
—- Why are we spending Federal dollars to arrest and prosecute people that are clearly following their State’s laws?
—- Why is the Federal Government dictating how an individual State handles its medical decisions? Should this not be the decision of the State and its doctors? Aren’t we saying the same thing when it comes to the current debate on National Healthcare (healthcare decisions should be made between the patient and the doctor not by the Federal Government)?
3) Strict Constitutionalists (interpret the Constitution based on what is actually written, not what you think the founding fathers meant):
—- The Preamble to the Constitution says that we are to “secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity”….
Liberty is the “condition in which an individual has the right to act according to his or her own will.” Why is it that we have Federal Laws prohibiting what I can do with my own body???
Personally I think these are key points that our Republican leaders aren’t paying attention to. They are too caught up in power and control to think about their core beliefs and how this issue truly affects those beliefs. They’ll say that don’t want to look soft on crime, but they just have to realize that marijuana possession is only a crime because the Federal Government says so. Personally I believe that in order for a “Crime” to be committed you must do something that affects someone else or that has potential to affect another person. My smoking marijuana does not rise to that level and therefore should not be considered a crime. You can continue to believe that those that use marijuana are contributing to the violent drug trade and thus are affecting others or you can use your rationale thought and realize that Prohibition is what is causing the violence not the drug itself. Allowing to be sold freely in REGULATED shops would eliminate the underground market. 60-70% of all of the Mexican Drug Cartels money comes from the trafficking in Marijuana into the US. That’s a big chunk of money that will be lost that helps them to traffic in other illicit activities.
I think these are somee points that need to be talked about in the media and in letters to your Representatives (that are Republican). I hope that all of us here on MPP will take the time to write their Congressmen and ask them about these ideals and why they aren’t being followed. I can’t wait to see their responses!!!
BTW – - With the National Healthcare Debate raging on… I think #2 is extremely key to getting Medical Marijuana Laws passed… why the hypocracy? It’s NOT OK to have Government run healthcare but it’s OK to have the Federal Government control what doctors prescribe to their patients??? I just don’t get it!!!
I firmly believe that our representatives fear that if we legalize pot, that the economy will worsen because the smokers will get high and watch music videos all day long and miss work putting our country in jeopardy of reducing our G.N.P
22, It is not about sitting and doing nothing. It is about money! Before hemp and cannabis was illegle there was thousands of products made from hemp. The textile industry would be almost put out of business if hemp was to be legal again. Drug companies would loose 50 to eighty percent of it’s profits. The D.E.A. would loose millions in C.A.M.P. funding. The prison population would drop around 40 percent. The prison gurads would have to look for a real job. Prisons would close. Crime rates would drop. Cops would be fired. No more fines to support the city, county and state. No more taking of my or anyone else’s property for auctions. The only question left is , What the hell is wrong with that? Oh yea, all those people and big companies donate billions to keep me opressed and I do not have billions of dollers to donate to politions. I just donated to the bastards by way of a fine for my cannabis use.
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