WASHINGTON — The longer people use cannabis or marijuana, the more likely they are to experience hallucinations or delusions or to suffer psychosis, according to a study released Saturday.

The study found that people who first used cannabis when they were aged 15 or younger were twice as likely to develop a "non-affective psychosis" -- which can include schizophrenia -- than those who had never used the drug.

The research led by John McGrath from the University of Queensland in Australia was based on a survey of 3,801 people with an average age of 20.1 years, the US-based Archives of General Psychiatry reported.

"Among all the participants, a longer duration since the first time they used cannabis was associated with multiple psychosis-related outcomes," the study said.

Of the group, 17.7 percent reported using cannabis for three or fewer years, 16.2 percent for four to five years and 14.3 percent for six or more years.

Sixty-five were diagnosed with "non-affective psychosis", such as schizophrenia, and 233 had at least one hallucination, the study said.

"Individuals who had experienced hallucinations early in life were more likely to have used cannabis longer and to use it more frequently," it said.

But the relationship between psychosis and cannabis use was complex, it said.

People who were vulnerable to psychosis, in other words had isolated psychotic symptoms, "were more likely to commence cannabis use, which could then subsequently contribute to an increased risk of conversion to a non-affective psychotic disorder," the research said.

The article said previous studies had also identified an association between cannabis use and psychosis but there were concerns that research had not adequately accounted for confounding variables.

Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved

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Here's the Businessweek version:

https://www.businessweek.com/lifestyl...ay/636476.html

In the B-week version, the following quote can be pulled out:

"...But the association between psychosis and marijuana use is not simple, the researchers noted. They found that people who'd experienced hallucinations earlier in life were also more likely to have used marijuana longer and to use it more frequently..."

Which begs the question of whether or not this study falls for the fallacy of False Causation...

[Rednick]

It must be true...

Ask anyone who know's me...

I must be crazy!

But you should also see me after some Bullmeisters! They would say I am even more crazy.

I may have to post a biography of a period of time in my life where I had to pass a drug test and couldn't smoke medicine...........
The bottles would fill a dump truck.

[purple_man]

yow what the f?

there was another study published 1-2 years ago, by other scientists, claiming that cannabis can "help" in manifesting psychosis in people who already have a predesposition for psychosis... and not even them could conclude if the break out in the smokers with predesposition really happened cause of the smoking, or it would have broken out anyways etc...

blessss
ps.: i guess it's the same "scientists" who recommend dr to prescribe, uppers, downers, lefters and righters to folks for minor stuff -> "the leaders and fore-thinkers of the pharma addicted zombie nation"....

[HighTillDeath]

I feel sad for people who actually listen to the media and take it seriously. My poor subconcious mind...

[HighTillDeath]

I guess anything to make people more paranoid these days eh? Its not like the movies, music , news , radio doesnt do it already.

You can change the world by selecticing the media you input into your brain. Self manifestation

peace

[mriko]

Same ol'crap going on again & again. Lots of people suffering from some kind of psychosis are naturally attracted by cannabis, because it makes them feel better. Jeez, it's not rocket science !
was 15 & half when I smoked first and at that time I was real sick with teenage hood taking a strong toll on my mind. had I not met cannabis I would probably have put an end to my life, probably after doing some freako-psycho-I-don't-know-what.
Smoking hash brought me peace and allowed me to grow ok. I'm still a freak, but not a psycho anymore ! haha !

"Individuals who had experienced hallucinations early in life were more likely to have used cannabis longer and to use it more frequently,"

Yeah man ! Because smoking cannabis gives one the ability to see beyond the curtain of reality !
And someone explain me why the heck having an hallucination once or twice in ones life makes one a psycho. Considering our societies' standards of "sanity" ,err..., I'm glad to green has turned me so insane !

:sm oweed:

Irie !

[Parallel]

There have been many studies of links between cannabis use and psychosis. At best it can be said that marijuana may trigger behavior in people with a PREDISPOSITION to a mental illness. It is claimed that up to one in five people suffer from some form of mental illness, ranging from mild anxieties or mild depression to full on manic depression and psychotic behavior (one extreme to the other and anything in between is "mental illness" I guess). It is a good idea for sufferers of a mental illness to refrain from smoking cannabis until they have sought an opinion from a qualified health professional. IT IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR THESE PEOPLE TO REFRAIN FROM DRINKING ALCOHOL. In my opinion, alcohol is a much, much bigger danger to people who suffer from such illnesses. Any product that causes any form of intoxication MAY trigger negative behavior in persons suffering from a mental illness.

[johnnyla]

yeah trust the government to tell you what is safe. Vioxx was FDA approved and killed over a 100,000 people.

free your minds.

[teddybud]

man I have been smoking since I was 12 and now I'm 24 when do I get to start hallucinating?

[gladysvjubb]

Psychosis (from the Greek ψυχή "psyche", for mind/soul, and -ωσις "-osis", for abnormal condition) means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality". People suffering from psychosis are said to be psychotic.

People experiencing psychosis may report hallucinations or delusional beliefs, and may exhibit personality changes and thought disorder. This may be accompanied by unusual or bizarre behavior, as well as difficulty with social interaction and impairment in carrying out the daily life activities.

A wide variety of central nervous system diseases, from both external poisons and internal physiologic illness, can produce symptoms of psychosis.

However, many people have unusual and unshared (distinct) experiences of what they perceive to be different realities without fitting the clinical definition of psychosis. For example, many people in the general population have experienced hallucinations related to religious or paranormal experience.[1][2] As a result, it has been argued that psychosis is simply an extreme state of consciousness that falls beyond the norms experienced by most.[3] In this view, people who are clinically found to be psychotic may simply be having particularly intense or distressing


Been smoking 40 years, chronically the last 3. I don't think I am a "nut".