Governor Jay Inslee of Washington submitted a budget asking for $300 million to fund the state’s mental health system. Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper asked his state to increase the funding for homelessness and for school counselors.
The first two states to legalize pot are grappling with a host of new problems. Are California, Nevada and Massachusetts ready to expand their mental health care services?
Three months ago in Washington, a Arcan Cetin, shot and killed five people at Cascades Mall. He suffered from PTSD, other conditions and used marijuana among other things. He had complied with court-ordered treatment, but the protocol was not working.
A new study warns that marijuana use may increase susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease, after finding the drug severely reduces blood flow in an area of the brain affected by the illness.
[A man smoking marijuana] Researchers suggest marijuana use may increase susceptibility to Alzheimer's by reducing blood flow in the hippocampus. Published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, the study reveals that individuals with a marijuana use disorder showed reduced blood flow in nearly all areas of the brain, compared with healthy controls.
What is more, the research team - including co-author Dr. Elisabeth Jorandby of Amen Clinics Inc. in California - found that the hippocampus saw the largest reduction in blood flow with marijuana use.
The hippocampus is the brain region associated with learning and memory, and it is the first region to be affected in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
In the United States, marijuana is becoming increasingly legalized for recreational and/or medicinal use.With this in mind, researchers are in agreement that it is more important than ever to understand the possible harms of marijuana use, and Dr. Jorandby and colleagues caution that reduced brain blood flow may be one such effect.
Almost every brain region affected by marijuana use. When blood flow in the brain is reduced, this causes a reduction in the amount of oxygen that reaches brain cells, which can cause brain tissue damage and death.
According to the authors, few previous studies have assessed the effects of marijuana use on blood flow in the brain.
To address this research gap, the team used single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to measure the blood flow and brain activity of 982 individuals who had been diagnosed with a marijuana use disorder, alongside 92 healthy controls. SPECT was used to measure participants' brain blood flow and activity during a mental concentration task and when at rest.
Compared with the healthy controls, the researchers found that subjects with marijuana use disorders showed significantly reduced blood flow in almost all brain regions, but the hippocampus fared worst. In particular, the team identified abnormally low blood flow in the right hippocampus of subjects with marijuana use disorders as they completed the concentration task.
Galli JA, et al. Curr Drug Abuse Rev. 2011 Abstract Coinciding with the increasing rates of cannabis abuse has been the recognition of a new clinical condition known as Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome. Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome is characterized by chronic cannabis use, cyclic episodes of nausea and vomiting, and frequent hot bathing. Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome occurs by an unknown mechanism. Despite the well-established anti-emetic properties of marijuana, there is increasing evidence of its paradoxical effects on the gastrointestinal tract and CNS. Tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol, and cannabigerol are three cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant with opposing effects on the emesis response. The clinical course of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome may be divided into three phases: prodromal, hyperemetic, and recovery phase. The hyperemetic phase usually ceases within 48 hours, and treatment involves supportive therapy with fluid resuscitation and anti-emetic medications. Patients often demonstrate the learned behavior of frequent hot bathing, which produces temporary cessation of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The broad differential diagnosis of nausea and vomiting often leads to delay in the diagnosis of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome. Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome shares several similarities with CHS and the two conditions are often confused. Knowledge of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and natural course of Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome is limited and requires further investigation.
Summary: Thanks to advances in science, we have never known so much about the effects marijuana use has on the human body, particularly, the fragile brain. Yet, in a political era when scientific research is regularly marshalled to end public policy debates, the powerful, growing scholarship on marijuana has largely been ignored or dismissed. Indeed, marijuana use seems to be one of the glaring areas in modern life where wishful thinking reigns over rationality.
Yet, as the lesson of tobacco demonstrates, when Americans are given the scientific facts about serious threats to their health, they adjust their behavior and insist on measures to safeguard their communities. In the instance of marijuana, the public can be forgiven for not knowing the true threat. With the assistance of a sympathetic media, marijuana legalization advocates, many seeking to profit off the drug, continue to sell romantic falsehoods and outright lies. They casually dismiss the growing list of serious concerns about marijuana emerging from scientific scholarship and survey research, or just cry “reefer madness” without examining the evidence.
Amidst the current marijuana public policy discussion, more than ever, concerned citizens, community leaders, lawmakers, educators, and parents need to better understand the growing body of research about this drug. What follows is a compilation and discussion of the latest research, including reports that are beginning to come in on the effects legalization has had in Colorado and neighboring states—including increased criminal activity even with legalization. While all research has limitations, what we do know is becoming clearer by the day, and it will make many question what they thought they knew about this drug of abuse.
Key Recent Findings:
Journal of the American Medical Association: “There is little doubt about the existence of an association between substance use and psychotic illness…studies suggest that the association between cannabis use and later psychosis might be causal, a conclusion supported by studies showing that cannabis use is associated with an earlier age at onset of psychotic disorders, particularly schizophrenia.”
Society for the Study of Addiction: “Regular cannabis use in adolescence approximately doubles the risks of early school-leaving and of cognitive impairment and psychoses in adulthood. Regular cannabis use in adolescence is also associated strongly with the use of other illicit drugs.”World Psychiatric Association: “Evidence that THC is a component cause of psychosis is now sufficient for public health messages outlining the risk, especially of regular use of high-potency cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids.”
American Academy of Pediatrics: “The adverse effects of marijuana have been well documented” and include “impaired short-term memory, decreased concentration, attention span, and problem solving” which “interfere[s] with learning.”American Psychological Association: “Heavy marijuana use in adolescence or early adulthood has been associated with a dismal set of life outcomes including poor school performance, higher dropout rates, increased welfare dependence, greater unemployment and lower life satisfaction.”Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: “Persistent adolescent-onset cannabis users” showed “an average 8-point IQ decline from childhood to adulthood.
Clinical Psychological Science Journal: Duke University and UC Davis researchers “found that those dependent on cannabis experienced more financial difficulties, such as paying for basic living expenses and food, than those who were alcohol dependent.”
Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence: States that have legalized “medical” marijuana find an association with higher 12th grade drop-out rates, lessened college attainment, and increases in daily smoking. Further, there is a dose/response relationship between adverse impact and years of increased exposure under legalization.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, SAMHSA: Since legalizing marijuana, Colorado climbed to number one among states for both youth (12-17) and college age adults (18-25) marijuana use.
World Federation Against Drugs (W.F.A.D) Dalgarno Institute is a member of this global initiative. For evidence based data on best practice drug policy in the global context.
The Institute for Behavior and Health, Inc. is to reduce the use of illegal drugs. We work to achieve this mission by conducting research, promoting ideas that are affordable and scalable...
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(I.T.F.S.D.P) This international peak body continues to monitor and influence illicit drug policy on the international stage. Dalgarno Institute is a member organisation.
The National Alliance for Action on Alcohol is a national coalition of health and community organisations from across Australia that has been formed with the goal of reducing alcohol-related harm.
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