Broad Spectrum epidemiological contribution of cannabis and other substances to the teratological profile of northern New South Wales-BMC2020
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Cannabis Conundrum Overview
We have been fed, ad nauseum, that Cannabis is just a plant and relatively harmless, right? If you say it loud and long enough, you might believe it? We were told by the consensus manufacturing #420 activists and their propogandist promotors, the evidence ignoring media, that if we legalize this stuff ALL will be well – on every front!
No more crime! Health will increase! Taxes and surplus revenue will be raised, well, so the cornucopian pronouncements went. Well, a chaotic conundrum has inevitably arisen. All promises have not only failed, but greater harms are being done to even more of our community, with the permission modelling pushing the drug onto a now ill-informed culture and clueless Gen Next.
Here you will find an ever growing list of data that is but a fraction of the evidence-based scientific research that reveals the social, mental, health, genetic, environment and community harms of this ‘harmless plant!’ If facts and evidence matter in making informed best-practice decisions, then this is your space!
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Co-occurrence across time and space of Cannabinoid Exposure & Adverse Mental Health Outcomes 2020
Monday, November 30, 2020 35Background: Whilst many studies have linked increased drug and cannabis exposure to adverse mental health (MH) outcomes their effects on whole populations and geotemporospatial relationships are not well understood. Conclusion: Data show all four indices of mental ill-health track cannabis exposure across space and time and are robust to multivariable adjustment for ethnicity, socioeconomics and other drug use. MH deteriorated with cannabis legalization. Cannabis use-MH data are consistent... -
Cannabinoids Exacerbate Alcohol Teratogenesis (Alcohol & Cannabis Toxic Combination for Developing Babies)
Monday, November 30, 2020 31Cannabinoids Exacerbate Alcohol Teratogenesis (Alcohol & Cannabis Toxic Combination for Developing Babies) Scientific Reports volume 9, Article number: 16057 (2019) Abstract: We tested whether cannabinoids (CBs) potentiate alcohol-induced birth defects in mice and zebrafish, and explored the underlying pathogenic mechanisms on Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) signaling. The CBs, Δ9-THC, cannabidiol, HU-210, and CP 55,940 caused alcohol-like effects on craniofacial and brain development, phenocopying Shh... -
Broad Spectrum epidemiological contribution of cannabis and other substances to the teratological profile of northern New South Wales-BMC2020
Wednesday, November 18, 2020 139View PDF -
The perceived impact of legalized cannabis on nursing workload in adult and pediatric emergency department visits: A qualitative exploratory study
Thursday, November 12, 2020 35Abstract Objective: To investigate changes in emergency nursing workload related to cannabis ingestion or inhalation by adult and pediatric patients in states and bordering states where recreational cannabis is legal. Results: The legalization of recreational cannabis in some US states is reported as resulting in an increase in patients presenting with cyclic vomiting syndromes, and increased difficulty in managing both associated behaviors and repetitive ED presentations. New presentations... -
Cannabis in Pregnancy – Rejoinder, Exposition and Cautionary Tales
Thursday, November 12, 2020 43The recent paper by Stanciu discussing cannabis use in pregnancy 1 makes several useful and highly salient points. With a more complete understanding of the published literature further important patterns in the data emerge. They aid our understanding of the pathobiology of in utero cannabis exposure and thereby powerfully inform the community on the most appropriate manner in which to regulate cannabis and cannabinoids from an improved evidence base. For complete Article -
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Burden of cannabis use and disorder in the U.S. veteran population: Psychiatric comorbidity, suicidality, and service utilization
Friday, October 30, 2020 46Highlights: Veterans with cannabis use and disorder had higher odds of psychiatric morbidities These veterans were also more likely to report suicidal ideation and attempt In line with these findings, they endorsed greater mental health service utilization Even so, <40% of veterans with cannabis use disorder reported mental health care Outreach and education about treatment are needed to mitigate cannabis-related harm Abstract Background: Cannabis use is associated with psychiatric illness and... -
Cannabis as Medicine – An Evidence-Based
Tuesday, October 13, 2020 164Review of Book Cannabis as Medicine – An Evidence-Based Approach by Dr K Finn ( Reviewed by: J. Michael Bostwick, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN) “The book can also serve as a primer on what is known about cannabis as medicine, keeping in mind a slant throughout – not necessarily unjustified, at least from an allopathic or osteopathic perspective – that cannabis is neither legitimate as medicine nor safe, even for recreational use.” View PDF -
Cannabis use appears to encourage, not replace, non-medical opioid use
Tuesday, October 13, 2020 189SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF ADDICTION A study published in the scientific journal Addiction suggests that, contrary to what some are claiming, people in the US may not be substituting cannabis for opioids. This study examined the direction and strength of association between cannabis and opioid use over 90 consecutive days. Among adults who used non-medical opioids, the study compared the probability of non-medical opioid use on days when cannabis was used with days when cannabis was not used.... -
Missouri Medicine: Medical Fraud, Mislabelling, Contamination: All Common in CBD Products – Glaucoma Made Worse by Marijuana
Monday, October 05, 2020 190Missouri Medicine: Medical Fraud, Mislabelling, Contamination: All Common in CBD Products – Glaucoma Made Worse by Marijuana – Other Critical Reviews of Unscientific Cannabis Claims Download PDF -
Will Cannabis Commercialization be Followed by Increased Psychosis - JAMA
Wednesday, September 30, 2020 83Is it inevitable that legalization of recreational cannabis will result in more dependence and psychosis? In theory, it is possible to legalize cannabis in ways that do not increase potency and prevalence of use but, so far, experience with commercialization in North America is not encouraging. Governments that decide to legalize cannabis should use some of the tax revenue to monitor cannabis price, consumption, and potency levels and to carefully evaluate the long term repercussions for... -
Cannabis farms are a modern slavery 'blind spot' for UK police, study suggests
Tuesday, September 29, 2020 103Date: September 15, 2020 Source: University of Cambridge Summary: Migrants arrested for tending plants in the flats, houses and attics where cannabis is grown in bulk are often victims of trafficking and 'debt bondage' - yet many are not recognized as such by police, according to a new study While growers -- often Vietnamese nationals -- are not always imprisoned within farms, many work under threat of extreme violence towards themselves or family back home, with little in the way of language... -
Study of siblings finds moderate cannabis use impacts cognitive functioning
Tuesday, September 08, 2020 121by CU Anschutz Medical Campus A new study led by researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine compares adolescent siblings to determine the impact of early and frequent use of marijuana on cognitive function. This study, published in the journal Addiction , contrasts with previous studies by finding that moderate adolescent cannabis use may have adverse effects that cannot be explained by the genetic or environmental factors that siblings may have in common. "We wanted to... -
Cannabis Use & PTSD – The Science!
Friday, September 04, 2020 132Interactive effects of PTSD and substance use on suicidal ideation and behavior in military personnel: Increased risk from marijuana use Background: The current study examines the unique and interactive effects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and days using alcohol, opioids, and marijuana on PTSD symptoms, suicidal ideation, and suicidal behavior up to 1 year, later in a high‐risk sample of military personnel not active in mental health treatment. Conclusions: Results suggest... -
Association of Depression With Past-Month Cannabis Use Among US Adults Aged 20 to 59 Years, 2005 to 2016
Tuesday, August 25, 2020 195JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(8):e2013802. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.13802 Findings In this repeated cross-sectaional study of 16 216 adults, those with depression increased their rates of cannabis use significantly faster than those without depression. In 2005 to 2006, individuals with depression had 46% higher odds of any cannabis use and 37% higher odds of near-daily cannabis use, while in 2015 to 2016, individuals with depression had 130% higher odds of any cannabis use and 216% higher... -
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Medical Marijuana, Recreational Cannabis, and Cardiovascular Health
Tuesday, August 18, 2020 140The current article from the American Heart Association critically reviews the use of medicinal and recreational marijuana from a clinical, policy, and public health standpoint. While medical marijuana may play a therapeutic role in certain disease…data to date do not support its use as a therapy for cardiovascular disease. In fact, cannabis has been associated with adverse cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction (especially in younger patients), arrhythmias, strokes, heart... -
Kids Exposed to Cannabis In Utero Face Higher Risk of Autism
Tuesday, August 11, 2020 141— "Another piece of the puzzle" of how marijuana use affects childhood outcomes Children exposed to marijuana in utero had a moderately elevated risk of developing autism spectrum disorder, according to a Canada-based retrospective study. Mothers who used cannabis while pregnant had a 50% higher likelihood of having a child with autism (adjusted hazard ratio 1.51, 95% CI 1.17–1.96), reported Daniel Corsi, PhD, of Ottawa Hospital in Ontario, and colleagues. Hints of increased risk of... -
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Cannabis in Medicine: State of the Evidence (Springer Press Release)
Wednesday, August 05, 2020 122New Springer book deals with the use of cannabis in medicine and provides an evidence-based approach as well as different perspectives on this controversial issue. View PDF -
Parents’ Marijuana Use May Increase Children’s Risk of Marijuana Use and Favorable Views of Marijuana
Tuesday, August 04, 2020 110This study found: Children’s risk of marijuana and alcohol use and attitudes toward marijuana were influenced by their parents’ marijuana use pattern over time. Children whose parents used marijuana primarily during adolescence/early adulthood and those whose parents continued to use marijuana from adolescence through adulthood were at highest risk. When parents use drugs such as marijuana, their children may also be affected. Numerous studies have shown that current parental marijuana use... -
New Trends in Cannabis Potency
Tuesday, August 04, 2020 121Download PDF Check Also, Marijuana Potency and this link too Phytochemistry of Cannabis sativa L -
Cannabis as a Gateway Drug for Opioid Use Disorder
Tuesday, July 14, 2020 159Published July 6, 2020 Research Article https://doi.org/10.1177/1073110520935338 Abstract: Cannabis use in some individuals can meaningfully introduce de novo risk for the initiation of opioid use and development of opioid use disorder. These risks may be particularly high during adolescence when cannabis use may disrupt critical periods of neurodevelopment. Current research studying the combination of genetic and environmental factors involved in substance use disorders is poorly understood.... -
Cannabis use disorder trajectories and their prospective predictors in a large population‐based sample of young Swiss men
Wednesday, July 08, 2020 23004 July 2020 Background and Aims: Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is frequent in adolescence and often goes into remission towards adulthood. This study aimed to estimate trajectories of CUD severity (CUDS) in Swiss men from 20 to 25 years old and to identify prospective predictors of these trajectories. Participants: 5987 Swiss men assessed longitudinally at the mean ages of 20, 21.5 and 25 years old. Measurements: Latent CUDS in the last 12 months was measured at each wave with the Cannabis Use... -
Two Sources of Cannabis Addiction
Monday, June 22, 2020 219Brain changes from using THC too frequently cause withdrawal and craving. Cannabis causes two distinct changes in brain chemistry, physiology, and function that combine to create dependence. Its main psychoactive ingredient, THC, reduces the normal number of natural cannabinoid receptors, a process called downregulation. THC also alters reward circuitry, bending motivation toward continued cannabis use. For complete article -
Using cannabis during pregnancy could be bad news for your baby: new research
Wednesday, June 17, 2020 205Compared to babies of mothers who didn’t use cannabis before or during pregnancy, infants of those who still used it at 15 weeks had a smaller birth weight, head circumference and length. They were also born at an earlier gestational age. This is cause for concern as these outcomes are strongly linked to future child health and development. We saw bigger differences in these neonatal outcomes for women who used cannabis more than once a week than for those who used it less often. We also found... -
Rapper Quits Waster Weed!
Tuesday, June 09, 2020 214Rapper Stormzy, whose real name is Michael Omari, says he has stopped smoking marijuana, after realising the drug was harming his mental health. And because of who he is, his message is likely to reach a lot of people who urgently need to hear it. He said: “I have suffered with mental health problems for the past few years… When I used to feel depressed, I would lock myself away and smoke weed and I would just get worse and worse and worse.” Read More -
Association Between the Use of Cannabis and Physical Violence in Youths: A Meta-Analytical Investigation
Wednesday, June 03, 2020 330Conclusions: These results demonstrate a moderate association between cannabis use and physical violence, which remained significant regardless of study design and adjustment for confounding factors (i.e., socioeconomic factors, other substance use). Cannabis use in this population is a risk factor for violence. For complete research -
Associations between Recent and Cumulative Cannabis Use and Internalizing Problems in Boys from Adolescence to Young Adulthood (March 2020)
Monday, June 01, 2020 196Results showed that: increases in recent cannabis use and cumulative prior years of weekly cannabis use were each associated with increases in depression symptoms and anxiety/depression problems. After controlling for time-varying covariates, increases in cumulative prior years of weekly cannabis use, but not recent cannabis use, remained associated with increases in depression symptoms and anxiety/depression problems. Specifically, each additional year of prior weekly cannabis use was... -
Anxiety – Cannabis is NOT your friend
Friday, May 29, 2020 296The contribution of cannabis use to variation in the incidence of psychotic disorder across Europe (EU-GEI): a multicentre case-control study Findings: Between May 1, 2010, and April 1, 2015, we obtained data from 901 patients with first-episode psychosis across 11 sites and 1237 population controls from those same sites. Daily cannabis use was associated with increased odds of psychotic disorder compared with never users (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3·2, 95% CI 2·2–4·1), increasing to nearly... -
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Smoking cannabis causes bronchitis and changes to lung function
Wednesday, May 20, 2020 372May 2020 Cannabis is harmful to the lungs, but in a different way to tobacco, causing significant respiratory symptoms such as bronchitis with evidence to suggest it can result in destructive lung disease – sometimes referred to as ‘bong lung’ – in heavy cannabis users. These are the key findings from a review of research on the effects of smoking cannabis on the lungs undertaken by respiratory specialists, Professor Bob Hancox, from the University of Otago’s Department of Preventive and... -
Cannabis Vs Alcohol: A Population-Based Analysis of the Relationship Between Substance Use and Adolescent Cognitive Development
Tuesday, May 19, 2020 216Abstract - Objective: Alcohol and cannabis misuse are related to impaired cognition. When inferring causality, four nonexclusive theoretical models can account for this association: 1) a common underlying vulnerability model; 2) a neuroplasticity model in which impairment is concurrent with changes in substance use but temporary because of neuroplastic brain processes that restore function; 3) a neurotoxicity model of long-term impairment consequential to substance use; and 4) a developmental... -
Motor vehicle accidents a leading cause of cannabis-related deaths
Monday, May 04, 2020 216by National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre In the first Australian study of its kind, 559 cannabis-related deaths identified between 2000 and 2018 have been examined by researchers at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), UNSW Sydney. The leading cause of death was accidental injury (30 percent), followed by suicide (25 percent), and polysubstance toxicity (17 percent). Lead author, Ms Emma Zahra said motor vehicle accidents were the leading cause of accidental injury deaths... -
The blind men and the elephant: Systematic review of systematic reviews of cannabis use related health harms
Friday, April 24, 2020 289Abstract Cannabis is the third most used psychoactive substance worldwide. The legal status of cannabis is changing in many Western countries, while we have very limited knowledge of the public health impact of cannabis-related harms. There is a need for a summary of the evidence of harms and risks attributed to cannabis use, in order to inform the definition of cannabis risky use. We have conducted a systematic review of systematic reviews, aiming to define cannabis- related harms. We... -
Study suggests frequency and severity of negative reactions to cannabis
Thursday, April 16, 2020 229New research identifies the possible frequency and severity of a broad range of adverse reactions to cannabis use. A study featuring in the Journal of Cannabis Research identifies the possible frequency and severity of a range of acute adverse reactions to cannabis use. The researchers also investigate factors that might make a person more susceptible to these adverse reactions. The team was specifically interested in acute adverse reactions, in which negative side effects happen for a short... -
Driving ‘stoned’ puts everyone at risk – The Innocent Pay!
Wednesday, April 15, 2020 307 -
A Mothers Nightmare: You cannot promote Mental Health and Marijuana
Wednesday, April 15, 2020 303 -
Prevalence of Cannabis Withdrawal Symptoms Among People With Regular or Dependent Use of Cannabinoids: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Wednesday, April 15, 2020 240JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(4):e202370. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.2370 Findings In this meta-analysis of observational studies including 23 518 participants, the prevalence of cannabis withdrawal syndrome was found to be 47%. Factors that were associated with higher cannabis withdrawal syndrome were clinical settings (particularly inpatient and outpatient vs population settings), concurrent tobacco or other substance use, and daily cannabis use. Meaning Cannabis withdrawal syndrome appears... -
Rats develop cannabis-seeking behaviour
Thursday, April 09, 2020 254A recent study in which rats could self-administer cannabis vapor may provide a useful research model for humans. The study’s most significant finding was that the ingestion of cannabis resulted in drug-seeking behavior not unlike that common in human users of cannabis. Another significant observation describes some familiar behavior the rats exhibited after receiving the cannabis vapor. The rats consumed more food while under the influence, a phenomenon reminiscent of human “munchies,” and... -
Psychoactive ingredient in marijuana (THC) may impair ability to produce viable embryos
Tuesday, April 07, 2020 384Female eggs exposed to THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, have an impaired ability to produce viable embryos, and are significantly less likely to result in a viable pregnancy, according to an animal study accepted for presentation at ENDO 2020, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting… The eggs' developmental rates and gene expression were measured. The researchers evaluated the ability of embryos to reach critical stages of development at specific time points. With higher... -
The Lancet - Single Dose of THC Could Induce Psychosis
Tuesday, March 24, 2020 367The Lancet Psychiatry: Single dose of psychoactive component in cannabis could induce psychotic, depressive, and anxiety symptoms in healthy people THE LANCET In addition, the review found no consistent evidence that cannabidiol (CBD) moderates the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC - the psychoactive component of cannabis) in healthy volunteers Single dose of THC, roughly equivalent to smoking one joint, may induce a variety of psychiatric symptoms associated with schizophrenia and other... -
'The legal stuff is garbage': why Canada's cannabis black market keeps thriving
Monday, March 23, 2020 348North America’s biggest companies have seen their market values lose billions, prompting comparisons to dotcom bust 18 th March 2020 Cannabis may be legal in Vancouver but visitors looking to score are likely to run into a seemingly counterintuitive suggestion: try the black market. Recreational marijuana was legalised across Canada in October 2018. And yet on Reddit, the specialist forum website used by millions every day, many of Vancouver’s cannabis connoisseurs still swear by their... -
SAY NOPE TO DOPE: Vincent's story - As an Ex-cannabis User and the Price he Paid
Sunday, March 22, 2020 383View Video -
Canadian Cannabis Consumption and Patterns of Congenital Anomalies: An Ecological Geospatial Analysis
Sunday, March 22, 2020 254PMID: 32187114 DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000638 Abstract Objectives: Cannabis is a known teratogen. Data availability addressing both major congenital anomalies and cannabis use allowed us to explore their geospatial relationships. Methods: Data for the years 1998 to 2009 from Canada Health and Statistics Canada was analyzed in R. Maps have been drawn and odds ratios, principal component analysis, correlation matrices, least squares regression and geospatial regression analyses have been... -
The association between recreational cannabis commercialization and cannabis exposures reported to the US National Poison Data System
Friday, March 20, 2020 358First published:20 February 2020 Abstract - Findings: the initiation of recreational cannabis commercialization was associated with 5.06–5.80 more exposures per 1 000 000 population per quarter (67–77% increase relative to the pre‐legalization average), depending on the composition of comparison states. The increase associated with commercialization was higher among minors than adults (7.97–9.53 versus 3.83–4.21 more exposures), higher among males than females (6.16–7.56 versus 3.76–3.91 more... -
The association between recreational cannabis commercialization and cannabis exposures reported to the US National Poison Data System
Thursday, March 19, 2020 243The study finds that marijuana commercialization was associated with a 67-77% increase in marijuana exposure calls to poison control centers, with a dramatic rise in exposures among those below the age of 21 . According to the study, had all 50 states and DC commercialized marijuana in 2017, the total number of exposures nationwide would have risen by more than 60%. Also according to the study, marijuana commercialization increased the availability and accessibility of marijuana among minors.... -
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Pulmonary Illness Related to E-Cigarette Use in Illinois and Wisconsin — Final Report
Monday, March 16, 2020 324Abstract – Background: E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid and deliver an aerosolized product to the user. Pulmonary illnesses related to e-cigarette use have been reported, but no large series has been described. In July 2019, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the Illinois Department of Public Health received reports of lung injury associated with the use of e-cigarettes (also called vaping) and launched a coordinated public health investigation.... -
Think marijuana isn’t addictive? Former users say think again
Thursday, March 12, 2020 294Guillermo, a 19-year-old Chicagoan, said the first time he got stoned “felt like I was a piece of butter melting on a stack of pancakes.” But the rapture faded quickly, and smoking weed soon became a joyless reflex akin to brushing his teeth in the morning, he said. Potent marijuana frequently put him into hangoverlike “kush comas,” he said, and sapped his motivation and alertness so thoroughly that his mother threatened to put him into a mental hospital. “I was just stoned all the time,” he... -
Say no to Dope
Thursday, March 12, 2020 307Jake's story - mental illness, psychotic symptoms, dropping out of university -
Grey Matter Volume Differences Associated with Extremely Low Levels of Cannabis Use in Adolescence
Tuesday, March 03, 2020 268Journal of Neuroscience 6 March 2019, 39 (10) 1817-1827; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3375-17.2018 Abstract: Rates of cannabis use among adolescents are high, and are increasing concurrent with changes in the legal status of marijuana and societal attitudes regarding its use. Recreational cannabis use is understudied, especially in the adolescent period when neural maturation may make users particularly vulnerable to the effects of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on brain structure.... -
Association of Depression, Anxiety, and Trauma With Cannabis Use During Pregnancy
Monday, March 02, 2020 280Depression, anxiety, and trauma diagnoses and symptoms were associated with higher odds of cannabis use among pregnant women in California. These results support previous qualitative findings that pregnant women self-report using cannabis to manage mood and stress3,4 and suggest a dose-response association, with higher odds of cannabis use associated with co-occurring depressive and anxiety disorders and greater depression severity. However, research is needed to determine the direction of... -
All Young Cannabis Users Face Psychosis Risk - Medscape 2018
Friday, February 28, 2020 290Download PDF -
Charity warns over ‘safe’ legalisation of cannabis
Tuesday, February 11, 2020 2599th Feb 2020 Psychosis link to high potency drug must be investigated, warn mental health chiefs Rethink Mental Illness charity warns over damaging effects of cannabis on the mind. Photograph: David Bebber/REUTERS One in 20 adults would take cannabis on a regular basis if it were legalised, similar to the number of people who currently use it, according to a poll for a leading mental health charity. A particular concern is the use of high potency cannabis, or “skunk”, which increases the risk... -
Marijuana & Addiction for Profit
Thursday, January 30, 2020 468QUESTION: What do these deadly poisons have in common: arsenic, radium, mercury, thallium, cyanide? ANSWER: At one time they were all considered by physicians and the public as useful medications and/or healthy supplements. They were taken in a wide variety of lotions, potions, notions, tinctures, tonics, and pills. These poisons were recommended, sold, and prescribed freely by physicians.1 It took thousands of deaths and many decades before the harmful nature of these substances was perceived... -
Associations of Parental Marijuana Use With Offspring Marijuana, Tobacco, and Alcohol Use and Opioid Misuse
Monday, January 27, 2020 260CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this cross-sectional study, parental marijuana use was associated with increased risk of substance use among adolescent and young adult offspring living in the same household. Screening household members for substance use and counseling parents on risks posed by current and past marijuana use are warranted. JAMA Network Open. 2019;2(11):e1916015. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.16015 -
Increased Stroke Risk in Cannabis Users Aged 18–49 Years
Monday, January 27, 2020 459International Journal of Stroke : Official Journal of the International Stroke Society The authors of this study examined stroke-related hospitalizations and outcomes in cannabis users aged 18 to 49 years from 2007 to 2014. They evaluated records from over 3 million hospitalizations and identified 34,857 hospitalizations for young-onset stroke. Compared with non-cannabis users, cannabis users had increases in all strokes (OR, 1.16; P<.001) and acute ischemic strokes (OR, 1.41; P<.001). From... -
Adolescent Cannabis Exposure Increases Heroin Reinforcement In Rats Genetically Vulnerable To Addiction
Monday, January 27, 2020 414Highlights Genetic background affects the outcome of adolescent cannabis exposure THC exposure increases heroin reinforcing properties in LEW addiction prone rats LEW, but not F344 rats, show increased motivation for heroin following THC THC exposure increases reinstatement by cues in F344 and by priming in LEW rats A common liability mechanism might be at the basis of THC gateway effect https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S002839082030040X (2020) -
Marijuana Use in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease: (Journal of American College of Cardiology) Science Direct - Review Topic of the Week
Thursday, January 23, 2020 295Highlights We estimate that >2 million U.S. adults who have reported ever using marijuana have cardiovascular disease. Observational studies have suggested an association between marijuana use and a range of cardiovascular risks. Marijuana is becoming increasingly potent, and smoking marijuana carries many of the same cardiovascular health hazards as smoking tobacco. Few randomized clinical trials have been conducted or are planned to explore the effects of marijuana on cardiovascular risk.... -
Majority of cannabis in Australia taken by a small group of users
Tuesday, January 21, 2020 339January 16, 2020 People who use cannabis every day account for more than 80 per cent of the total amount of the drug consumed in Australia, a University of Queensland study has discovered. The finding suggests there are serious implications for a small group of people if there is a move to decriminalise or fully legalise the drug. UQ researchers examined data from the National Drug Strategy Household Survey between 2007 and 2016. A UQ study has found a small proportion of daily cannabis users... -
Marijuana detected in homicide victims nearly doubles: Over two-thirds of adolescent victims aged 15-20 tested positive in 2016
Monday, January 20, 2020 366Date: January 8, 2020 Source: Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health Summary: Researchers assessed the time trends in alcohol and marijuana detected in homicide victims and found that the prevalence of marijuana almost doubled, increasing from 22 percent in 2004 to 42 percent in 2016. Alternately, the prevalence of alcohol declined slightly from 40 percent in 2004 to 35 percent in 2016. read more -
Marijuana use during pregnancy can negatively affect baby, landmark Western University study finds (17.1.2020)
Monday, January 20, 2020 312Marijuana use during pregnancy can have a significant impact on the health of unborn babies, a new joint study by Western University and Queen’s University researchers says. “This is the first study to definitively support the fact that THC alone has a direct impact on placental and fetal growth” study co-author and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry associate professor Dan Hardy said in a statement. In lab rats, researchers showed regular exposure to a low dose of THC — meant to mimic... -
Association Between Recreational Cannabis Use and Cardiac Structure and Function
Thursday, January 16, 2020 366Regular cannabis use was independently associated with adverse changes in left ventricle size and subclinical dysfunction compared with rare/never cannabis use. For complete study Download PDF -
The New Cannabis: What You Aren’t Being Told!
Monday, January 13, 2020 402What You Aren’t Being Told! -
State-Based Drug Use Survey Finds Marijuana Use Skyrocketing in "Legal" States
Friday, December 20, 2019 279Colorado, Washington, Nevada, and Massachusetts Post Increases in Youth Use Over Previous Year (Alexandria, VA) - Today, state-level data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the most authoritative study on drug use conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), finds that marijuana use in "legal" states among youth, young adults, and the general population continued its multi-year upward trend in several categories. Additionally, use rates in "legal"... -
Frequent marijuana use could literally change a person's heart
Friday, December 20, 2019 414This early study isn't conclusive, but its findings could have grave implications. Sports leagues , state legislators , and universities are changing the way they treat and punish marijuana use largely because the drug is increasingly perceived as harmless. But preliminary research suggests cannabis may have a dangerous side effect on one critical organ: the heart. The new study , which evaluated the health of 3,407 people in the United Kingdom, suggests a link between regularly using... -
Cannabis, Genetic Impact & Cancer
Monday, December 16, 2019 456As is known cannabis causes a dramatic increase in genetic junk by chromothripsis and other mechanisms. And is known to be linked with deformed chromosomes… Including small circular chromosomes. Such small circular DNA fragments have long been known to be detectable in the serum of cancer patient’s circulating blood. Now these small circular extracellular DNA fragments have been shown to be linked with cancer because they have lots of oncogenes on them, and because they lack normal chromatin... -
Cannabis Use Based on Urine Drug Screens in Pregnancy and Its Association With Infant Birth Weight.
Monday, December 16, 2019 478Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (DSH, DND, DSL) and Hatton Research Institute, TriHealth, Cincinnati, Ohio (CGD). Abstract OBJECTIVES: This study aims to clarify any association between infant birth weight and cannabis use in pregnancy based on urine drug screens. METHODS: A retrospective medical record review of singleton births from August 2013 through December 2014 with available urine drug screens (UDS) at initiation of prenatal care and delivery was conducted at a large tertiary... -
Vaping: The Hit Your Brain Takes
Wednesday, December 11, 2019 462Everyone at Risk, Teenagers more so! -
Cannabis-induced psychosis blamed in beheading of father at Muskoka cottage
Wednesday, December 11, 2019 444Warning: Graphic and disturbing content The court heard cannabis-induced psychosis, not a major mental disorder, spurred the brutal death of 67-year-old John Kehl by his then 31-year-old son Adam. Adam Kehl voluntarily entered a plea of guilty to manslaughter in front of The Honourable Michelle Fuest in Barrie court on Nov. 22 who called the incident "horrifying and unusually brutal."... -
Cannabis dependence and abuse nearly doubled risk of heart attack post-surgery
Monday, December 09, 2019 418St. Michael's Hospital Patients with active cannabis dependence and abuse were nearly twice as likely to suffer a heart attack after surgery, according to a study led by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital of Unity Health Toronto. For more -
Marijuana vape users are getting incurable "cobalt lung"
Monday, December 09, 2019 473This is just the beginning, pulmonary researchers caution. By Alexandra Pattillo on December 4, 2019 After using a marijuana vape pen for just six months, a 49-year-old retired dog trainer went to the doctor coughing and wheezing, reporting shortness of breath upon exertion. The woman had smoked off and on through her teens and twenties, but was healthy — other than her worrying throat symptoms. Her doctors gave her a rare and surprising diagnosis: hard-metal pneumoconiosis — a lung disease... -
Association Between Marijuana Use and Risk of Cancer
Monday, December 09, 2019 428Association Between Marijuana Use and Risk of Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Conclusions and Relevance Low-strength evidence suggests that smoking marijuana is associated with developing TGCT; its association with other cancers and the consequences of higher levels of use are unclear. Long-term studies in marijuana-only smokers would improve understanding of marijuana’s association with lung, oral, and other cancers.... -
Legalisation of cannabis IS a fool’s crusade
Monday, December 09, 2019 476“Calls to make dope as freely available as cigarettes or alcohol are gathering support but ignore the real harm it does!” Clare Foges (Journalist – London Times 25.11.19) …highlighting hospitalisations and how ‘those tormented by devils today tend to seek sanctuary in the local A&E, where admissions for psychosis have been rising’. An omission in this otherwise tour de force was any mention of the gulag of over-subscribed secure mental health units. Psychiatrists have called them cannabis... -
Associations of Parental Marijuana Use With Offspring Marijuana, Tobacco, and Alcohol Use and Opioid Misuse
Saturday, November 30, 2019 321CONCLUSIONS & RELEVANCE: In this cross-sectional study, parental marijuana use was associated with increased risk of substance use among adolescent and young adult offspring living in the same household. Screening household members for substance use and counseling parents on risks posed by current and past marijuana use are warranted. For Article -
Weed: Can it kill you?
Saturday, November 30, 2019 345A 2014 study in Forensic Science International reported two cases of sudden death that doctors linked to health complications possibly worsened by marijuana use. The report indicated that before these deaths, the researchers were not aware of any other deaths related to marijuana use alone. It is important to note that only after excluding all other causes of death did the report assume the young men experienced fatal cardiovascular events brought on by cannabis. The report also concludes that... -
California Cannabis Industry Sending SOS To State Leaders As Black Market Continues To Thrive
Saturday, November 30, 2019 624CBS Sacramento November 28, 2019 And as 2019 comes to a close, California is indeed home to the world’s largest cannabis market, totaling close to $12 billion in estimated sales. But here’s the rub: $8.7 billion of that is changing hands in the illicit market. Now, members of California’s cannabis industry are sending an S.O.S. to the state capitol, saying they’re struggling to compete against black market operators who don’t have to meet stringent regulations or pay taxes and fees. They’re... -
Cannabis-induced psychosis blamed in beheading of father at Muskoka cottage
Wednesday, November 27, 2019 447Warning: Graphic and disturbing content The court heard cannabis-induced psychosis, not a major mental disorder, spurred the brutal death of 67-year-old John Kehl by his then 31-year-old son Adam. Adam Kehl voluntarily entered a plea of guilty to manslaughter in front of The Honourable Michelle Fuest in Barrie court on Nov. 22 who called the incident "horrifying and unusually brutal."... -
Male Marijuana Use Might Double the Risk of Partner’s Miscarriage
Wednesday, November 20, 2019 396BU researcher finds that miscarriages are more likely when the father uses marijuana weekly - If a man habitually uses marijuana even as little as once a week, could that increase the risk of his partner experiencing a miscarriage in early pregnancy? A first-of-its-kind study suggests so. By analyzing more than six years of lifestyle and behavioral data from 1,535 heterosexual couples actively trying to conceive, Boston University School of Public Health researcher Alyssa Harlow discovered... -
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Teenagers suffer higher rates of addiction when recreational cannabis is legalised - study
Monday, November 18, 2019 345Teenagers suffer higher rates of addiction when recreational cannabis is legalised - study New research about legal cannabis has revealed a sobering statistic. In states where recreational marijuana has been legalised, teenagers are suffering higher rates of addiction. The study of 505,796 respondents was carried out by researchers from New York University's School of Medicine. It compared use of the drug before and after legalisation in the US. The proportion of people aged 12 to 17 who... -
Cannabis may be linked to strokes and heart rhythm disturbances in young people
Wednesday, November 13, 2019 433Medical Xpress: Frequent cannabis (marijuana) use among young people was linked to an increased risk of stroke and people diagnosed with cannabis use disorder were more likely to be hospitalized for heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias), according to two new preliminary studies to be presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2019 "The effects of using cannabis are seen within 15 minutes and last for around three hours. At lower doses, it is linked to a rapid... -
How Marijuana Use Can Increase Your Risk for an Alcohol Overdose
Saturday, November 09, 2019 392A new study found that when people use alcohol and drugs together, their risk for an alcohol overdose increases. The study looked at 660 patients who had experienced alcohol poisoning, passing out, or blacking out events, and found only 20 percent had been using alcohol alone. The most common drug used in combination with alcohol users who experienced an alcohol overdose was marijuana. When used in combination with alcohol, several drugs have the power to increase alcohol intake beyond what a... -
Evidence on the Development TOXICITY of Cannabis Smoke & THC
Saturday, November 09, 2019 448The growing and disturbing evidence of harms done invitro and lifetime impacts Download PDF -
Marijuana legalization can’t fix mass incarceration
Friday, October 25, 2019 362(The drug use infused lies continue – Let’s not let facts get in the way of a good marijuana myth!) We also don’t have good data for state prisons — where more than 87 percent of US prison inmates are held, based on federal data . But we do know that a minority of state prisoners are in for drugs: In 2015, 3.4 percent of all state prisoners were in for drug possession and 11.7 percent were in for other drug-related crimes. So, again, only a fraction of prisoners are locked up due to drug... -
What is cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome?
Friday, October 25, 2019 488Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a condition that sometimes develops due to the use of marijuana. The syndrome causes repeated and severe vomiting and nausea. It is important for people with CHS to stop using marijuana because this will resolve their nausea and vomiting. Preventing dehydration and stopping nausea and vomiting are the treatment goals during the hyperemesis stage of the condition. When people with CHS stop using marijuana, their symptoms of nausea and vomiting usually... -
Marijuana Related Suicided of Young People in Colorado
Wednesday, October 23, 2019 442Marijuana is the Number 1 substance now found in suicides of young people in Colorado who are 15-19 years old. Go to the below Colorado website and click on the box that lists “methods, circumstances and toxicology” and then click on the box for 15-19 years olds. The marijuana data found here Marijuana and Suicide – The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado: The Impact Vol 6 In suicides in the age range 10 – 19 the most significant drug involved was Marijuana (Pages 41-46) -
Portugal Mayor Supports Recriminalizing Public Drug Use
Wednesday, October 23, 2019 839But what’s been a beacon of hope for North American drug policy reformers could be regressing towards punitive approaches that Americans are all too familiar with. On September 30, Rui Moreira, the mayor of Porto, contradicted his past pro-harm reduction positions, like the ones made at the 2019 Harm Reduction International conference in his own city, when he endorsed reintroducing criminal penalties for drug use in public spaces during a municipal assembly meeting. Drug decriminalization “is... -
Quebec pot arrests behind the wheel up 54% since legalization
Wednesday, October 23, 2019 479One year after the legalization of recreational use of cannabis in Canada, the black market for the drug — as well as its use behind the wheel — continues to keep Quebec police forces busy. In 2018, police collected 795 blood samples from motorists suspected of driving while under the influence, and sent them to Quebec’s medical legal centre for processing. That’s 254 more than in the previous year. The presence of cannabis was detected in 46 per cent of those cases. More than 670 officers... -
USA Marijuana arrests rose last year despite more states legalising – FBI Data shows:
Monday, October 14, 2019 329Fascinating, yet predictable. Legalize a drug and you supposed ‘radically reduce’ crime, right? No, all you do eradicate the crime of ‘possession’, but simultaneously opening the door to the escalation of other crimes due to (now ‘legal’) DRUG USE! More harms – No cost savings – Diminishing Community Safety! #preventdontpromote -
Contribution of Marijuana Legalization to the U.S. Opioid Mortality Epidemic: (2)
Friday, October 11, 2019 329Contribution of Marijuana Legalization to the U.S. Opioid Mortality Epidemic: Individual and Combined Experience of 27 States and District of Columbia Conclusions The marijuana protection hypothesis is not supported by recent U.S. data on opioid mortality trends. Instead, legalizing marijuana appears to have contributed to the nation’s opioid mortality epidemic. View PDF -
Contribution of Marijuana Legalization to the U.S. Opioid Mortality Epidemic:
Friday, October 11, 2019 341Contribution of Marijuana Legalization to the U.S. Opioid Mortality Epidemic: Individual and Combined Experience of 27 States and District of Columbia Conclusions The marijuana protection hypothesis is not supported by recent U.S. data on opioid mortality trends. Instead, legalizing marijuana appears to have contributed to the nation’s opioid mortality epidemic. -
Father was in a 'drug induced psychosis' when he sent parcels laced with asbestos to embassies
Wednesday, October 09, 2019 383Savas Avan, 50, posted the 52 packages in January this year to foreign diplomatic offices in Melbourne , Sydney and Canberra, while suffering a 'brief episode' of a cannabis-induced psychosis. -
What Do I Need To Know About Marijuana? - Podcasts
Friday, October 04, 2019 370Wjat Do I Need To Know About Marijuana? - Podcasts -
Canada: Pot, alcohol most common cause of youth substance-use hospitalizations: C.I.H.I Report
Tuesday, October 01, 2019 422VANCOUVER -- Marijuana and alcohol were the most common substances leading to hospitalization of youth aged 10 to 24 across the country, says a report that highlights the prevalence of mental-health conditions as contributing factors. About 23,500 people in that age group were hospitalized for harm caused by substance use, amounting to an average of 65 hospitalizations every day between April 2017 and March 2018, says the Canadian Institute for Health Information in a report released Thursday.... -
Cannabis risks must be faced – Illicit drugs linked to psychosis need to be discouraged!
Monday, September 30, 2019 480Research presented to the International Early Psychosis Association last year showed a link between cannabis use and schizophrenia. Among a sample of more than three million people, researchers found that cannabis abuse increased the risk, by five times, of developing schizophrenia. Parental use of cannabis increased the risk of schizophrenia in children. As with alcohol, no safe level of foetal cannabis exposure had been established. RANZCP president John Allan told The Australian that since... -
Can You Overdose on Weed?
Tuesday, September 24, 2019 747Professor, Operations Research and Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, and the co-editor of Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know Whether one can overdose on cannabis depends on one’s definition of the word overdose. If overdose means any acute adverse health consequences of taking too much, then absolutely. There is no question cannabis can do that. If one means more narrowly death by the same physiological mechanism that is involved in opioid overdose (suppressed respiration,... -
Marijuana may be bad for your junk: Weed may affect the testicles and hijack sperm production, study suggests
Monday, September 23, 2019 1083Studies on marijuana's effects on sex and reproduction have yielded mixed results Some have suggested heavy pot users have poorer quality sperm A new Danish study is the first to find the central nervous system's cannabis receptors are in the testicles, too This system plays a role in how sperm is produced and matures Researchers say marijuana may effect these receptors and therefore sperm For complete article -
Legalizing cannabis will reduce crime and raise Tax revenue...
Friday, September 13, 2019 388“Legalizing cannabis will reduce crime and raise Tax revenue – All savings will come from reduced policing, lower crime rate, less supply reduction costs, and increased tax-revenue from licensing!” So pealed the promises to the unwitting population from the addiction for profit advocates! Well, as the following (and little broadcasted) data reveals, the cannabis chaos continues to unfold in California (and other states). It does not augur well the future of this always clearly ‘bad idea’!... -
THC Exposure in Adolescence Disrupts Brain Maturation in Animals:
Friday, September 13, 2019 512Exposing adolescent rats to THC disrupted normal maturation of a key set of neurons in a brain area that corresponds to the human prefrontal cortex. The disruptions produced structural differences that resemble patterns which have been observed in people with addiction and schizophrenia. For complete article go to NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Notes August 2019 -
Colorado Doctor Sounds Alarm on Marijuana Legalization
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 413Colorado's experiment with marijuana legalization has been an epic disaster, according to one doctor seeing its effects on the front lines. Dr. Karen Randall, an emergency room physician certified in "cannabis science and medicine," said the legalization of marijuana has damaged, rather than helped, her home state. Randall said. "The grand experiment is not going so well. I don't think the public is hearing about this as they should be." Randall has seen a "marked increase in medical problems"... -
Cannabis Concentrate Use in Adolescents
Tuesday, September 03, 2019 392(We are perpetually ‘told’ by pro-drug sociologists, that ALL TEENAGERS are ‘risk takers’ – it’s just brain physiology. Besides being an incredibly inaccurate global statement, it also depends on the psycho-social environments and whether or not exposure to Anthropological principles for resiliency building have been employed pre-teen, that will have influence on how that ‘teen’ perceives and/or chooses risk. We know now from brain science that drug use altars the perception of both risk and... -
US Surgeon General to teens and pregnant women:
Friday, August 30, 2019 373Weed is way too risky for developing brains We do know that marijuana is a dangerous drug! -
Gene linked to autism undergoes changes in men's sperm after pot use
Wednesday, August 28, 2019 558A specific gene associated with autism appears to undergo changes in the sperm of men who use marijuana, according to new research from Duke Health. The gene change occurs through a process called DNA methylation, and it could potentially be passed along to offspring. Publishing online Aug. 27 in the journal Epigenetics , the researchers said…possible connection warrants further, urgent study, given efforts throughout the country to legalize marijuana for recreational and/or medicinal uses.... -
Study finds that teens are using a highly potent form of marijuana
Wednesday, August 28, 2019 431Nearly one in four Arizona teens have used a highly potent form of marijuana known as marijuana concentrate, according to a new study by Arizona State University researchers. Among nearly 50,000 eighth, 10th, and 12th graders from the 2018 Arizona Youth Survey, a biennial survey of Arizona secondary school students, one-third (33%) had tried some form of marijuana, and nearly a quarter (24%) had tried marijuana concentrate. Marijuana concentrates have about three times more THC, the... -
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Canada’s marijuana laws are all about Trudeau’s hipster legacy
Thursday, August 22, 2019 500Canada was the second country in the world to legalize marijuana (Uruguay was the first). The legalizing act calls it “cannabis” of course. So much more genteel than marijuana, eh? “Cannabis” sounds scientific, well-researched – while marijuana sounds kind of louche and stoned, too close to low-rent, pejorative sobriquets like pot, weed, hash, grass, ganja, reefer et al. But it’s still marijuana, and I still call it that, because the people who worked hardest to get it legalized did their best... -
Health effects of eating marijuana is subject of a new study
Wednesday, August 14, 2019 404The study is among the first to report on voluntary oral THC consumption in animals, a method of consumption that is similar to the way humans take the drug. In a recently published paper in Drug and Alcohol Dependence , researchers at IUPUI and Indiana University Bloomington said they found the mice were less active, and their body temperatures were lower, after consuming the edible THC. Marijuana edibles can elicit extreme, adverse reactions, Smoker said. Many of the commercially made... -
DOPE DISASTER: Legalising cannabis in the UK would fuel violent crime....
Monday, August 12, 2019 428DOPE DISASTER: Legalising cannabis in the UK would fuel violent crime and turn a new generation into hard drug addicts, warn experts - LEGALISING cannabis will fuel violent conflict in our towns and turn a new generation of people on to hard drugs, experts warn. British drug counsellor Seven Graham has seen the damage that easily available cannabis can cause after moving to Los Angeles, where recreational marijuana sale is legal. Seven tells The Sun on Sunday: “If you think knife crime is bad... -
Ten Cannabis Induced Psychotic Violence by Men Against Women
Friday, August 02, 2019 384Ten Cannabis Induced Psychotic Violence by Men Against Women Cannabis users – ‘Justice’ or ‘Just US?” Read More -
C.A.L.M (Californians Against Legalizing Marijuana) Interview: Californian Cannabis Chaos – Broken Promises, Broken Budget, Broken Community!
Tuesday, July 30, 2019 385C.A.L.M (Californians Against Legalizing Marijuana) Interview: Californian Cannabis Chaos – Broken Promises, Broken Budget, Broken Community! http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/kfmbam/podcast/audio/mark_larson_27080.mp3 -
How Legal Marijuana Is Helping the Black Market
Friday, July 26, 2019 425Expensive regulation and high demand across the country have made the illicit trade more profitable than going legit. Read More -
Parents who use marijuana and alcohol are at a higher risk of ‘physical abuse’ at home
Thursday, July 25, 2019 416Over 90% of parents who have used marijuana over the past year also reported using alcohol, according to a new study Parents who used marijuana and drank alcohol over the past year had some of the biggest risks for carrying out physical abuse…Parents who have used marijuana in the past year are more likely than non-users on average to discipline their kids through corporal punishment (like a slap or spank), physical abuse (like a hit on the head or a kick) and also nonviolent tactics (like... -
Recent cannabis use tied to memory deficits, slowed mental processing
Thursday, July 25, 2019 508People who have recently used cannabis may be more likely to experience memory deficits or difficulties with cognitive function than those who don’t use the drug, a recent study suggests…cannabis users might have short-term impairments that aren’t easy to spot but could be dangerous in certain situations, said Mary-Ann Fitzcharles, a researcher at McGill University, in Montreal. That’s because the deficits aren’t verbal; they relate more to visual and spatial skills. “The impairment is... -
GUILTY: Train-rage killer was schizophrenic cannabis-addicted gangster...
Friday, July 19, 2019 580GUILTY: Train-rage killer was schizophrenic cannabis-addicted gangster with 30 convictions who psychiatrist had ruled was NO DANGER to himself or others - just 24 hours before he stabbed father 18 times in front of his son, 14 EXCLUSIVE: Darren Pencille ran with London's South Man Syndicate [SMS] gang Cannabis-addict was previously jailed for possession of a gun and a stabbing The 36-year-old murdered Lee Pomeroy, 51, on Guildford to Waterloo train Knife-obsessed killer brushed past his victim... -
Sweden’s Supreme Court says CBD oil containing THC is a narcotic preparation
Friday, July 19, 2019 697On 18 June 2019, the Supreme Court of Sweden ruled on a case involving possession of ‘CBD oil’ extracted from industrial hemp. Under Swedish law industrial hemp, defined as any variety of cannabis eligible for EU support, is exempt from the narcotic control laws. However, the oil contained THC (the concentration was not determined). THC and preparations containing it are covered by the narcotic control laws. The offender was charged with a minor case of possession of a controlled drug (a... -
Italy and Sweden: court decisions on low-THC cannabis products
Friday, July 19, 2019 536Italy’s highest court says low-THC cannabis cannot be sold On 30 May 2019, Italy’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, published a note of information on the legality of selling low-THC cannabis. This followed attempts to prosecute entrepreneurs who were openly selling cannabis flower and other extracts. The products were marketed in a way to avoid the attention of law enforcement by using labels such as ‘collectors item’ or ‘not for consumption’. The sellers claimed that these cannabis... -
Cannabis Teratology Explains Current Patterns of Coloradan Congenital Defects
Thursday, July 18, 2019 479Abstract: Rising Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrations in modern cannabis invites investigation of the teratological implications of prenatal cannabis exposure. Data from Colorado Responds to Children with Special Needs (CRCSN), National Survey of Drug Use and Health, and Drug Enforcement Agency was analyzed. Seven, 40, and 2 defects were rising, flat, and falling, respectively, and 10/12 summary indices rose. Atrial septal defect, spina bifida, microcephalus, Down’s syndrome,... -
Cannabis Teratology Explains Current Patterns of Coloradan Congenital Defects: The Contribution of Increased Cannabinoid Exposure to Rising Teratological Trends
Tuesday, July 16, 2019 435Rising Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol concentrations in modern cannabis invites investigation of the teratological implications of prenatal cannabis exposure. Data from Colorado Responds to Children with Special Needs (CRCSN), National Survey of Drug Use and Health, and Drug Enforcement Agency was analyzed. Seven, 40, and 2 defects were rising, flat, and falling, respectively, and 10/12 summary indices rose. Atrial septal defect, spina bifida, microcephalus, Down’s syndrome, ventricular septal... -
Impacts of cannabinoid epigenetics on human development
Monday, July 15, 2019 544Impacts of cannabinoid epigenetics on human development: reflections on Murphy et. al. ‘cannabinoid exposure and altered DNA methylation in rat and human sperm’ epigenetics 2018; 13: 1208-1221. Albert Stuart Reece & Gary Kenneth Hulse Published online: 11 Jul 2019 ABSTRACT: Recent data from the Kollins lab (‘Cannabinoid exposure and altered DNA methylation in rat and human sperm’ Epigenetics 2018; 13: 1208–1221) indicated epigenetic effects of cannabis use on sperm in man parallel those in... -
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Cannabis smokers are 'FIVE times more likely to develop an alcohol addiction', experts warn
Sunday, July 07, 2019 407Cannabis users found to be 5 times more likely to develop alcohol problem Marijuana use also increases likelihood of drug dependency, experts say They warn pot smokers will also be more likely to develop a smoking habit Experts say 'adverse psychiatric outcomes' should be considered by doctors when considering the best treatment for patients Alcoholics, who did not use the drug, were significantly more likely to be seeking treatment in rehab, within three years, according to scientists at... -
Rise of the CANNABIS allergy: 36 million Americans are allergic to marijuana - including other people's - causing asthma, inflammation and rashes
Sunday, July 07, 2019 1691Figures show 73% of the 50 million people with allergies react to marijuana. A study looked at cases where people had suffered allergic reactions. Found marijuana like other pollen-bearing plants, is an allergen. They include a runny nose, itching and puffiness and swollen eyes - and the figure is rising. Scientists warn reactions even occur in people who are merely exposed to marijuana smoke, rather than consuming the drug themselves. Researchers found in some cases exposure to marijuana... -
Early and regular cannabis use by youth is associated with alteration in brain circuits that support cognitive control
Friday, July 05, 2019 428Conflict-related neural activations. Between-group t-map of conflict-related activations (voxel-wise cluster-defining threshold of p The development of neural circuits in youth, at a particularly important time in their lives, can be heavily influenced by external factors—specifically the frequent and regular use of cannabis. A new study in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ( JAACAP ) reports that alterations in cognitive control—an ensemble of processes by... -
Warning! Warning! NHS is forced to open Britain’s first clinic for cannabis psychosis
Wednesday, July 03, 2019 548Cannabis-induced psychosis has reached crisis levels, forcing the NHS [National Health Service] to open the first clinic specifically treating addicts of the mind-altering drug, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The clinic has been launched by a leading psychiatrist who warns that psychosis among users of skunk – a very strong strain of cannabis flooding the streets – has become ‘a crisis that we can simply no longer ignore’, with tens of thousands of people affected. Dr Di Forti, a consultant... -
Cannabis Use and Risk of Psychiatric Disorders Prospective Evidence From a US National Longitudinal Study
Wednesday, June 26, 2019 571OBJECTIVE : To examine prospective associations between cannabis use and risk of mental health and substance use disorders in the general adult population. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE : Within the general population, cannabis use is associated with an increased risk for several substance use disorders. Physicians and policy makers should take these associations of cannabis use under careful consideration. For complete study Download PDF -
Potent pot, vulnerable teens trigger concerns in 1st states to legalize marijuana
Tuesday, June 25, 2019 433Calls to poison control centers and visits to emergency rooms have risen in Colorado and Washington. DENVER — The first two states to legalize recreational marijuana are starting to grapple with teenagers’ growing use of highly potent pot, even as both boost the industry and reap huge tax windfalls from its sales. Though the legal purchase age is 21 in Colorado and Washington, parents, educators and physicians say youths are easily getting hold of edibles infused with tetrahydrocannabinol, or... -
Presence of Marijuana Dispensaries Appears to Influence Young Adults
Tuesday, June 25, 2019 435A young adult's proximity to the location of medical marijuana dispensaries appears to be associated with a higher likelihood of marijuana use, with storefront advertising having the strongest influence on behavior. A RAND Corporation study examining trends in Los Angeles County drew this conclusion and is published online in the journal Addiction . “Our findings suggest that as the marijuana retail outlets become more visible and more numerous, they may influence the way that young adults... -
The Health Eeffects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids
Thursday, June 20, 2019 495The Health Eeffects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids -
Millions of Americans drive stoned and don't care about getting caught
Thursday, June 20, 2019 450Millions of Americans get behind the wheel while high from smoking marijuana, a study released on Wednesday said. An estimated 14.8 million Americans said they’ve driven while high at least once in the past month and nearly 70 percent believe they won’t get busted by cops, according to the American Automobile Association. “It’s terrifying,” said Helen Witty, the national president for Mothers Against Drunk Driving. “Impairment is impairment. We should be terrified, as law abiding citizens,... -
Negative Effects of Marijuana: Scientific Research Shows Pot is Harmful – it is a KILLER, in more ways than one!
Wednesday, June 19, 2019 508imagine the suffering that could have been averted if these criminals hadn't been potheads: - Ferguson's suicide-by-cop Michael Brown - Aurora theater murderer James Holmes - Islamic Boston Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev - Miami cannibal Rudy Eugene - Trayvon Martin - Baltimore's Freddie Gray - Manchester Muslim terrorist Salman Abedi - Vegas Strip murderer Lakeisha Holloway - Planned Parenthood shooter Robert Lewis Dear - Infamous murderer Jodi Arias - Chattanooga's Islamic terrorist Muhammad... -
Weed and fertility: Five things scientists want you to know
Friday, June 14, 2019 6231Scientists have warned that smoking weed can affect fertility in both men and women. They say that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the psychoactive ingredient in the cannabis plant – can have an effect on the reproductive organs. Here are five things the scientists want you to know about marijuana and fertility: The active ingredient in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), acts on the receptors found in the hypothalamus, pituitary and internal reproductive organs in both males and females.... -
Smart Alternatives to Marijuana:
Wednesday, June 12, 2019 4577Smart Alternatives to Marijuana: Commercialized Cannabis Recipe for Community & Health Care Chaos! Colorado Clear Contender! -
Cannabis – NO CURE – for Opioid Crisis!
Wednesday, June 12, 2019 546A new study took the same methodology of the previous study and expanded it to include states that legalized medical marijuana between 1999 and 2017 and found a surprising result: medical marijuana was associated with a 23% INCREASE in opioid deaths . The Misplaced Optimism in Legal Pot Legalizing medical marijuana does not reduce the rate of fatal opioid overdoses, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. (National Academy of Science... -
Mum put fatal dose of fentanyl in baby's sippy cup so she could 'relax and smoke marijuana': prosecutor
Thursday, June 06, 2019 799(The Monster that is Marijuana A-Motivation; and people want governments to endorse this psychotropic toxin through law??!!) A woman found guilty of spiking her baby's sippy cup with a fatal dose of fentanyl committed the crime in order to quiet the child so she could "sit back, relax and smoke marijuana," a prosecutor said Monday. Assistant district attorney Diana Page told a Pennsylvania jury that Jhenea Pratt, 23, drugged her 17-month-old daughter, Charlette Napper-Talley, in April 2018... -
Legalized Cannabis in Colorado Emergency Departments: A Cautionary Review of Negative Health and Safety Effects
Thursday, June 06, 2019 662June 3 rd 2019 Abstract: Cannabis legalization has led to significant health consequences, particularly to patients in emergency departments and hospitals in Colorado. The most concerning include psychosis, suicide, and other substance abuse. Deleterious effects on the brain include decrements in complex decision-making, which may not be reversible with abstinence. Increases in fatal motor vehicle collisions, adverse effects on cardiovascular and pulmonary systems, inadvertent pediatric... -
Acute Illness Associated With Cannabis Use, by Route of Exposure
Monday, June 03, 2019 425Download PDF -
Colorado: Largest Marijuana Bust in State History – AND WEED IS FULLY LEGAL HERE!!! Three Markets Now In Play! (Cannabis Chaos Continues!)
Wednesday, May 29, 2019 516Friday 24 th May 2019, Colorado law enforcement and federal authorities announced they have successfully completed the largest marijuana bust in state history. The bust resulted in the seizure of over 80,000 marijuana plants, 4,500 pounds of "finished marijuana products," and over $2.1 million in cash. "Colorado has become the epicenter of black-market marijuana in the United States," said Jason Dunn, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado in a press conference Friday. "We want people... -
Cannabis can affect teenagers so severely that they end up three years behind their classmates, study finds
Wednesday, May 29, 2019 421Results concluded from an investigation of 4,000 Canadian school children Researchers found cannabis more toxic for youngsters’ brains than alcohol Persistent use of the drug seriously affected basic reasoning skills Regularly smoking cannabis can affect teenagers so severely that they end up three years behind their classmates in terms of brain development, a landmark study has found. The results of the investigation, which involved almost 4,000 secondary school children in Canada , led... -
Marijuana’s Ecological Impact
Tuesday, May 28, 2019 546View Video The utterly staggering cost to environment (and on energy and water consumption) by Cannabis production (driven by demand just to get high??) is never raised by pro-weed lobby! No true environmentalist would promote pot! Check out Integral Ecology Research Centre , www.IERCecology.org and Silent Poison https://silentpoison.com -
Legalization of cannabis sparks curiosity in people who haven’t used it in years – or ever
Tuesday, May 28, 2019 567Government oversight and the now legal promotion of ‘getting high’ under government legislation, sees Canadian Government as the new promoter, permitter and pusher of weed! Regardless of outcomes! (Dalgarno Institute) Legalization has drawn a whole new segment of people who prefer to use legal cannabis and are willing to pay more for it, said Jennifer Lee, the lead partner managing the cannabis sector for consulting firm Deloitte. “Government oversight does bring a whole new cohort to the... -
Growing up high: Neurobiological consequences of adolescent cannabis use
Tuesday, May 28, 2019 443Adolescent cannabis use is associated with behavioral changes related to reward and motivation in humans. Paradoxically, this use has both been suggested to increase motivation for other drug use (the gateway hypothesis) and a potential "amotivation syndrome" in which individuals are less willing to expend effort to receive a reward. Growing up high: Neurobiological consequences of adolescent cannabis use ( May, 2019) -
The False Arguments for Legal Marijuana
Tuesday, May 21, 2019 485The rationale for legalization varies, from achieving “social justice” (even though racial disparities in arrests persist in legalized states like Colorado or Washington ) to more blatant appeals to greed. The global legal market has been estimated at $9.5 billion for 2017 , with investor testimonials projecting future markets at values between $300 and $500 billion in a few short years. But not all signs are rosy. The evidence to date—such as the consequences in states like Colorado where... -
Clinicians and Scientists release Statement of Concern regarding marijuana policy (USA)
Monday, May 13, 2019 782BOSTON – A consortium of clinicians and scientists from across Massachusetts has joined together to publicly release a "Satement of Concern” expressing their disagreement with how marijuana policy is being shaped in the Commonwealth. According to the Statement of Concern , marijuana is being governed and regulated as if it were an “ordinary commodity”, rather than following a Public Health Framework. This is of concern because scientific evidence clearly establishes that marijuana (and... -
Effect of Cannabis Legalization on US Autism Incidence and Medium
Monday, May 06, 2019 522Conclusion: ASD is the commonest form of cannabis-associated clinical teratology. Using two independent datasets and two categorization methods we confirmed that medical, decriminalized and legal cannabis regimes are associated with higher rates of ASD than illegal ones. Findings are consistent with molecular, cellular and epigenetic mechanisms. Formerly quadratic regression curves become exponential when projected forwards to 2030; predict a lower quantum than the 2014 ADDM CDC figure; and... -
There's nothing funny about today's highly potent marijuana. It killed my son.
Monday, May 06, 2019 559“I want to die,” he wrote before hanging himself at the age of 31. “My soul is already dead. Marijuana killed my soul + ruined my brain.” Andy wanted to quit. He couldn't A new study shows he's not alone The peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet last month published a major study that found people who use high-potency marijuana daily are five times more likely to develop psychosis than those who never partake. The researchers compared data for more than 2,100 people in multiple countries.... -
Canadian Government: Cannabis health warning messages
Monday, May 06, 2019 489Part 1: Health warning messages for cannabis products that are dried cannabis or cannabis accessories that contain dried cannabis WARNING: Cannabis smoke is harmful. Harmful chemicals found in tobacco smoke are also found in cannabis smoke. WARNING: Do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding. Using cannabis during pregnancy may harm your baby and result in low birth weight. WARNING: Do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding. Substances found in cannabis are also found in the breast milk of mothers... -
Cannabis use predicts risks of heart failure and cerebrovascular accidents: results from the National Inpatient Sample
Thursday, May 02, 2019 491Abstract BACKGROUND: Cannabis for medicinal and/or recreational purposes has been decriminalized in 28 states as of the 2016 election. In the remaining states, cannabis remains the most commonly used illicit drug. Cardiovascular effects of cannabis use are not well established due to a limited number of studies. We therefore utilized a large national database to examine the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and events amongst patients with cannabis use. RESULTS: Prevalence of heart... -
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Cannabis Use & Violence – A Meta-analytical Investigation
Monday, April 29, 2019 522Read Article Download PDF -
Marijuana investors are forgetting about legal risks faced by cannabis companies
Monday, April 29, 2019 477Lawsuits could easily arise out of health risks and for several other reasons, lawyers say Like stoners, cannabis investors seem euphorically oblivious to marijuana risks. Weed smokers face health risks. Investors in companies including Tilray TLRY, +3.67% Canopy Growth CGC, +3.55% Cronos CRON, +3.87% and Green Thumb Industries GTBIF, +0.13% are taking on serious litigation risk. Marijuana-stock investors could see their investments tank if lawyers launch legal assaults based on... -
Legalization of cannabis sparks curiosity in people who haven’t used it in years – or ever
Wednesday, April 17, 2019 596Government oversight and the now legal promotion of ‘getting high’ under government legislation, sees Canadian Government as the new promoter, permitter and pusher of weed! Regardless of outcomes! (Dalgarno Institute) Legalization has drawn a whole new segment of people who prefer to use legal cannabis and are willing to pay more for it, said Jennifer Lee, the lead partner managing the cannabis sector for consulting firm Deloitte. “Government oversight does bring a whole new cohort to the... -
Should We Blame Marijuana for a 14-Year High in Positive Work-Related Drug Tests?
Wednesday, April 17, 2019 536Apr 14, 2019 Uh-Oh! Drug use is on the rise in the workplace This past week, Quest Diagnostics ( NYSE:DGX ), a leading diagnostic testing firm, and the company responsible for testing millions of Americans a year in the workplace for illicit substances, released its latest analysis , known as the Drug Testing Index, on workplace drug usage. Having tested more than 10 million urine samples in 2018, Quest found that 4.4% resulted in a positive test, which includes a combination of illicit (i.e.,... -
Marijuana use kills Indiana teen, mother speaks out
Wednesday, April 17, 2019 806April 2019 INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis mother has struggled to cope with her son's untimely death. He died from complications of using marijuana, and now the mother is warning parents about the condition that took her son's life. "He said mom I can't breathe. I rolled him over, and my son was gone," Regina Denney said. It was one year ago that Denney's son was diagnosed with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. A condition caused by chronic marijuana usage that leads to extreme vomiting,... -
In 1997, this newspaper launched a campaign to decriminalise the drug. If only we had known then what we can reveal today...
Wednesday, April 17, 2019 602(This was 12 years ago…it’s even worse now!!!) By Jonathan Owen Sunday 18 March 2007 Record numbers of teenagers are requiring drug treatment as a result of smoking skunk, the highly potent cannabis strain that is 25 times stronger than resin sold a decade ago. More than 22,000 people were treated last year for cannabis addiction - and almost half of those affected were under 18. With doctors and drugs experts warning that skunk can be as damaging as cocaine and heroin, leading to mental... -
Cannabis & Psychosis: Understanding risk is of 'vital importance'
Wednesday, April 03, 2019 494In Amsterdam and London, specifically, there was a strong tie between the use of high-potency cannabis and the presence of psychosis. The researchers linked four in 10 (43.8 percent) new cases of psychosis in Amsterdam to daily cannabis consumption and five out of 10 (50.3 percent) of new cases with the use of highly potent versions of the drug. In London, the researchers believe they could link 21.0 percent of new cases to daily use and 30.3 percent to a preference for highly potent cannabis.... -
Children aged NINE are damaged by cannabis: Shocking toll of young patients admitted to hospital with mental disorders
Tuesday, March 26, 2019 565More than 3,400 patients under 19 went to hospital due to mental and behavioural illnesses brought on by cannabis last year NHS figures show the number of admission has risen 38 per cent since 2013/14 Teenagers say cannabis has become more accessible through social media sites Dealers may post cannabis bag pictures on Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram James Hamilton had a cannabis addiction aged 14 and developed depression Last week a major study in the Lancet Psychiatry journal revealed that... -
UK: The wards are full of lives wrecked by the evil drug that is cannabis
Monday, March 25, 2019 835Walk on to any mental health ward as I have and you will be confronted with the tragic victims of our lackadaisical attitude towards cannabis. There is mounting evidence to show the drug is having a horrific effect on the young, not least the Mail’s disturbing story today. A third of psychosis cases in London are the result of smoking skunk, according to research. Another study by Oxford University showed it increases the risk of depression in teenagers by 40 per cent. They join the hundreds... -
Top Yale Professor – Slams Weed!
Monday, March 25, 2019 749One of the state’s most vocal opponents of legalizing recreational marijuana in recent years has been Dr. Deepak D’Souza , a research scientist and professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine. In testimony before the legislature and in his role as a member of the state medical marijuana program’s board of physicians, an advisory group for lawmakers, D’Souza has laid out what he says are the dangers of legalization. His four areas of concern are the impact on young people and the... -
The contribution of cannabis use to variation in the incidence of psychotic disorder across Europe: a multicentre case-control study
Thursday, March 21, 2019 710Findings: Differences in frequency of daily cannabis use and in use of high-potency cannabis contributed to the striking variation in the incidence of psychotic disorder across the 11 studied sites. Given the increasing availability of high-potency cannabis, this has important implications for public health. Read More Download PDF -
What you should know about Marijuana and Sperm
Wednesday, March 20, 2019 1835Mar 19, 2019 Mark Gold, MD Limited information exists on marijuana use and male reproductive health. A recent study from Duke University evaluated differences in sperm quality resulting from tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure in both rats and humans. Findings suggest that paternal marijuana use, prior to conception, may present epigenetic risks to potential offspring. Key Findings Individuals who used marijuana can have higher and also can have significantly lower sperm concentrations,... -
U.N. News – Recreational cannabis poses ‘significant’ health challenges to youth: drugs control body
Tuesday, March 19, 2019 777The UN-backed International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) warned on Tuesday that poorly regulated medical cannabis programmes could step-up the “recreational” use of the drug while diminishing public concern over its harmful effects. “Legalization of cannabis for recreational purposes, as seen in a small number of countries, represents not only a challenge to the universal implementation of the treaties and the signatories to the treaties, but also a significant challenge to health and... -
Adolescent Marijuana Use Is Linked to Altered Neural Circuitry and Mood Symptoms
Tuesday, March 19, 2019 721In this research: Some teens' marijuana use has been linked to disrupted communication between two key regions in the brain's reward circuitry at age 20. Disrupted communication between the regions was associated with poorer psychosocial functioning at age 22. In a recent NIDA-supported study, males from low-income backgrounds who used marijuana in escalating frequency throughout their teen years exhibited disrupted connectivity at age 20 in a brain circuit that links rewarding experiences... -
Failed Arguments that Support Legalizing Weed!
Tuesday, March 19, 2019 719Whatever you think about marijuana legalization, it’s important to avoid making bad arguments. There may be good reasons to legalize marijuana. But if there are, the following arguments shouldn’t be considered to be among them. 7 Arguments For Legalizing Marijuana That No One Should Believe -
The real cause of knife crime? It's hidden in a fog of cannabis smoke
Wednesday, March 13, 2019 842(10 March 2019) Here is the problem. We are told that stabbings are at their worst since 1945. This is itself untrue. The year 1945 is chosen because that was when figures on stabbings began to be collected. In reality, they are the worst figures since this became a civilised country under the Victorians, really the worst figures since an unpoliced London was roamed by armed footpads, and highwaymen haunted the country roads. In a way, they are even worse than then. This is, by comparison with... -
Report of the International Narcotics Control Board for 2018
Tuesday, March 12, 2019 861Chapter I: Cannabis and cannabinoids for medical, scientific and "recreational" use: risks and benefits Recommendations Under medical cannabis programmes implemented in Canada and possibly in some other States, and in some states in the United States, the medical use of cannabinoids is poorly regulated. Those programmes are inconsistent with the international drug control treaties in failing to control cannabis production and supply. They fail to ensure that good-quality medicines are provided... -
I Was Quite Shocked By My Last Visit To San Francisco
Tuesday, March 05, 2019 900When it comes to foreigners visiting the US, while the general reaction is overall favorable, it appears that one city tends to draw a reaction of sheer shock if not disgust: San Francisco….San Francisco has always been one of favourite US cities, but the degree of homelessness, mental illness and drug abuse we saw on this trip was truly shocking. Walking round SF on a Sunday Morning and we saw sights we couldn’t believe. This must be one of the richest cities in the world – home to 4 of the... -
Alesha MacPhail: Murder leads to calls to get tough on cannabis
Sunday, March 03, 2019 916THE abduction, rape and murder of Alesha MacPhail has prompted calls for ministers at Westminster and Holyrood to change their soft-touch stance on cannabis. Campaigner Ross Grainger has compiled a “catalogue of suicide and psychopathic violence committed by cannabis smokers in the UK and Ireland” over the past two decades including 200 murders, rapes and savage assaults. He said: “In this case, as in all such cases, I do not say that cannabis 'caused' the perpetrator to do what he did, but... -
Cannabinoid Hyperemesis – a Nasty and Growing Affliction
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 1575 -
Explaining Contemporary Patterns of Cannabis Teratology
Sunday, February 24, 2019 1063From the Abstract Cannabis has been shown to be teratogenic in cells, animals and humans. Particular targets of prenatal exposure include brain, heart and blood vessels and chromosomal segregation… Studies in cells, together with the above mentioned epidemiology, implicate cannabidiol, cannabichromene, cannabidivarin and other cannabinoids in significant genotoxicity and/or epigenotoxicity. Notch signalling has recently been shown to be altered by cannabinoids, which is highly pertinent to... -
DR MAX: After seeing too many young lives blighted, why I'm sickened that we're still so soft on cannabis
Friday, February 22, 2019 730We will, in years to come, look back and wonder how we could have been so foolish — so incredibly blind to the dangers of cannabis. We will be horrified at our reckless disregard for young minds. We will berate our liberally-minded politicians for their weakness, and the police for allowing, what is, in effect, its decriminalisation. And we will feel justifiable fury towards those who demanded the liberalisation of drug laws; who denied the mountain of evidence that this is a highly damaging... -
Smoking cannabis in your teens IS linked to depression in later life: Major study reveals drug 'damages children's brains' and half a MILLION adults could avoid mental-health disorder if they had...
Friday, February 22, 2019 813Largest study of its kind found that 7% of adult depression could be prevented Drug has also been linked to suicidal thoughts and attempts Researchers say tackling the use of millions of under 18s should be a priority PUBLISHED: 14 February 2019 Smoking cannabis in your teenage years raises the risk of depression and suicide in later life, a landmark new study has found. Researchers from the US and UK have revealed the drug could impair a child's brain to the extent it triggers mental health... -
Smoking cannabis in your teens IS linked to depression in later life:
Friday, February 15, 2019 958Major study reveals drug 'damages children's brains' and half a MILLION adults could avoid mental-health disorder if they had turned down marijuana Largest study of its kind found that 7% of adult depression could be prevented Drug has also been linked to suicidal thoughts and attempts Researchers say tackling the use of millions of under 18s should be a priority PUBLISHED: 14 February 2019 Smoking cannabis in your teenage years raises the risk of depression and suicide in later life, a... -
Study ties heart disease, diabetes to cannabis exposure in utero
Wednesday, February 06, 2019 1021February 2019 by Adela Talbot, University of Western Ontario Daniel Hardy, a Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry professor, led a recent study that found “alarming” damage to important organs in newborns who were exposed to cannabis – and, specifically, to THC – while in utero. This damage could lead to heart disease and diabetes later in life. Just because it's legal, doesn't mean it's safe. Exposure to cannabis – and, specifically, to THC – while in utero leads to heart defects and... -
Cannabis Problematics Include but are not Limited to Pain Management
Tuesday, February 05, 2019 952These newer studies bring into precise focus recent work in the cannabis field showing that adolescent cannabis exposure results in loss of whole dendrites including synapses (4) and a reduction in post-synaptic glutamate A2 AMPA receptors (5)… Cannabis dependence is notable for its wide spectrum of clinical presentations including psychiatric, respiratory, immune, cardiac, vascular, bony, reproductive and malignant manifestations…Tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol and other cannabinoids have... -
University students' grades plunge when cannabis is legalised, studies find
Monday, February 04, 2019 943Studies have found that legalising cannabis leads to students failing exams Legalisation was said to lead to an increase in the assignment of D and F grades Researchers found ‘a much stronger effect on grades of men than women’ 4 February 2019 Legalising cannabis leads to more university students flunking their exams. Striking evidence that legalising the drug negatively affects undergraduates’ behaviour and makes weaker students particularly likely to fall behind is provided by three new... -
What Would Legalizing Marijuana Cultivation Cost Taxpayers?
Saturday, February 02, 2019 874Here's What It is Costing Colorado Taxpayers Download PDF Executive Summary -
Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence – What we are NOT told!
Tuesday, January 29, 2019 996Visit Website -
Position Statement on the Implications of Cannabis use for Safety-Sensitive Work (Canada)
Tuesday, January 29, 2019 668Download PDF Document -
Cannabis use disorder: The policy climate matters
Thursday, January 24, 2019 1030COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY'S MAILMAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH Adolescents and young adults living in states with more liberal policies reported higher average rates of past-year cannabis use than those in states with more conservative policies, according to a new study conducted at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Past year cannabis use was consistently higher in liberal compared to conservative states, and remained significantly higher for ages 12-17 and 18-25 after adjusting for... -
Marijuana Withdrawal Symptoms & Side Effects From Daily Use
Monday, January 21, 2019 11732 -
Colorado Emergency Medical Doctors Open Letter to ALL Physicians!
Friday, January 18, 2019 1002Dear Doctors, who are mandated to do 'No Harm'! My name is Karen Randall. I am an emergency physician (also residency trained in pediatrics and family medicine). I spent numerous years as an academic teaching physician at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. I moved to Colorado to be back home. I moved here in 2013. I moved just in time to see this town I live in, Pueblo, go from a blue collar working town to a drug infested town that is not safe. I appreciate your article about brain sizes, View... -
Exposure to cannabis and stress in adolescence can lead to anxiety disorders in adulthood
Thursday, January 17, 2019 790The work carried out by the Neuropharmacology Laboratory highlight the influence of environmental factors such as stress on the harmful effects of the exposure to cannabis during early ages A new study conducted on laboratory animals shows that exposure to cannabis and stress during adolescence may lead to long-term anxiety disorders characterized by the presence of pathological fear. The work carried out by the Neuropharmacology Laboratory-NeuroPhar at Pompeu Fabra University, was led by the... -
Smoking cannabis just once can change a teenager’s brain, study reveals
Wednesday, January 16, 2019 865The Independent - January 2019 Teenagers who use cannabis just once or twice may end up with changes to the structure of their brain, scientists have warned. A study, conducted by researchers at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, found that there were clear differences on brain scans between teens who said they had smoked cannabis a couple of times and those who had never tried it. For complete article -
This reporter took a deep look into the science of smoking pot. What he found is scary
Tuesday, January 15, 2019 894Alex Berenson’s new book delves into research linking heavy use with violent crime and mental illness. by Stephanie Mencimer Mother Jones (San Francisco), January 5, 2019. It’s been a few years since Alex Berenson has “committed journalism,” as he likes to say. As a New York Times reporter, Berenson did two tours covering the Iraq War, an experience that inspired him to write his first of nearly a dozen spy novels. Starting with the 2006 Edgar Award-winning The Faithful Spy, his books were so... -
Is marijuana as safe as we think?
Tuesday, January 15, 2019 808A few years ago, the National Academy of Medicine convened a panel of sixteen leading medical experts to analyze the scientific literature on cannabis. The report they prepared, which came out in January of 2017, runs to four hundred and sixty-eight pages. It contains no bombshells or surprises, which perhaps explains why it went largely unnoticed. It simply stated, over and over again, that a drug North Americans have become enthusiastic about remains a mystery! For more -
Prenatal Exposure to Cannabis Affects the Developing Brain
Tuesday, January 15, 2019 789Children born to moms who smoked or ingested marijuana during pregnancy suffer higher rates of depression, hyperactivity, and inattention. Yet, Seventy percent of women in the United States believe that there is “slight or no risk of harm” in using cannabis during pregnancy. Read More -
Medicinal cannabis a honey pot for crooks
Monday, January 14, 2019 1183The documents offer unprecedented insight into the challenges of establishing and regulating an industry where the product is traditionally illegal. Picture: AFP SEAN PARNELL 12:00AM JANUARY 7, 2019 High demand for a stake in Australia’s medicinal cannabis industry — including from people with links to organised crime — has caught the regulator unprepared and under-resourced, an internal audit has found. Documents obtained under Freedom of Information laws show independent auditors hired by... -
Daily Patterns of Marijuana and Alcohol Co-Use Among Individuals with Alcohol and Cannabis Use Disorders.
Monday, January 14, 2019 772Abstract BACKGROUND : The study aims were to examine daily associations between marijuana and alcohol use and the extent to which the association differs as a function of cannabis use disorder (CUD) and/or alcohol use disorder (AUD) diagnosis. METHODS : Timeline Followback interview data was collected in a study of veterans (N = 127) recruited from a Veterans Affairs hospital who reported at least 1 day of co-use of marijuana and alcohol in the past 180 days (22,860 observations). Participants... -
How Marijuana Legalisation Impacts Use Rates
Sunday, December 30, 2018 861How Marijuana Legalisation Impacts Use Rates - Idho and National Comparision -
Changes in Healthcare Encounter Rates Possibly Related to Cannabis or Alcohol following Legalization of Recreational Marijuana in a Safety-Net Hospital: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis
Saturday, December 22, 2018 890Patients with encounters possibly related to cannabis were younger, more likely to be hospitalized and more likely to be admitted to the psychiatric unit than patients with encounters possibly related to alcohol. Initial and sustained effects of encounter rates possibly related to cannabis demonstrated an increased trend in slope before and after recreational marijuana legalization. The slope became more abrupt following legalization with a significant increase in trend during the... -
New study finds that marijuana can reprogram sperm genes
Saturday, December 22, 2018 1008December 20, 2018 We already know that cannabis lowers sperm count, but new research suggests that the drug actually causes genetic changes to the sperm itself — which might have implications for the health of a potential baby. For a study published today in the journal Epigenetics, scientists at Duke University Think of your DNA as a list of instructions for making proteins, and genes as small subsets of that list. Our body has little chemical tags (called methyl groups) that get added to the... -
Cannabis Genotoxicity Chromothripsis Carcinogenicity and Fetotoxicity MR FMMM
Thursday, December 20, 2018 1055Download PDF -
One month of abstinence from cannabis improves memory in adolescents, young adults
Monday, December 17, 2018 875A Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) study finds that one month of abstaining from cannabis use resulted in measurable improvement in memory functions important for learning among adolescents and young adults who are regular cannabis users. The study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry is one of the first to prospectively track over time changes in cognitive function associated with halting cannabis use. “Our findings provide two pieces of convincing evidence,” says Randi... -
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Cannabis withdrawal can be 'highly disabling'
Wednesday, December 12, 2018 703October 2018 By Maria Kohut Fact checked by Jasmin Collier Authorities are legalizing cannabis, particularly for medicinal use, in an increasing number of states. Many people stand by its alleged benefits, but new research warns that frequent use may lead to the "disabling" symptoms of cannabis withdrawal syndrome. The researchers also note that cannabis withdrawal symptoms appeared to be linked with mental disability and a family history of depression. Also, these symptoms were associated... -
We must study marijuana's impact on the environment before it's too late.
Tuesday, December 11, 2018 1035Often featuring in the lower rungs of priority when it comes to determining the safety of a drug, the impact of a pharmaceutical on the freshwater environment can be significant on the health of lakes, rivers and those who reside nearby. The gamut is wide and worrying – from limpets in the UK no longer able to cling on to rocks for survival as they “bathe in a soup” of antidepressants to Canadian male fish growing eggs in their testes after being exposed to the synthetic estrogen found in... -
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Cannabis: The case against legalisation
Monday, December 10, 2018 862Executive Summary Cannabis can be both addictive and harmful. Our understanding of the precise extent and nature of the health implications of recreational cannabis use is developing but, at this stage, there is a great deal of uncertainty. On the eve of the first legal retail sales of recreational cannabis in Canada, the Canadian Medical Association Journal published an editorial which referred to legalisation as: a national, uncontrolled experiment in which the profits of cannabis producers... -
The Marijuana Conundrum in North America – A recognized deficiency: Inadequate protective protocols
Monday, December 03, 2018 1089An evaluation of risk applied to marijuana products for recreational or medical purposes concludes that advanced mitigation strategies and new protective delivery protocols are necessary to adequately protect the public from harm. In Canada a controlled distribution program is in place called the RevAid ® . 1,2 This program assures consumers are monitored to prevent or minimize major side effects and or reactions. Under this program only prescribers and pharmacists who are registered or... -
Low doses of widely consumed cannabinoids (cannabidiol and cannabidivarin) cause DNA damage and chromosomal aberrations in human-derived cells.
Thursday, November 29, 2018 1083Abstract Cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabidivarin (CBDV) are natural cannabinoids which are consumed in increasing amounts worldwide in cannabis extracts, as they prevent epilepsy, anxiety, and seizures. It was claimed that they may be useful in cancer therapy and have anti-inflammatory properties. Adverse long-term effects of these drugs (induction of cancer and infertility) which are related to damage of the genetic material have not been investigated. Therefore, we studied their DNA-damaging... -
How marijuana harms a developing baby’s brain
Tuesday, November 27, 2018 2037Three studies in rodents suggest prenatal exposure to the drug may pose risks for infants DANA G. SMITH NOVEMBER 18, 2018 This article was originally published by Scientific American . One recent study revealed that in 2016 7 percent of pregnant women in California used marijuana, with rates as high as 22 percent among teenage mothers. In Colorado 69 percent of dispensaries recommended the drug to pregnant women to help with morning sickness. … prenatal drug exposure can be harmful to unborn... -
Could medical cannabis be the new THALIDOMIDE? Fears of a crisis as doctors consider doling marijuana-based medicines out to pregnant mothers despite evidence the drug can damage foetuses
Sunday, November 25, 2018 1196Pressure to loosen NHS guidelines on medical cannabis use is growing in the UK The British Medical Journal warned that widespread use could lead to disaster The potential crisis was compared to the thalidomide scandal of the 50s and 60s By GUY ADAMS FOR THE DAILY MAIL PUBLISHED: 24 November 2018 Each of the 400 phone calls to the cannabis dispensaries followed a script. ‘Hi,’ said a female voice. ‘I’m eight weeks pregnant and feeling really nauseated. Are there any products recommended for... -
How smoking CANNABIS affects your lungs
Wednesday, November 21, 2018 1652How Smoking CANNABIS for a Month Affects Your Lungs View Video See also Cannabis Impact on Your Lungs by British Lung Foundation -
Teens are trying marijuana before alcohol and tobacco
Wednesday, November 21, 2018 980It’s not because teens are consuming weed more, it’s because they’re using tobacco and alcohol less Teens used to try alcohol first, then tobacco, and then marijuana. Now, marijuana is increasingly the first “gateway” substance for adolescents, according to new research. This trend is not because teens are smoking cannabis more than ever. Rather, the change is because teens are smoking cigarettes and drinking less while the numbers for marijuana have held steady, according to Katherine M.... -
Licensed cannabis growers have ties to organized crime, Enquête investigation finds
Tuesday, November 06, 2018 1150Despite security checks by Health Canada, investors with Mafia connections involved in legal production Marie-Maude Denis · CBC News · Posted: Nov 01, 2018 An investigation by Radio-Canada's Enquête shows Health Canada has granted production licences to companies with individuals with links to the criminal underworld. (Tijana Martin/Canadian Press) An investor in a major Canadian cannabis company has had longstanding ties, including business dealings, with influential Mafia members and drug... -
Marijuana in babies? Colo. researchers find new evidence
Tuesday, November 06, 2018 637After a nursing woman smokes marijuana once, her baby through her breast milk will consume traces of the drug's chief psychoactive element for at least six weeks and possibly longer, according to a soon-to-be-released study out of Colorado. For physicians who see cannabis-associated birth complications and long-term brain development concerns with children, the research is another step to try to square growing public nonchalance about marijuana with medical guidelines about use. Researchers... -
Isn't Two Enough? || Spoken Word
Friday, November 02, 2018 831Isn't Two Enough? || Spoken Word View Video -
Low Dose Cannabinoid Consumption Causes DNA Damage
Monday, October 29, 2018 730Abstract Cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabidivarin (CBDV) are natural cannabinoids which are consumed in increasing amounts worldwide in cannabis extracts, as they prevent epilepsy, anxiety, and seizures. It was claimed that they may be useful in cancer therapy and have anti-inflammatory properties. Adverse long-term effects of these drugs (induction of cancer and infertility) which are related to damage of the genetic material have not been investigated. Therefore, we studied their DNA-damaging... -
A 21ST CENTURY PROBLEM: CANNABIS TOXICITY IN A 13-MONTH-OLD CHILD
Friday, October 26, 2018 906Abstract —Background: Cannabis is one of the most abused drugs worldwide, with more than 20 million users in the United States (US). As access to cannabis products increases with expanding US legislation and decriminalization of marijuana, emergency physicians must be adept in recognizing unintentional cannabis toxicity in young children, which can range from altered mental status to encephalopathy and coma. Case Report: We report the case of a 13- month-old female presenting with... -
Colorado Schools using marijuana test kit to show results instantly: Rossen Reports Spot the Pot
Friday, October 26, 2018 1113Marijuana can be incredibly easy for kids to sneak into school, but now some school districts across the country are using a new gadget to spot it in just seconds. TODAY national investigative correspondent Jeff Rossen heads to Colorado, where marijuana is legal, to show viewers how the new “test kit” works. For complete storyFor complete story -
Cannabis withdrawal can be 'highly disabling'
Thursday, October 25, 2018 1282Frequent users of cannabis may have 'disabling' withdrawal symptoms, researchers warn. This condition is included in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which was published in 2013. According to the DSM-5, a formerly frequent user of the drug has cannabis withdrawal syndrome when they experience at least three of the following symptoms within a week from cessation: irritability or hostility nervousness or anxiety poor sleep loss of appetite... -
Dazed and confused: Canada cannabis legalization brings complex new laws
Thursday, October 18, 2018 1207Canada legalizes marijuana: here’s everything you need to know Leyland Cecco Tue 16 Oct 2018 Canada will become the second country in the world to legalise recreational marijuana. Photograph: Carlos Osorio/Toronto Star via Getty Images Canada will this week become the second country in the world to legalize recreational marijuana, but as they negotiate a patchwork of new legislation and inconsistent enforcement, smokers may soon find that their enjoyment of weed is still blunted. New rules... -
A Population-Based Analysis of the Relationship Between Substance Use and Adolescent Cognitive Development
Monday, October 08, 2018 813Conclusions : Beyond the role of cognition in vulnerability to substance use, the concurrent and lasting effects of adolescent cannabis use can be observed on important cognitive functions and appear to be more pronounced than those observed for alcohol. read more Download PDF -
Daily cannabis smoking as a risk factor for progression of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C
Thursday, October 04, 2018 940Conclusion : Daily cannabis smoking is significantly associated with fibrosis progression during CHC. Patients with ongoing CHC should be advised to refrain from regular cannabis use. Read More -
Maternal Cannabis Use During a Child's Lifetime Associated With Earlier Initiation...
Monday, October 01, 2018 751Conclusions : As cannabis legalization expands across the U.S., adult use may become increasingly normative. This study indicates that maternal cannabis use may be a risk factor for early initiation among their offspring. Preventive interventions should consider strategies to delay initiation among children of cannabis users! Download Article -
FORMER New York Times WRITER’S NEW BOOK WARNS OF MARIJUANA, VIOLENCE, MENTAL ILLNESS!
Wednesday, September 26, 2018 2123October 2018 A former New York Times reporter and now a best-selling author, Alex Berenson has an important new book, Tell Your Children: The truth about marijuana, violence and mental health. Simon & Schuster will publish and release it on January 8, 2019 . “I know this topic is controversial……I spoke to scores of scientists and doctors and examined hundreds of studies and papers. Whatever you think of marijuana, you owe it to yourself and to your families to know the truth that legalizers... -
Cannabis Use Increase – Worst in Recent History!
Monday, September 24, 2018 826As the very, very false perception that ‘Weed is harmful’ goes down – consumption goes up, and up, and up! Big Tobacco 2.0 is now in full flight and like version 1.0 is conning too many people, particularly the young. Ah! But that’s the key demographic to seduce and manipulate if you want to drive your industry profits moving forward – customers for life – Addiction is the business model and the emerging generation will be the first causalities, then families, then communities, then…. In... -
SHOCK REPORT: Large Numbers Of Child Slaves May Be Working On Cannabis Farms In London
Monday, September 17, 2018 1114"Potentially thousands of children and young people are being trafficked from Vietnam and exploited by ruthless criminal gangs." August 21, 2018 Experts warned Monday that large numbers of child slaves may be working on cannabis farms in London. Since 2016, authorities have found 314 illegal cannabis farms in London, according to police data. The most alarming figures, however, come via human trafficking experts, who warn that the number of children used as slave labor on these farms is likely... -
Canada: Pot Permissible for Police Provided they Prove...Not 'Stoned'???
Monday, September 17, 2018 737Police will be able to toke, but must be fit for duty September 15, 2018 While members of the Canadian Armed Forces must refrain from using cannabis in the eight hours before they report for duty and for 24 hours before handling a firearm, regulations for police officers don't appear to be as tight. Provided they show up at work fit for duty, your local police officers will be free to smoke a joint with the neighbours when recreational cannabis becomes legal under federal law on Oct. 17. While... -
Spike in cannabis overdoses blamed on potent edibles, poor public education
Tuesday, September 04, 2018 1395"He had eaten a [cannabis] edible and just couldn't handle it," MacIntosh said. Cannabis overdoses are something he said he's personally witnessed at the bar three times in the past year. That mirrors a trend happening across the country — as the Oct. 17 date for legalization of recreational pot looms, CBC News has learned that cannabis-related emergency room visits have spiked. Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) shows that over the past three years the number of... -
Marijuana found in breast milk up to six days after use
Thursday, August 30, 2018 835Researchers report 63 percent of breast milk samples from mothers using marijuana contained traces of the drug UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - SAN DIEGO With the legalization of marijuana in several states, increased use for both medicinal and recreational purposes has been documented in pregnant and breastfeeding women. Although national organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that breastfeeding mothers do not use marijuana, there has been a lack of specific data to support... -
America’s Invisible Pot Addicts
Tuesday, August 21, 2018 1458More and more Americans are reporting near-constant cannabis use, as legalization forges ahead. Evan, who asked that his full name not be used for fear of the professional repercussions, has a self-described cannabis-use disorder. If not necessarily because of legalization, but alongside legalization, such problems are becoming more common: The share of adults with one has doubled since the early aughts, as the share of cannabis users who consume it daily or near-daily has jumped nearly 50... -
Huge surge in blackmarket cannabis trade and organised crime in California DESPITE drug being legalised, cops reveal in warning to UK
Friday, August 17, 2018 1289After calls for cannabis to be legalised in the UK police chiefs in Los Angeles - the state’s largest legal weed market - say there’s been a rise in illegal cannabis market even though recreational marijuana was legalised back in January…. But there are hundreds of illegal cannabis stores where customers can buy the drug at cheaper prices than at the heavily regulated and taxed legal dispensaries. California regulators sent out almost 1,000 cease and desist letters to marijuana businesses they... -
Energy Drinks – Drug Use link: Study suggests link between energy drinks and drug use
Thursday, August 16, 2018 944Teens who drink more than one energy drink per day are less likely to believe drugs like cocaine and heroin are dangerous, according to new research. University of Texas at San Antonio researcher Dr. Dylan Jackson and his team studied data from 8th and 10th graders between 2010 and 2016. Teens that drank an energy everyday are “125 percent more likely to fail to perceive any risk in trying to consume cocaine,” compared to their peers. And when it came to heroin, they were 143 percent more... -
How cannabis and cannabis-based drugs harm the brain
Wednesday, August 15, 2018 938A new study led by Ana Sebastião, group leader at Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes and Professor of Faculdade de Medicina of Universidade de Lisboa (iMM, FMUL; Portugal) and her team in collaboration with researchers from the University of Lancaster (UK), shows that the long-term use of either cannabis or cannabis-based drugs impairs memory. The study now published in the Journal of Neurochemistry reveals the implications for both recreational users and people who use the drug... -
Crazed cannabis user, 31, who gouged a seven-month-old boy’s eyes then threw him and his mother out of a window is jailed for life!
Monday, August 13, 2018 790Sean Ziemelis, 31, attacked a seven-month-old baby at a flat in Luton last year A court heard he was high on cannabis when he threw the child out a window He also threw the child's mother out of a window. Both escaped major injury Mr Lofthouse said there were concerns about Ziemelis' behaviour after he had taken cannabis the previous night. He had been discovered with his genitals out while on top of a dog in an alleyway. Then at 2am on August 1 last year the child's mother found him with his... -
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Are There Any Alternatives When A Physician Offers My Child Opioids for Pain?
Tuesday, July 31, 2018 720JULY 18, 2018 BY COREY W. HUNTER, MD, FIPP While opioid medications may be effective for treating pain in the short-term, they have an extremely high propensity for addiction and do nothing to address the underlying cause of the pain. The good news is that there are many alternatives to opioids that can help alleviate your son or daughter’s pain. Below, we’ve helped to spell them out for you and have provided guidance on how to ask your doctor about these alternatives. What if My Child Has... -
Marijuana Users Grossly Underachieve
Tuesday, July 31, 2018 867by Dr. Drew W. Edwards Republished from DrDrewEdwards.org All the independent, peer-reviewed research confirms what I and other experts have observed for years. Cannabis users significantly underachieve in education, their careers, and have significant problems with their most significant relationships. Two recent and eye-opening studies published in the medical journals Addiction, and Neuropharmacology respectively reveal gross deficits in cognitive ability (IQ) executive functioning,... -
All Young Cannabis Users Face Psychosis Risk
Tuesday, June 26, 2018 1041(Medscape and JAMA Psychiatry) June 15, 2018 Cannabis use directly increases the risk for psychosis in teens, new research shows. A large prospective study of teens shows that "in adolescents, cannabis use is harmful" with respect to psychosis risk, study author Patricia J. Conrod, PhD, professor of psychiatry, University of Montreal, Canada, told Medscape Medical News. The study included 3720 adolescents from the Co-Venture cohort, which represents 76% of all grade 7 students attending 31... -
Canada has made a huge mistake in legalising recreational cannabis – it’s a gateway to serious addiction
Tuesday, June 26, 2018 930I heard the news that Canada became the second country in the world to legalise the recreational use of cannabis and, in all honesty, it shocked me. Mums are smoking weed while pregnant to get rid of morning sickness The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, believes that legalising the drug will help keep marijuana away from underage users and reduce related crime, but in our experience of treating some 140 patients per month for various addictions, addiction to ‘harder’ drugs in our patients stems... -
How THC Injures the Brain, By Mark Gold MD
Monday, June 25, 2018 959The acute and long-term effects of THC on the brain and behavior are mediated via the vast endocannabinoid system (ECS), which was not discovered until the early 1990s and remains poorly understood. However, addiction is addiction and the psychopathology associated with marijuana, especially the high potency products, amid the drumbeat for full legalization in the absence of any serious scientific scrutiny is tantamount to political malpractice. Use can be associated with psychosis,... -
How to Know if Your Kid is Vaping Marijuana — and What to Do About It
Friday, June 15, 2018 3209BY THE PARTNERSHIP First things first — how is marijuana vaped? Vaping refers to the inhalation of an aerosol produced by heating a liquid/oil or substance in a compact electronic portable vaporizer. While many young “vapers” say they inhale flavored liquids like Gummy Bear, German Chocolate Cake and Cotton Candy, youth can vaporize marijuana – either the ground plant itself, waxes often referred to as dabs, or THC and CBD oils. Selling equipment to vape marijuana in its leaf, dab or oil form... -
Study finds THC increases false recollections of memories
Wednesday, June 06, 2018 660A new study published in Biological Psychiatry indicates that THC, the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, can increase false recollections when trying to remember words and images “Previous work from our group had found that THC can impair the encoding (i.e., the acquisition or learning) of new emotional experiences…” For complete article -
Cannabis puts 27,000 people a year in hospital: Rise in admissions could be due to increase in use of super-strength 'skunk', warns MP
Wednesday, May 30, 2018 856There were 27,501 admissions linked to cannabis in England in 2016/17, a 15 per cent rise in just two years from 23,866 in 2014/15 Medical journal The Lancet takes unprecedented step of branding cannabis a ‘huge risk to health’ Tens of thousands of people are ending up in hospital with cannabis-related health problems, official figures have revealed. There were 27,501 admissions linked to cannabis in England in 2016/17, a 15 per cent rise in just two years from 23,866 in 2014/15. Labour MP... -
Cannabis Intoxication Case Series: The Dangers of Edibles Containing Tetrahydrocannabinol.
Monday, April 23, 2018 904Abstract STUDY OBJECTIVE: Cannabis and its principal active constituent, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), are increasingly available as edibles resembling commercially available food products. In this case series, we describe a population of predominantly paediatric patients who were inadvertently exposed to a THC-containing product in San Francisco. METHODS : Twelve children and 9 adults were identified, with 16 patients having detectable serum THC and THC metabolites. All patients presented to... -
Can You Be Allergic To Marijuana?
Thursday, April 05, 2018 993Prevention : Avoiding exposure to marijuana is the only way to prevent an allergic reaction to the plant or drug. A person who is using medical marijuana and suspects that they may be allergic to it should speak with their doctor to find an alternative treatment. Read More -
Is Cannabis Use Associated With Increased Risk of Cigarette Smoking Initiation, Persistence, and Relapse?
Tuesday, April 03, 2018 769Longitudinal Data From a Representative Sample of US Adults J Clin Psychiatry 2018;79(2):17m11522; 10.4088/JCP.17m11522 © Copyright 2018 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc. Objective : The current study prospectively investigated the relationship between cannabis use and cigarette smoking initiation, persistence, and relapse during a 3-year period among adults in the United States. Methods: Analyses included respondents who completed Waves 1 (2001–2002) and 2 (2004–2005) of the National... -
Marijuana Use Disorder, Subcortical Dopamine Hyper-Connectivity and Psychosis—Is There a Connection?
Wednesday, March 28, 2018 955Author: Mark Gold, MD A continued effort to legalize the unrestricted access and use of marijuana in the U.S., primarily through voter initiatives, continues in spite of clinical trial evidence of lack of efficacy, increasing teen use, and reports of serious consequences from accidents to mental illness. As marijuana is currently viewed by the public as “safe until proven dangerous” rather than dangerous until proven safe and effective, by way of randomized double blind clinical trials for a... -
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As scans show drug’s impact on brain, a top doctor warns of a psychosis, paranoid delusions and a superskunk schizophrenia timebomb
Monday, March 26, 2018 629The UK Mail on Sunday PUBLISHED: 25 March 2018 Britain could set off a schizophrenia timebomb if it ignores the dangers of super-strength ‘skunk’ cannabis, one of the UK’s most eminent psychiatrists warns today. Strong evidence now shows that smoking potent forms of the Class B drug increases the chance of psychosis, paranoid delusions and schizophrenia. But too many people – from teenagers to top officials – have little idea of the terrible toll it can take on the mind, says Professor Sir... -
Are There Risks From Second-hand Marijuana Smoke? Early Science Says Yes
Tuesday, March 20, 2018 2010March 19, 2018 The inspiration arrived in a haze at a Paul McCartney concert a few years ago in San Francisco. "People in front of me started lighting up and then other people started lighting up," says Matthew Springer , a biologist and professor in the division of cardiology at the University of California, San Francisco. "And for a few naive split seconds I was thinking to myself, 'Hey, they can't smoke in AT&T Park! I'm sure that's not allowed.' And then I realized that it was all... -
Alcohol and Marijuana Together Magnifies Driving Difficulties
Wednesday, February 14, 2018 81113/2/18Bottom of Form Mixing Alcohol and Marijuana Amplifies THC in the System Three news stories exemplify the tragic results of mixing alcohol and marijuana before getting behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. Most recently, a suspected-DUI driver crashed into a California Highway patrolman in a parked vehicle on Christmas Eve. Andrew Camilleri, 33, died instantly. He left behind a wife and three children. A driver who drank alcohol and smoked marijuana killed CHP Officer Andrew Camilleri,... -
Tampa man who blamed edible marijuana for airline melee pleads guilty
Wednesday, February 14, 2018 852Associated Press Published: February 12, 2018 This July 7, 2017, photo taken the FBI and released via the U.S. Attorney's Office in Seattle shows the aftermath of a cabin on Delta Flight 129 from Seattle to Beijing, after authorities say flight attendants struggled with a passenger who lunged for an exit door. A Florida man who brawled with flight attendants and passengers when he tried to open the exit door of a Delta Air Lines flight bound from Seattle to China has pleaded guilty to four... -
Cigarettes and pot linked to teen psychosis
Tuesday, February 06, 2018 721January 29, 2018 - According to a recent study, the use of weed or tobacco cigarettes is connected to the increased risk of psychotic-like experiences, which could include hallucinations or delusions. The study, published by JAMA Psychiatry, is entitled “ Association of Combined Patterns of Tobacco and Cannabis Use in Adolescence With Psychotic Experiences ,” and analyzes data from a longitudinal cohort study of more than 3,300 teens. While both marijuana and tobacco smoking were associated... -
Marijuana at school: Loss of concentration, risk of psychosis
Friday, February 02, 2018 772January 26, 2018 10.17am AEDT Updated January 31, 2018 5.11pm AEDT One of the enduring myths about marijuana is that it is “harmless” and can be safely used by teens. Many high school teachers would beg to disagree, and consider the legalization of marijuana to be the biggest upcoming challenge in and around schools. And the evidence is on their side As an education researcher, I have visited hundreds of schools over four decades, conducting research into both education policy and teen mental... -
Skunk user who bit, throttled and stabbed his mother 23 times in drug-induced frenzy leaving her fighting for her life is detained in hospital indefinitely
Thursday, February 01, 2018 940By Stewart Paterson For Mailonline 18 January 2018 Jamil Jabbie stabbed his nurse mother 23 times in a cannabis-induced frenzy She considered sectioning him because of his unbalanced mind and drug use Jabbie, 19, stabbed his mother in the stomach, leg and chest before fleeing He left the home in south London covered in blood and then hid in a care home He was yesterday given an indefinite hospital order at Southwark Crown Court Read more -
Marijuana addiction is real, and teenage users are most at risk
Wednesday, January 24, 2018 891In the rush to legalize marijuana in Canada, medical experts are warning about weed’s alarming side, particularly for younger users . For more -
Study reveals negative long-term effects of heavy cannabis use on brain function and behavior
Thursday, January 18, 2018 1067January 16, 2018 New study in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging looks at the effects of heavy cannabis use on brain function and behavior Young people with cannabis dependence have altered brain function that may be the source of emotional disturbances and increased psychosis risk that are associated with cannabis abuse, according to a new study published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. The alterations were most pronounced in... -
Stroke and cannabis use in patients with no cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review of case reports.
Wednesday, January 03, 2018 797INTRODUCTION: Cannabis and its synthetic analogues are currently the most widely consumed illicit substances worldwide. Multiple alterations have been linked to its use, including cerebrovascular disease (CVD) or stroke, whose association with the substance has been based mainly on the hypothesis of transient vasoconstriction, which explains a large proportion of the cases reported. CONCLUSIONS: There is a wide variety of reports of stroke associated with cannabis use in patients with no other... -
Adverse impact of marijuana use on clinical outcomes among psychiatry patients with depression and alcohol use disorder
Friday, December 15, 2017 849Highlights Patients with depression frequently used marijuana and nearly half met the AUD criteria. Fewer patients with AUD were using marijuana at baseline compared to patients without AUD. Patients with AUD using marijuana increased over 6 months compared to those without AUD. Patients with AUD using marijuana had worse clinical outcomes than patients without AUD. Addressing marijuana use in outpatient psychiatry treatment may help improve outcomes. For More -
Teen marijuana use may lead to bipolar symptoms later on
Thursday, December 07, 2017 908Published 4 December 2017 By Ana Sandoiu Fact checked by Jasmin Collier It's a well-known fact that many young people use cannabis, and studies have pointed to a link between the drug and psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia. However, the links between cannabis use and the development of bipolar symptoms over time have been insufficiently studied — until now. Using regression analysis, the scientists adjusted for gender, alcohol and other drug use, early environmental risk factors —... -
Cannabis Use and Hypomania in Young People: A Prospective Analysis
Tuesday, December 05, 2017 1019Schizophrenia Bulletin, sbx158 Published: 28 November 2017 Background Cannabis use in young people is common and associated with psychiatric disorders. However, the prospective link between cannabis use and bipolar disorder symptoms has rarely been investigated. The study hypothesis was that adolescent cannabis use is associated with hypomania in early adulthood via several potential etiological pathways. Results & Conclusions Data were available on 3370 participants. Cannabis use at least 2–3... -
Drinkable pot? Constellation Brands takes stake in marijuana company
Thursday, November 02, 2017 792Oct 29, 2017 U.S. beer-industry executives have been debating whether legalized marijuana could cannibalize sales of beer. The U.S. distributor of Corona beer is chasing a new type of buzz. Constellation Brands Inc. STZ, -1.41% has agreed to take a 9.9% stake in Canopy Growth Corp., a Canadian marijuana company, and plans to work with the grower to develop and market cannabis-infused beverages. For more -
Teenager believes legalization of cannabis is a mistake
Monday, October 30, 2017 721José Laganière | VAT News| Published October 25, 2017 Even though she is now 17, Jessika already knows the serious repercussions that drug and alcohol use can have on a life. She says legalizing marijuana in Canada is a big mistake. The last few years have not been easy for Jessika. After smoking her first pot joint when she was only 11, she then fell into alcohol and other harder drugs. Powerless, her parents witnessed this drift until a six-month therapy at the Portage Center finally came... -
Marijuana use disorder is common and often untreated
Friday, October 27, 2017 822Survey shows marijuana use disorder linked to substance use/mental disorders and disability. Marijuana use disorder is common in the United States, is often associated with other substance use disorders, behavioral problems, and disability, and goes largely untreated, according to a new study conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health. The analysis found that 2.5 percent of adults — nearly 6 million people —... -
Marijuana Cannabis Use and Risk of Prescription Opioid Use
Friday, October 27, 2017 722Download PDF - Marijuana Cannabis Use and Risk of Prescription Opioid Use -
Marijuana News Periodical 20 October 2017
Friday, October 27, 2017 787Download PDF Marijuana News Periodical 20 October 2017 (4.5mb) -
Smoking cannabis increases violent behaviour in young people with mental health disorders
Friday, October 27, 2017 760A new study on cannabis has found that users with mental illness present an increased risk of violent behaviour. The research conducted by the Institut en Santé Mentale de Montréal (Montreal Institute of Menal Health), studied 1,136 patients – from 18 to 40 years of age – with mental illnesses who had been seen five times during the year after discharge. And while previous research has already shown a link between cannabis and aggressive behaviour, this new study found that users who continued... -
Endocannabinoids and Hippocampal Signalling and Function
Monday, October 16, 2017 719Author: Mark Gold, MD Ground-breaking research on the hippocampus and ECs has enhanced our knowledge of the role of molecular mechanisms necessary to process lipid EC messengers. It has been established that circuitry between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex is disrupted by the introduction of exogenous cannabinoid and thus is correlated with impairments in behavior (Kucewicz et al., 2011). Cannabinoids may disrupt cortical function by desynchronizing neuronal communication across... -
Smoking cannabis DOES make people more violent: Project confirms for the first time that using the drug is the cause of crimes
Friday, October 06, 2017 2555Cannabis users more likely to commit violent crimes, research has shown Study found there was a ‘more constant relationship’ between cannabis and violence than between alcohol or cocaine use and violence More than 20 US states have legalised cannabis for medical purposes By Steve Doughty PUBLISHED: 5 October 2017 Cannabis users are more likely to commit violent crime, pioneering research has shown. It warned those who smoke the drug regularly run an increased risk of using violence against... -
'Dabbing' cannabis may release cancerous toxins
Thursday, October 05, 2017 979Published 1 October 2017 By Ana Sandoiu Butane hash oil is a cannabis extract made using butane. Researchers have analyzed the chemical composition of the vapors released by butane hash oil - a cannabis extract commonly used in "dabbing," or vaporizing - and found carcinogenic substances. In light of cannabis being legalized in several states across America, more and more people use marijuana recreationally. The practice of " dabbing " has also gained popularity; users think that dabbing is... -
Cancer-Causing Compounds Found in Cannabis Oil
Friday, September 29, 2017 1054The authors continued, stating that the current study focused on the “chemistry of myrcene and other common terpenes found in cannabis extracts. Methacrolein, benzene, and several other products of concern to human health were formed under the conditions that simulated real-world dabbing. The terpene degradation products observed are consistent with those reported in the atmospheric chemistry literature.” Many of the terpenes that the researchers discovered in the vaporized hash oil are also... -
Marijuana and 'spice' could trigger seizures, study says
Thursday, September 28, 2017 782September 2017 By Honor Whiteman Researchers suggest that the use of potent cannabinoids have the potential to trigger seizures. While a number of studies have suggested that marijuana may be effective for reducing seizures, new research cautions that potent and synthetic forms of the drug have the opposite effect. Researchers from the University of Tsukuba in Japan found that natural tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the psychoactive chemical in marijuana - and the synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018... -
Marijuana 'may be worse than cigarettes for cardiovascular health'
Thursday, September 28, 2017 792August 2017 By Honor Whiteman Research suggests that marijuana use may raise the risk of death from hypertension by more than threefold. People who use marijuana may be three times more likely to die from high blood pressure than non-users of the drug, a new study finds. The researchers say that their findings indicate that marijuana use is a greater risk factor for poor cardiovascular health than cigarette smoking…Cigarette smoking is a well-established risk factor for high blood pressure and... -
Marijuana and Other Drugs – the Link We can’t ignore (S.A.M.)
Thursday, September 28, 2017 834Download PDF Cannabis Use and Risk of Prescription Opioid Use Disorder in the United States View Website -
Get Out Your Checkbook: What Legalized Marijuana is Going to Cost
Tuesday, September 26, 2017 777Many people fail to realize that alcohol, although legal, costs employers and taxpayers millions of dollars each year. In 2010, the cost of excessive alcohol use in the United States reached $249 billion, and two out of every five dollars of those costs were paid by federal, state, and local governments—all funded by the taxpayer. In fact, of this $249 billion drain on the American economy, $179 billion is directly associated to workplace productivity, and an additional $28 billion to health... -
Daily Cannabis Smoking as a Risk Factor for Progression of Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis C
Monday, September 25, 2017 742In conclusion , we show a significant relationship between daily cannabis use and fibrosis progression in patients with ongoing CHC. We believe that patients with ongoing CHC should be strongly advised to abstain from daily cannabis use. This recommendation might be particularly beneficial in difficult-to-treat patients. Download PDF -
Marijuana: Effects of teenage use may be reversible
Thursday, September 21, 2017 1838Published 14 September 2017 By Catharine Paddock PhD Canadian researchers have found that they might be able to reverse the schizophrenia-like symptoms associated with prolonged teenage marijuana use. Scientists have identified a mechanism in the brain that seems to explain how long-term marijuana use in the teenage years might lead to schizophrenia and other similar psychiatric diseases in adulthood. For complete article Research Found at at -
California is about to open its first legal cannabis shops and it's posing a huge problem for local pot farms
Thursday, September 07, 2017 783Wow! Check this out! These people are just openly admitting that they will sell to the black market in CA. Do these people expect us to feel sorry for them that decades long businesses of growing and selling pot ILLEGALLY (clearly drug dealers!!!) is going up in smoke because of legalization???? This is so amazingly absurd that it’s hard to believe it’s real. They cry when marijuana is illegal and now they are complaining that making it legal is too much of a hardship for them to follow... -
Cannabis Use during Pregnancy: Pharmacokinetics and Effects on Child Development.
Thursday, September 07, 2017 770Grant KS 1, Petroff R 2, Isoherranen N 3, Stella N 4, Burbacher TM 5. Abstract The broad-based legalization of cannabis use has created a strong need to understand its impact on human health and behavior. The risks that may be associated with cannabis use, particularly for sensitive subgroups such as pregnant women, are difficult to define because of a paucity of dose-response data and the recent increase in cannabis potency. Although there is a large body of evidence detailing the mode of... -
Marijuana Use Holds Three-Fold Blood Pressure Death Risk - The risk grows with every year of use.
Wednesday, August 16, 2017 782Kate Kelland LONDON (Reuters) - People who smoke marijuana have a three times greater risk of dying from hypertension, or high blood pressure, than those who have never used the drug, scientists said on Wednesday. The risk grows with every year of use, they said. The findings, from a study of some 1,200 people, could have implications in the United States among other countries. Several states have legalized marijuana and others are moving toward it. It is decriminalized in a number of other... -
Black Market WEED Smashing Environment Yet Again...
Friday, August 11, 2017 843Black Market WEED Smashing Environment Yet Again - Not so 'green' after all: Pollution from illegal California marijuana farms is forming toxic waste dumps that span thousands of acres (Remember – WEED is fully legal in this State!) In California, illegal marijuana farms are taking over thousands of acres of land as toxic wastes are increasingly corrupting ecosystems California is responsible for the majority of illegal U.S. marijuana farming New data says the state holds '731,000 pounds of... -
Marijuana devastated Colorado, don’t legalize it nationally
Tuesday, August 08, 2017 1062In 2012, we were promised funds from marijuana taxes would benefit our communities, particularly schools. Dr. Harry Bull, the Superintendent of Cherry Creek Schools, one of the largest school districts in the state, said, "So far, the only thing that the legalization of marijuana has brought to our schools has been marijuana." In fiscal year 2016, marijuana tax revenue resulted in $156,701,018. The total tax revenue for Colorado was $13,327,123,798, making marijuana only 1.18% of the state's... -
Colorado official: 'Marijuana is gateway drug to homicide'
Wednesday, August 02, 2017 761A Colorado district attorney drew attention this week after he pronounced marijuana to be a "gateway drug to homicide." The controversial remarks made by 4th Judicial District Attorney Dan May came at a news conference Tuesday about a large black market marijuana bust in the state, KKTV reported. Thirteen people have been indicted, Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman announced. For more Black market marijuana bust leaves bruises on Colorado's marijuana industry July 2017 Check out this... -
Cannabis use and suicidal ideation: Test of the utility of the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide
Wednesday, August 02, 2017 1032Abstract Despite a documented relationship between cannabis use and suicidality, little is known about psychological vulnerability factors that may increase suicidality among this high-risk group. The Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS; Joiner, 2005) proposes that people are vulnerable to wanting to die by suicide if they experience both perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Daily cannabis users may be especially vulnerable to these factors. The current study... -
Chronic depression in young teens tied to marijuana use later
Monday, July 31, 2017 779July 2017 Teens at risk for marijuana-use disorder - People with cannabis- or marijuana-use disorder often have symptoms of withdrawal when they stop using the substance. In some cases, it can take the form of a severe addiction . It has been suggested that 30 percent of marijuana users "may have some degree of marijuana-use disorder." The likelihood of developing marijuana-use disorder is four to seven times higher in people who start using the drug before the age of 18. Dependence on... -
Cannabis-Induced Psychosis: A Review
Sunday, July 23, 2017 1096July 14, 2017 | Substance Use Disorder , Addiction By Ruby S. Grewal, MD and Tony P. George, MD, FRCPC Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States, and trends show increasing use in the general population. As cannabis consumption rises, there has been significant emerging evidence for cannabis-related risks to health.1 Numerous lines of evidence suggest a correlation between cannabis consumption and a variety of psychiatric conditions, including cannabis-induced... -
“I feel like I've hit the bottom and have no idea what to do.”
Tuesday, July 18, 2017 845“I feel like I've hit the bottom and have no idea what to do.”: Supportive social networking on Reddit for individuals with a desire to quit cannabis use Shaina J. Sowles , M.P.H, Melissa J. Krauss , M.P.H, Lewam Gebremedhn & Patricia A. Cavazos-Rehg , Ph.D. Accepted 03 Feb 2017, Accepted author version posted online: 13 Jul 2017 Conclusions: This exploratory research highlights the potential of online communities as tools for individuals coping with addiction recovery, and future research... -
Marijuana use linked to poorer school performance, major new research reveals
Sunday, July 16, 2017 811Teenagers who smoke marijuana regularly achieve poorer grades at school and risk their chances of going to university, according to a major new scientific study. A longitudinal study of more than 26,400 pupils in Canada found those who started using marijuana at least once a month were around half as likely to achieve high grades as they were before taking up the habit, and were ultimately less likely to pursue university ambitions. Marijuana users were also four times more likely to skip... -
Marijuana use linked to greater psychosis risk in teens
Friday, July 14, 2017 666Published July 2017 By Honor Whiteman Researchers say that adolescents who increase their use of the drug may be more susceptible to psychotic-like episodes. Studies have long suggested a link between marijuana use and psychosis. New research sheds further light on this association, after finding that teenagers who increase their use of the drug are more likely to experience psychotic-like episodes…Compared with teenagers in the general population, the researchers found that teenagers who... -
Marijuana Lobby Admits Tobacco Industry Executives Pay-to-Play
Friday, July 07, 2017 7136/07/2017 “What do you want, what do you hate, what’s going to turn you off so I can’t ask you for money?” This was the question the nation’s top pot lobbyist recently posed to tobacco executives in Michigan, where his lobbying group has drafted language for a recreational marijuana legalization law and is now collecting signatures to place it on the state’s 2018 ballot. That Rob Kampia, Executive Director of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), went on-the-record to admit he asked this of... -
Marijuana legalisation in the United States: An Australian perspective
Thursday, July 06, 2017 937This paper reviews the US experience to identify any potential lessons or hazards likely to emerge. It outlines the regulatory requirements of different US states for managing medicinal and recreational marijuana use, and the costs and benefits of these measures. It also critically analyses the most common commercial for-profit production and distribution model and examines the implications of this approach in terms of individual, social and criminological outcomes. Download Article -
Legal cannabis laws impact teen use
Monday, July 03, 2017 761A new study by researchers at Dartmouth has found that adolescents living in medical marijuana states with a plethora of dispensaries are more likely to have tried new methods of cannabis use, such as edibles and vaping, at a younger age than those living in states with fewer dispensaries. The study will appear in the August issue of Drug and Alcohol Dependence. For more -
Teen cannabis use and illicit drug use in early adulthood linked
Friday, June 16, 2017 743One in 5 adolescents at risk of tobacco dependency, harmful alcohol consumption and illicit drug use Date: June 7, 2017 Source : University of Bristol Summary: Researchers have found regular and occasional cannabis use as a teen is associated with a greater risk of other illicit drug taking in early adulthood. The study also found cannabis use was associated with harmful drinking and smoking. For more -
Dose-related effects of delta-9-THC on emotional responses to acute psychosocial stress
Tuesday, June 06, 2017 815The University of Chicago, Department of Psychiatry Behavioral Neuroscience, 5841 S. Maryland Ave., MC3077, Chicago IL 60637, United States Present address: The University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, 1601 W. Taylor St., MC912, Chicago, Illinois 60612 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.03.030 Highlights •We assessed effects of delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in healthy volunteers. •THC produced nonlinear... -
Teenage rugby player cut off penis while high on skunk, says father who wants drug made Class A
Tuesday, June 06, 2017 12562 June 2017 The teenager's father is backing Lord Monson's call for skunk to be reclassified Credit:Matthew Fearn/PA wire Ateenage rugby player cut off his own penis and stabbed his mother while high on skunk, his father has revealed, as he called for the drug to be reclassified. The father, named only as Nick because he wants to remain anonymous as his son is rebuilding his life, is backing Lord Nicholas Monson's campaign to have skunk reclassified from a class B to a class A drug and for the... -
Marijuana may complicate tobacco cessation
Monday, June 05, 2017 81305/31/2017 Adults who have used tobacco and currently use marijuana are twice as likely as those who have never used marijuana to be continued tobacco users, according to a new study from the University of Washington School of Public Health. About 70 percent of adult marijuana users are also tobacco users, which may complicate tobacco cessation…“We do not yet know how the widespread legalization of marijuana for recreational or non-medical purposes will impact tobacco use and cessation,” said... -
Marijuana Violence and Law
Friday, May 26, 2017 1222Miller and Oberbarnscheidt, Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy 2017, S11:014 DOI: 10.4172/2155-6105.1000S11-014 Conclusion According to research studies, marijuana use causes aggressive behavior, causes or exacerbates psychosis and produce paranoias. Нese eوٴects have been illustrated through case studies of highly publicized incidents and heightened political profiles. Нese cases contain examples of repeated illustrations of aggression, psychosis and paranoia by marijuana users and... -
Dr Randall's letter exposes truth of pot legalization
Monday, May 22, 2017 847In 2012, Coloradans voted to pass Colorado Amendment 64 which led to the state-wide legalization of recreational marijuana beginning in January of 2014. Since then, the number of medical and recreational dispensaries in Colorado has grown to more than double the number of McDonald’s and Starbucks combined. While individual counties could and did choose to abstain from allowing recreational marijuana sales, my county, Pueblo, was one of many that embraced Amendment 64 and the projected benefits... -
Callous Disregard for Human Life in Pursuit of Profit and Getting Stoned
Monday, May 22, 2017 1087In Washington, a man high on marijuana killed policeman Jake Gutierrez. He was holding his 6-year-old daughter while in a standoff with multiple police that lasted 10 hours. The perpetrator claimed to be a sheriff named “Zeus.” Bruce Randall Johnson, 38, had been unravelling for weeks before police fired the shots that killed him. “A regular marijuana user, he’d been smoking more lately,” according to KIRO 7. The autopsy revealed: “Johnson’s body weighed in at a spindly 104 pounds. He had no... -
High employees mean higher costs when marijuana legalized, oil and gas CEOs warn
Friday, May 05, 2017 764CALGARY -- Oilpatch CEOs fear their costs will rise when the federal government passes recently introduced legislation to legalize recreational marijuana. The issue of drug use is closely watched in the industry, where workers tend to be young and hazards include long commutes to and from remote drilling sites, wells that produce poisonous or explosive gas and exposure to heavy machinery. Many oil and gas companies have strict bans on alcohol and drugs at work. Precision Drilling CEO Kevin... -
Cannabis and schizophrenia: New evidence unveiled
Friday, May 05, 2017 887"Our research demonstrates that cannabis has a differential risk on susceptible versus non-susceptible individuals. In other words, young people with a genetic susceptibility to schizophrenia - those who have psychiatric disorders in their families - should bear in mind that they're playing with fire if they smoke pot during adolescence." Dr. Barzilay For more -
'Ice corridors' mean one-third of Queensland children in protection have parent using meth
Thursday, April 27, 2017 1110BY KATHY MCLEISH APR 27, 2017 One-third of children who came into the care of the Queensland's Department of Child Safety in 2016 had parents who use or have used methamphetamines, most commonly ice, a new report has found. About 60 per cent of those 749 children suffered neglect, about a third were subjected to emotional harm, 11 per cent experienced physical harm and 1 per cent were sexually abused. Of the children with a parent who had used ice: 59pc were neglected 29pc experienced... -
Kicking Pot to the Curb: Cannabis and Alzheimer’s?
Wednesday, April 26, 2017 959“It is beyond epidemic proportions. There truly is a tidal wave of Alzheimers disease", says, Dr. Fortanasce. An estimated 200,000 people in the United States un rage 65 are living with younger onset Alzheimers disease. And hundreds of thousands more are coping with mild cognitive impairment, a precursor to Alzheimers and other dementia. Through his research, Dr. Vincent Fortanasce, a clinical professor of neurology in Southern California, believes that there may be a link between chronic use... -
Long-lasting alterations of hippocampal GABAergic neurotransmission in adult rats following perinatal Δ9-THC exposure.
Monday, April 24, 2017 908Abstract : The long-lasting effects of gestational cannabinoids exposure on the adult brain of the offspring are still controversial. It has already been shown that pre- or perinatal cannabinoids exposure induces learning and memory disruption in rat adult offspring, associated with permanent alterations of cortical glutamatergic neurotransmission and cognitive deficits. In the present study, the risk of long-term consequences induced by perinatal exposure to cannabinoids on rat hippocampal... -
Long lasting effects of chronic heavy cannabis abuse.
Monday, April 24, 2017 944Nestoros JN1, Vakonaki E2, Tzatzarakis MN2, Alegakis A2, Skondras MD3, Tsatsakis AM2. Author information Abstract BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent of short-term memory impairment and schizophrenia-like symptoms in heavy and systematic cannabis users and the association between the severity of abuse and the longevity of its persistent symptoms after refraining from such use. CONCLUSIONS: The existence of hallucinations, delusions, and organic brain... -
Cannabis Harms: Here’s the Science that proves it!
Tuesday, April 18, 2017 745Anandamide regulates how active neurons are, and how much neurotransmitter they release. This acts as a sort of ‘dimmer’ switch, slowing down communication between cells and keeping all the circulating chemicals on an even keel and in balance (homeostasis). Levels of the neurotransmitters, dopamine, serotonin, endorphins etc for pleasure, mood, appetite, motivation, body movement, cognition, concentration. memory, brain development etc are all kept in balance by anandamide. But THC is much... -
Study shows marijuana use interrupts adolescent brain development
Wednesday, April 12, 2017 995Regular marijuana use by teens can stop the brain from maturing. This new study is the first to establish a causal link between repeated cannabinoid exposure during adolescence and an interruption of the normal maturation processes in the prefrontal cortex, a region in the brain's frontal lobe, which regulates decision making and working memory and undergoes critical development during adolescence. Scientists at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL For more -
Cannabis use may predict opioid use in women undergoing addictions treatment March 29, 2017
Tuesday, April 04, 2017 711A new study suggests that the use of cannabis may impact treatment in women undergoing methadone treatment therapy. Researchers from McMaster University and St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton have found that women in methadone treatment who use cannabis are 82 per cent more likely to continue using opioids. This means that women who use cannabis are at high risk of failing methadone treatment. "About 60 per cent of men and 44 per cent of women who are undergoing methadone treatment therapy also... -
Eight of 16 people indicted in Colorado marijuana trafficking operation listed as having state pot licenses
Tuesday, April 04, 2017 877Michael Alan Stonehouse, the alleged ringleader, is listed as having an active “key” license (Legally allowed to sell ‘Weed’, but operating a Black Market operation? Surprise, surprise – now you have TWO markets, legal and illegal trafficking? Promise of the demise of criminal enterprise was ALWAYS a myth!) By JESSE PAUL | jpaul@denverpost.com | The Denver Post | UPDATED: March 25, 2017 at 5:31 pm Eight of the 16 people indicted on charges they ran a massive illicit marijuana operation that... -
Cannabis users 'are four times more likely to suffer a heart attack'
Thursday, March 23, 2017 885Scientists say users suffer more cardiac-related illness than those who do not smoke the drug Users in their late 20s were three times more likely to have a cardiac illness Most concerns over cannabis use are associated with mental health disorders Researchers in Ohio said users are tend to have higher blood pressures Read more -
Marijuana use may raise stroke, heart failure risk
Thursday, March 16, 2017 1045Written by Honor Whiteman Published: Friday 10 March 2017 In the United States, marijuana is becoming increasingly legalized for medicinal or recreational purposes. However, new research warns of the harms of marijuana use after finding that the drug may have negative implications for cardiovascular health. New research has found a link between marijuana use and greater cardiovascular risk. From an analysis of more than 20 million health records across the U.S., researchers have uncovered a... -
Experts ask: Can cannabis be made safer?
Friday, March 10, 2017 7502 March 2017 As cannabis laws become liberalised in many countries, experts writing in The Lancet Psychiatry argue that there is an urgent need to explore how cannabis use can be made safer. "Although most users will not develop problems from their cannabis use, it is vital, especially now that cannabis is becoming increasingly liberalised, that we explore alternative and innovative ways by which we can reduce and mitigate cannabis related harms" says Dr Amir Englund, lead author from King's... -
Longitudinal influence of alcohol and marijuana use on academic performance in college students
Thursday, March 09, 2017 994Abstract BACKGROUND : Alcohol and marijuana are the two most abused substances in US colleges. However, research on the combined influence (cross sectional or longitudinal) of these substances on academic performance is currently scant. METHODS : Data were derived from the longitudinal 2-year Brain and Alcohol Research in College Students (BARCS) study including 1142 freshman students who completed monthly marijuana use and alcohol consumption surveys. Subjects were classified into data-driven... -
Marijuana and Suicide:
Tuesday, March 07, 2017 900A Growing Risk for our Youth March 6, 2017 When Hamza Warsame fell six floors to his death in December, 2015, the social media was abuzz with suggestions of a hate crime against the Muslim teen. Warsame, an immigrant from Somalia, was living in Seattle and had been invited to the 21-year-old classmate’s apartment. Hamza Warsame. The 16-year-old killed himself after using only once, a reflection of the high potency of today’s pot. However, the news came out that Warsame had smoked marijuana for... -
Countering the Threat of Legalized Marijuana: A Blueprint for Federal, Community, and Private Action
Tuesday, February 28, 2017 850A more specific scenario has been presented by the economists of the RAND Corporation, who projected the impact of legalization on the state of California. Their analysis focused on marijuana consumption by Past Month users. The California Society of Addiction Medicine offers a summary of their findings, some of which are: Cannabis legalization would plausibly lead to a 58 percent increase in consumption Increased consumption would result from price reduction and removal of legal penalties.... -
Cannabis industry opposes call for plain packaging and bans on advertising
Friday, February 17, 2017 715LAURA KANE, THE CANADIAN PRESS 02.14.2017 VANCOUVER - Garfield Mahood has spent 30 years fighting for the Canadian government to require plain packaging for cigarettes. So, the long-time non-smokers' rights activist says he doesn't have much faith in the government's ability to regulate and restrict the marketing of marijuana. "They identified tobacco products as a cause of disease back in the 1950s," said Mahood, president of the Campaign for Justice on Tobacco Fraud. "They've never been able... -
Cannabis Treatment and Child Exploitation
Wednesday, February 01, 2017 866A new report by the Children’s Society on behalf of Public Health England highlights the relationship between sexual exploitation and drug use. Like their adult counterparts, young people in specialist drug treatment have a range of complex problems that extend beyond drug use. The latest treatment data from England reveal that 38% of young people (anyone under the age of 18) had at least 4 problems such as mental health, sexual exploitation or were affected by someone else’s drug use. So,... -
Cannabis use and its associated disorders: clinical care
Wednesday, February 01, 2017 909Jan Copeland December 2016 Source: Australian Family Physician : Link to Resource : Background Globally, cannabis is the most widely used and variably regulated illicit drug. The rates of use appeared to be stable in Australia at the time of the 2013 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, but levels of cannabis use disorder are rising and treatment seeking is increasing internationally. Objective/s This article describes the prevalence of cannabis use, associated disorders (e.g. harms with... -
Marijuana use dampens brain's response to reward over time
Wednesday, January 25, 2017 834Date: July 6, 2016 Source: University of Michigan Health System Summary : Changes may increase risk of continued drug use and addiction Most people would get a little 'rush' out of the idea that they're about to win some money. In fact, if you could look into their brain at that very moment, you'd see activity in the part of the brain that responds to rewards. But for marijuana users, that rush just isn't as big -- and gets smaller over time, a new study finds. And that may open them up to... -
Irish general practitioner attitudes toward decriminalisation and medical use of cannabis: results from a national survey
Monday, January 23, 2017 945DOI: 10.1186/s12954-016-0129-7 Published: 13 January 2017 Abstract Background - Governmental debate in Ireland on the de facto decriminalisation of cannabis and legalisation for medical use is ongoing. A cannabis-based medicinal product (Sativex®) has recently been granted market authorisation in Ireland. This unique study aimed to investigate Irish general practitioner (GP) attitudes toward decriminalisation of cannabis and assess levels of support for use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes... -
10 Marijuana Truths
Thursday, January 19, 2017 10821) It causes death. The most frequent types of deaths are suicide , murder, traffic fatalities and child abuse deaths. Just because toxic overdose is nearly impossible doesn’t mean that deaths don’t occur. BRAIN DAMAGE is quantitative too. A doctor from the Netherlands, Dr. Martien Kooyman , said chronic marijuana use is “ more dangerous than chronic heroin use .” 2) Marijuana is NOT safer than Alcohol. The percentage of adults age 21 and over who use marijuana in the U.S. is roughly between... -
Marijuana use and schizophrenia: New evidence suggests link
Friday, January 06, 2017 971Written by Yvette Brazier: Published 26 December 2016 A new study, published in Psychological Medicine, has added to the body of evidence pointing to a link between schizophrenia and the use of cannabis…Studies show that cannabis use is more common among people with psychosis than in the general population, and that it may also increase the risk of psychotic symptoms. Its use has been linked to symptoms of psychosis, such as paranoia and delusional thinking, in up to 40 percent of users. Read... -
Effects of Cannabis Use on Human Behavior, Including Cognition,Motivation, and Psychosis: A Review
Friday, December 23, 2016 1022Check out Article -
Inslee Seeks $300 Million in New Funding for Mental Health
Monday, December 19, 2016 914Governor 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? Legalizing marijuana is costly and has many victims, including those who fall into the... -
Could marijuana use increase vulnerability to Alzheimer's?
Wednesday, November 30, 2016 797Written by Honor Whiteman, 29 November 2016 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... -
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome
Tuesday, November 29, 2016 1543Galli 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... -
Marijuana Threat Assessment, Part One: Recent Evidence for Health Risks of Marijuana Use
Monday, November 28, 2016 922David W. Murray, Brian Blake & John P. Walters 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... -
Lessons Learned After 4 Years of Marijuana Legalisation in Colorado & Washington State
Monday, November 28, 2016 899Read Article -
How marijuana causes memory loss
Friday, November 18, 2016 1551Written by Honor Whiteman Published:12 November 2016 Researchers have long suggested marijuana can cause memory loss. Now, a new study provides insight on this association, revealing how cannabinoids in the drug activate receptors in the mitochondria of the brain's memory center to cause amnesia. Researchers have shed light on how cannabinoids affect the brain to cause memory loss. Study leader Dr. Giovanni Marsicano, of the University of Bordeaux in France, and team believe their findings -... -
Marijuana use may be linked to temporarily weakened heart muscle
Tuesday, November 15, 2016 846American Heart Association Meeting Report - Poster: S4054 - Session: HF.APS.P14 American Heart Association NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 13, 2016 -- Active marijuana use may double the risk of stress cardiomyopathy, an uncommon heart muscle malfunction that can mimic heart attack symptoms, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2016. The researchers found that marijuana users were almost twice as likely to develop stress cardiomyopathy compared to... -
Marijuana IQ Study Successfully Defended by Scientists - CADCA Jan 24, 2013
Friday, November 04, 2016 918A highly-publicized study finding that marijuana use is linked to a severe drop in IQ has been successfully defended by the scientific community overseas and in the United States, including the National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Dr. Nora Volkow. The original study, published last August in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Dr. Madeline Meier of Duke University, and colleagues, was the strongest evidence yet that teen use of cannabis could cause a drop in IQ.... -
Smoking marijuana regularly as a teen may lower IQ scores as an adult
Friday, November 04, 2016 1046By CBS News Staff (CBS/AP) Teens who smoke marijuana frequently are more likely to experience a long-term drop in their IQ, according to a new study. That could be a potential pitfall for millions of teens, given recent estimates show about one in 10 teens in grades nine through 12 smoke marijuana at least 20 times per month. The researchers however didn't find the same IQ dip for people who became frequent users of pot after 18, suggesting pot use is especially dangerous for the developing... -
Legalized Marijuana Boosts High School Dropout Rates
Friday, November 04, 2016 1218Fran Lowry October 20, 2016 Legalizing medical marijuana may have an adverse effect on educational attainment, new research shows. A study examining the impact of laws that legalize marijuana on educational attainment shows that states with these laws had an increase in the high-school dropout rate among 12th graders. In addition, among those who did graduate from high school, fewer went on to attend college or to graduate from college. The study was published online October 11 in Drug and... -
Marijuana Threat Assessment, Part One: Recent Evidence for Health Risks of Marijuana Use (Hudson Institute)
Thursday, November 03, 2016 795David W. Murray, Brian Blake & John P. Walters 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... -
A Public Health Framework for Legalized Retail Marijuana Based on the US Experience: Avoiding a New Tobacco Industry
Friday, October 28, 2016 1003Summary Points The US states that have legalized retail marijuana are using US alcohol policies as a model for regulating retail marijuana, which prioritizes business interests over public health. The history of major multinational corporations using aggressive marketing strategies to increase and sustain tobacco and alcohol use illustrates the risks of corporate domination of a legalized marijuana market. To protect public health, marijuana should be treated like tobacco, not as the US treats... -
Lessons Learned After 4 Years of Marijuana Legalisation(Colorado and Beyond)
Thursday, October 27, 2016 841Read Now -
Study adds to evidence that high strength cannabis is associated with an increased risk of becoming dependent
Wednesday, October 26, 2016 772October 22, 2016 New data presented at this year's International Early Psychosis Association (IEPA) meeting in Milan, Italy (20-22 October) adds to accumulating evidence that high-potency cannabis in associated with an increased risk of users becoming dependent on cannabis. The analysis is by Dr Tom Freeman at University College London, UK. Estimates suggest around 182 million people worldwide use cannabis each year, a number that could rise as legalisation of recreational use and/or medical... -
Colorado visitors are using pot and ending up in the ER
Wednesday, October 26, 2016 810Marijuana-related ER visits are on the rise in Colorado, especially among out-of-state visitors Experts say more education is needed for consumers at pot retailers Colorado legalized retail marijuana in 2012 and sales began in 2014 (CNN)Weed-related emergency room visits are on the rise in Colorado since voters approved the legalization of retail marijuana in 2012 and sales began in 2014. And these incidents are increasing more dramatically among out-of-state visitors, according to research... -
Colorado Physician talks candidly about legalised Cannabis Health Chaos
Tuesday, October 25, 2016 874View Video -
Marijuana is a hard drug, Dutch Doctor compares to Heroin
Wednesday, October 19, 2016 995A Growing Threat to Our Youth There are several reasons that marijuana should no longer be called a soft drug, which is misleading. The cannabis of today is undeniably a hard drug. Dr. Darryl Inaba, Director of an addictions recovery center in Medford, Oregon was recently interviewed on the science of marijuana addiction. He said: “As a clinician who has worked with those who experience medical, emotional and social problems from its use for the past 40 years, I am concerned about the life... -
Cannabis excess linked to bone thinning
Friday, October 14, 2016 1082People who regularly smoke large amounts of cannabis have reduced bone density and are more prone to fractures, research has found. The study also found that heavy cannabis users have a lower body weight and a reduced body mass index (BMI), which could contribute to thinning of their bones. “Our research has shown that heavy users of cannabis have quite a large reduction in bone density compared with non-users and there is a real concern that this may put them at increased risk of developing... -
Marijuana use trajectories during college predict health outcomes nine years post-matriculation
Thursday, October 13, 2016 927The University of Maryland’s Center on Young Adult Health and Development released a paper from their ongoing College Life Study. This study followed 1,253 students for 10 years, beginning in their first year of college. Students were assessed annually on their marijuana use and 9 health outcomes including functional impairment due to injury and psychological distress, and physical health service utilization. The study found that students who did not use marijuana had better outcomes than... -
Heavy Marijuana Use May Damage the Brain
Thursday, September 29, 2016 923Heavy marijuana use over a long period of time may severely damage the brain, according to a new review of previous research. "When we looked at the brain, it had horrible degenerative changes," said Dr. Suzanne M. de la Monte, a professor of neurosurgery at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, who co-authored the review and examined the man's brain after his death. For complete article -
Marijuana use rising as more people think it is safe
Thursday, September 08, 2016 861Written by Honor Whiteman Published: 1 September 2016 The perception of marijuana as a harmful drug has reduced among American adults, leading to an increase in its use, according to new research published in The Lancet Psychiatry. Researchers suggest a rise in marijuana use in the U.S. is down to a reduced perception that the drug is harmful. Study co-author Dr. Wilson M. Compton, of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and colleagues found that between 2002-2014, marijuana use among... -
Marijuana Tied to Persistent Subclinical Psychotic Symptoms in Teens
Friday, August 26, 2016 1010Megan Brooks August, 2016 Adolescent boys who regularly use marijuana are at increased risk of experiencing persistent, subclinical psychotic symptoms, particularly paranoia and hallucinations, even after they stop using the drug, a new study suggests. "Perhaps the most concerning finding is that the effect of prior weekly marijuana use persists even after adolescents have stopped using for 1 year," lead investigator Jordan Bechtold, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh... -
Legalized pot is making America’s lower class poorer and less responsible
Friday, August 26, 2016 889By Naomi Schaefer Riley August 20, 2016 | 5:35pm Pot for the poor! That could be the new slogan of marijuana legalization advocates. In 1996, California became the first state to legalize the use of medical marijuana. There are now 25 states that permit the use of marijuana, including four as well as the District of Columbia that permit it for purely recreational use. Colorado and Washington were the first to pass those laws in 2012. At least five states have measures on the ballot this fall... -
Study: Americans are using marijuana a lot more often, and poorer users are smoking the most Pot users profile closer to cigarette smokers than alcohol drinkers
Wednesday, August 17, 2016 780PUBLISHED: AUG 15, 2016 By Christopher Ingraham, The Washington Post A massive study published this month in the Journal of Drug Issues found that the proportion of marijuana users who smoke daily has rapidly grown, and that many of those frequent users are poor and lack a high-school diploma. Examining a decade of federal surveys of drug use conducted between 2002 and 2013, study authors Steven Davenport and Jonathan Caulkins paint one of the clearest pictures yet of the demographics of... -
A minute of second-hand marijuana smoke may damage blood vessels - American Heart Association Rapid Access Journal Report
Tuesday, August 16, 2016 777AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION DALLAS, July 27, 2016 -- Rats' blood vessels took at least three times longer to recover function after only a minute of breathing second-hand marijuana smoke, compared to recovery after a minute of breathing second-hand tobacco smoke, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. When rats inhaled second-hand marijuana smoke for one minute, their arteries... -
Smoking cannabis DOES dampen your emotions 'and increases the risk of addiction to ALL drugs'
Friday, July 08, 2016 1213Smoking cannabis affects the reward centre in a user's brain, scans show That is the region responsible for releasing 'pleasure' hormone dopamine In cannabis users, scans show less activity in the reward centre, so a smaller amount of dopamine is released That dampened, blunted emotional response means a marijuana smoker will need more of the drug to illicit the same reward - raising addiction risk By LIZZIE PARRY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM PUBLISHED: 07:21 EST, 7 July 2016 | UPDATED: 07:37 EST, 7 July... -
Marijuana, alcohol use may harm teens' mental health, academic outcomes
Thursday, July 07, 2016 911"Many youth tend to think that alcohol use has more consequences than marijuana use and therefore view marijuana use as safer than drinking. However, youth need to better understand the harms of marijuana use, such as the potential effect on their developing brain and how it can affect performance in both adolescence and adulthood." Elizabeth D'Amico For complete article -
Marijuana addiction is real: Overcoming the fall from the mellow high
Thursday, July 07, 2016 1035“It’s just so difficult… you wouldn’t know." Megha Varier | Wednesday, July 6, 2016 Being fired from his job in May was a wake-up call that permeated through the relaxed mellowness induced by the marijuana Devank was hooked to. “I realized I had to get my act together before it was too late,” Devank says. Devank smoked pot for the first time during a college fest at the age of 19, giving in to his friends’ cajoling. After that first time, it became a weekend affair, but soon, he was cutting... -
Do we need health warnings about cannabis and pregnancy?
Tuesday, July 05, 2016 925If you’re pregnant or planning to be, tobacco and alcohol are high on the list of things not to use. But do we need an equally loud message about avoiding cannabis too? Yes, say some Australian researchers who’ve linked cannabis smoking both before and during pregnancy to a higher risk of preterm birth – and possibly an increased risk of birth defects. It’s a message that should make would-be dads prick up their ears too. Some studies have already found a higher risk of health problems and... -
Marijuana Legalization Has Led To More Use And Addiction While Illegal Market Continues To Thrive
Wednesday, June 29, 2016 1411Author: Robert L. DuPont, M.D. It comes as no surprise that the prevalence of marijuana use has significantly increased over the last decade. With marijuana legal for recreational use in four states and the District of Columbia and for medical use in an additional 31 states, the public perception about marijuana has shifted, with more people reporting that they support legalization . However, there is little public awareness, and close to zero media attention, to the near-doubling of past year... -
Cannabis use during pregnancy may affect brain development in offspring
Wednesday, June 22, 2016 1000(putting new spin on the term ‘THICK as a BRICK’!) “Compared with unexposed children, those who were prenatally exposed to cannabis had a thicker prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain involved in complex cognition, decision-making, and working memory. Author of the study Dr. Hanan El Marroun, of Erasmus University Medical Center in The Netherlands, said: "this study is important because cannabis use during pregnancy is relatively common and we know very little about the potential... -
Colorado. Pot Director Tells Massachusetts - That State Revenue Gains 'Are A Myth'
Tuesday, June 21, 2016 1004BY MEGAN ARELLANO ON 06/12/2015 - Andrew Freedman, Colorado's director of marijuana coordination, said Thursday that most of the money from marijuana is going to the cost of legalization. “You do not legalize for taxation. It is a myth. You are not going to pave streets. You are not going to be able to pay teachers,” Andrew Freedman, director of Marijuana Coordination for Colorado, said on Boston Herald Radio yesterday. “The big red herring is the whole thing that the tax revenue will solve a... -
In Patients with Psychosis, Cannabis Use Is Associated with Adverse Clinical Outcomes
Tuesday, June 21, 2016 855The link between cannabis use and the development of psychosis is established. This systematic review and meta-analysis of 24 studies summarizes the evidence of the impact of cannabis use after the onset of psychosis (schizophrenia, schizoaffective, or bipolar if outcome was reported as number of psychotic episodes). Researchers compared the outcomes of those who continued using cannabis, those who stopped, and those who did not have cannabis use. Irrespective of the stage of the psychotic... -
Marijuana use may reduce dopamine in the brain
Friday, June 17, 2016 1234Written by Marie EllisPublished: Friday 15 April 2016 “Results showed that, compared with the control group, the marijuana users' striatum had lower dopamine release. There was also lower release in subregions that play a role in associative and sensorimotor learning, as well as in the globus pallidus.” For complete Article -
Australia needs to take marijuana addiction more seriously, experts say
Tuesday, June 14, 2016 1488THERE’S a secret addiction sweeping across Australia and we aren’t hearing about it. We all know the damaging effects of the monster drug ice and other hard narcotics, but what about the substances that are a little easier to get and widely spread? Marijuana is not something you often associate with the word “addiction” or consider it to be dangerous, but many people are hooked on the drug and it’s a problem experts say we need to take more seriously. A National Epidemiological Study of... -
Colorado prosecutor: Marijuana-related murders are skyrocketing
Friday, June 03, 2016 997According to the latest reports coming out of Colorado, marijuana is a major cause of homicides in the state, and the problem is only getting worse. Read More at Americian Thinker -
Cannabis and tolerance: acute drug impairment as a function of cannabis use history
Wednesday, June 01, 2016 1003“Executive function, impulse control, attention, psychomotor function and subjective intoxication were significantly worse after cannabis administration relative to placebo.” "Overall, the present study demonstrates that cannabis induced impairment does not depend on cannabis use history and indicates that tolerance to impairing effects of cannabis on neurocognitive function is generally absent in frequent users. These data confirm previous suspicions that neurocognitive impairments during... -
Marijuana use is associated with worse outcomes in symptom severity and violent behavior in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder.
Thursday, May 26, 2016 852Wilkinson ST1, Stefanovics E, Rosenheck RA. Abstract OBJECTIVE : An increasing number of states have approved posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana, although little evidence exists evaluating the effect of marijuana use in PTSD. We examined the association between marijuana use and PTSD symptom severity in a longitudinal, observational study. METHOD : From 1992 to 2011, veterans with DSM-III/-IV PTSD (N = 2,276) were admitted to specialized... -
Marijuana use in the immediate 5-year premorbid period is associated with increased risk of onset of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders.
Friday, May 13, 2016 1013Authors Kelley ME, Wan CR, Broussard B, Crisafio A, Cristofaro S, Johnson S, Reed TA, Amar P, Kaslow NJ, Walker EF, Compton MT. Abstract OBJECTIVES : Several studies suggest that adolescent marijuana use predicts earlier age at onset of schizophrenia, which is a crucial prognostic indicator. Yet, many investigations have not adequately established a clear temporal relationship between the use and onset. METHODS : We enrolled 247 first-episode psychosis patients from six psychiatric units and... -
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome.
Friday, May 13, 2016 1196Parekh JD, Wozniak SE, Khan K, Dutta SK. Abstract The antiemetic properties of marijuana are well known, but there is increasing evidence of its paradoxical hyperemetic effects on the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system, known as 'cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome' (CHS). We report a case of CHS encountered in our outpatient clinic. We also completed a review of the literature using PubMed in patients over 18 years of age with CHS. Understanding the diagnostic criteria and risk... -
Legalizing marijuana will increase our opiate epidemic
Friday, May 06, 2016 955By Heidi Heilman | March 3, 2016, 14:23 EDT We have, for some time, known that the more marijuana there is in our communities, the more opiate and heroin use rises. Now, brain science is beginning to explain why. Studies reveal that the cannabinoid-opioid systems of the brain are intimately connected. There is a functional interaction between the mu and Cb1 receptors of the brain and these receptors commonly exist together on brain cells. In the areas of the brain where cannabinoids bind,... -
Cannabis 'kills 30,000 a year'
Tuesday, May 03, 2016 1119by JENNY HOPE, Daily Mail More than 30,000 cannabis smokers could die every year, doctors warn today. Medical experts blame the Home Secretary for creating confusion about the risks posed by the drug - leading young people wrongly to believe it is harmless. They claim David Blunkett's decision to reclassify cannabis as a class C drug - putting it on a level with anabolic steroids and prescription painkillers - sent out the wrong message and played down the devastating health effects of its... -
Study Claims to Find First Two Deaths Caused by Marijuana
Tuesday, May 03, 2016 3404Cuts against many other studies that have showed pot doesn't have fatal health implications A recent German study claims to have documented the first known deaths resulting from marijuana use. While researchers studied 15 people whose deaths were allegedly linked to marijuana use, 13 of those deaths were confirmed to be caused by other factors. Researchers said, however, that the drug was to blame in two isolated cases of two seemingly healthy people, one 23 years old and another 28. Autopsies... -
Marijuana Use: Detrimental to Youth
Wednesday, November 18, 2015 1423American College of Pediatricians – September 2015 ABSTRACT : Although increasing legalization of marijuana has contributed to the growing belief that marijuana is harmless, research documents the risks of its use by youth are grave. Marijuana is addicting, has adverse effects upon the adolescent brain, is a risk for both cardio-respiratory disease and testicular cancer, and is associated with both psychiatric illness and negative social outcomes. Evidence indicates limited legalization of...
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World Federation Against Drugs
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.
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Institute for Behavior and Health
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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Drug Free Australia
Drug Free Australia Website.
Drug Free Australia is a peak body, representing organizations and individuals who value the health and wellbeing of our nation...
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Drug Advisory Council of Australia (D.A.C.A)
Drug Advisory Council of Australia (D.A.C.A) Dalgarno Institute is an executive member of this peak body. For updates on current illicit drug issues.
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International Task Force on Strategic Drug Policy
(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.
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Smart Approaches to Marijuana
Smart Approaches to Marijuana. SAM's leaders are among the world's most prominent voices calling for science-based marijuana education and awareness.
21 Be There
There isn’t merely data sharing - it isn't about promoting a 'one dimensional' legislative solution to a complex problem
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Drug Free Futures
Drug Policy Futures believes in engaging in an open dialogue about the strengths and weaknesses of global drug policies...
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Action Alcohol
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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Rivermend Health
RiverMend Health is a premier provider of scientifically driven, specialty behavioral health services to those suffering from alcohol and drug dependency, dual disorders, eating disorders, obesity and chronic pain.
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Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center
SAMHSA is committed to improving prevention, treatment, and recovery support services for mental and substance use disorders.
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SAMHSA
SAMHSA is committed to improving prevention, treatment, and recovery support services for mental and substance use disorders.
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