New study casts doubt on “cannabis-induced psychosis” claims, pot doesn’t cause schizophrenia
Monday, November 10th, 2008 at 2:43 pm | By: Radical Russ
Pot-induced psychosis may signal schizophrenia
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – People who have long-lasting psychotic episodes after smoking marijuana may be exhibiting early signs of schizophrenia, researchers reported Monday in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
“Cannabis-induced psychosis,” in which a person loses touch with reality and the symptoms persist for at least 48 hours, is an established psychiatric diagnosis, but it is controversial, Dr. Mikkel Arendt of Aarhus University in Risskov, Denmark, and colleagues note in their report.
In a previous study, Arendt and colleagues found that nearly half of people who had an episode of cannabis-induced psychosis went on to develop schizophrenia within the next six years. In the current study, the researchers looked at the genetic roots of both conditions by comparing the family histories of 609 people treated for cannabis-induced psychosis and 6,476 who had been treated for schizophrenia or a related psychiatric condition.
They found that individuals treated for post-pot smoking psychotic episodes had the same likelihood of having a mother, sister or other “first-degree” relative with schizophrenia as did the individuals who had actually been treated for schizophrenia themselves. This suggests that cannabis-induced psychosis and schizophrenia are one and the same, the researchers note. “These people would have developed schizophrenia whether or not they used cannabis,” Arendt explained in comments to Reuters Health.
Based on the findings, the researcher says, “cannabis-induced psychosis is probably not a valid diagnosis. It should be considered schizophrenia.”
Even as we’ve complained that no data show that cannabis use causes schizophrenia, we’ve been told that for those who are genetically predisposed to schizophrenia, there seems to be a correlation between cannabis use and onset of psychotic symptoms. So while it may not be psychologically dangerous for most of us, there is that 1% minority that would be harmed, so we have to ban it for everyone.
But this report counteracts even that claim. In the conclusion of the report, the study authors note, “The degree of hereditary predisposition in individuals who receive treatment of cannabis-induced psychosis closely mirrors that in those who develop schizophrenia with no history of cannabis induced psychosis.” This seems to tell us that when you take a look at a group of schizophrenics, whether they smoked pot of not, they still had the same genetic chances of becoming schizophrenics – the pot use didn’t matter!
Schizophrenia is rare and it comes on slowly for some. This “cannabis-induced psychosis” is really just people in the beginning stages of schizophrenia who happen to smoke pot, and the pot is getting blamed. It would be as valid to say the schizophrenic having an episode in a Krispy Kreme shop was suffering from “donut-induced psychosis”.
Topics: Denmark, schizophrenia
Funny some schizophrenics are helped with the use of Cannabis, some it has no effect and some it has a negitave effect.
Cannabis for me has had nothing but positive results in my life. Now that I vaporize weed, I don’t have the negitive aspect of the smoke entering my lungs and I don’t spit up black crap from my lungs any more and it is twice efficient to vaporize than to smoke it. So now every time I buy a bag of weed it is like buying 2 bags of weed. My vaporizer payed fot its self with the first OZ of weed purchased.
Cannabis induced schizophrenia. Another prohibitionist argument bits the dust.
So to try to explain to those who do not know about cannabis induced psychosis. I will explain from personal experience to anyone who will listen. I do have a mental illness, bipolar disorder not schizophrenia, that was diagnosed BEFORE I ever experimented with marijuana. When I was under the influence of marijuana I had a VERY sevier psychotic episode that was extremely dangerous. It was the most horrible thing I have ever experienced. I have never felt that way in my life and I just wanted it to be over. Like I said it is a very dangerous state for someone to be in, it is probably a schizophrenic or psychotic state of mind. This is the main reason it should NOT be legalized for recreational use. The studies are done by SCIENTISTS and they are real. Just because people want something does not mean it is safe or good for it to be easy access for everyone. The legalization of marijuana could lead to unsatisfactory outcomes. I do lead a normal and productive life with my mental illness that was diagnosed 12 years ago. Not everyone with mental illness just shrivels into a pile worthless matter.
So what you are saying here is that YOU, should not use cannabis as an intoxicant/euphorant.
That is all that your case, or any other of “pot induced schizophrenia” says… period.
Just because it can be legalized and regulated does not mean that you, or anyone else, would be forced to use it.
In fact, under a properly regulated distribution system, your medicinal/recreational cannabis seller would likely have to give you, as a purchaser/user, information regarding all possible primary and side effects, including contra-indications for conditions such as yours.
It’s a fact, my kids, and yours, all of us, would be FAR safer under legal regulation than we are now under the unregulated free for all of the black market.
Alcohol causes plenty of psychological problems for plenty more people than cannabis, not to mention being liver toxic and generally detrimental to health in large doses, yet it is legal and regulated.
So why can’t you trust adults, given valid and factual information, to make their own decisions regarding what substances they imbibe?
Could it be that under legalization you might not be able to trust YOURSELF to “Stay off the GRASS”?
Fair enough. I wouldn’t use it again no matter what. I was just pointing out that for some people the first time, or first few times they use marijuana that it can cause a psychotic/schitzophrenic episode and this may not occur if it wasn’t so readily available. If it does become legal hopefully those people will not continue to use it. Me being amongst that group of people, I can’t imagine they would want to.
I should also say that I am sorry that cannabis had a deliterious effect for your psychological condition, and that in a regulated market this would have been less likely to have happened to you. I certainly don’t view you or anyone else with mental illness as any less deserving of happiness, success, and health than those who DO benefit from cannabis as a medicine, or a recreational drug.
The unregulated market is what funds the gangs and the cartels, and keeps this multi-billion dollar subset of our economy from providing benefit to all through taxation similar to what alcohol and tobacco, whether or not they personally choose to use cannabis.
This doesn’t even count the costs of conducting a totally ineffective multi-billion dollar a year campaign against the personal, recreational/medicinal use of non-pharmaceutical, non-alcoholic, tobacco free drugs by responsible adults, or the costs of housing all of those prosecuted and convicted in our prisons, or supporting their dependents through increased ue of social services.
I hope that you continue to have success in living with your condition, and that you are someday able to see that legalization will be best for all of us, whether we use cannabis or not.
I understand your point of view and it is valid. It gives me a different way to look at it. Thank you.
Hey men,no offense or anyting,but I dont think your at the position whether you can determine if Marijuana should be legal or not.I mean you have already have a mentall illness.Dont think im a supporter of Canabis,but Marijuana has difrent afects in diffrent people.
[...] whether or not they used cannabis,? Arendt explained in comments to Reuters Health. New study casts doubt on “cannabis-induced psychosis” claims, pot doesn’t cause sc… __________________ "We are thinking clearly, yet not thinking at all…" Have a [...]
[...] exacerbate the symptoms, but there is no causal relationship between cannabis and schizophrenia. New study casts doubt on "cannabis induced psychosis" claims, pot doesn’t cause schizophre… __________________ stay stoned Thinking of trying DXM? Read [...]
[...] you should get yourself to a doctor. GC isn’t really the best place to ask for medical advice. NORML- New study casts doubt on cannabis induced psychosis claims __________________ stay stoned Last edited by stoner_lukas; 03-15-2009 at 10:49 [...]
Pot actually did these people a favor. Now they now they’re at risk for developing schizophrenia. They have time to re-adjust their life and priorities, as well as themselves become activists for helping research into schizophrenia.
[...] I hope that the next surgeon general has been following the research on cannabis and mental health since 2002. This year, Dr. Mikkel Arendt of Aarhus University in Risskov, Denmark, said that people treated for a so-called cannabis-induced psychosis “…would have developed schizophrenia whether or not they used cannabis.” [...]
[...] I hope that the next surgeon general has been following the research on cannabis and mental health since 2002. This year, Dr. Mikkel Arendt of Aarhus University in Risskov, Denmark, said that people treated for a so-called cannabis-induced psychosis “…would have developed schizophrenia whether or not they used cannabis.” [...]
[...] to schizophrenia may be more likely to smoke cannabis or to find it helpful). Some research even suggests that there is no link and that people diagnosed with “cannabis-induced psychosis” would have developed the [...]
[...] in Risskov, Denmark, said that people treated for a so-called cannabis-induced psychosis "?would have developed schizophrenia whether or not they used cannabis." I hope that Gupta has kept up with the journal Schizophrenia Research and the research [...]
[...] I hope that the next surgeon general has been following the research on cannabis and mental health since 2002. This year, Dr. Mikkel Arendt of Aarhus University in Risskov, Denmark, said that people treated for a so-called cannabis-induced psychosis “…would have developed schizophrenia whether or not they used cannabis.” [...]
[...] in Risskov, Denmark, said that people treated for a so-called cannabis-induced psychosis "?would have developed schizophrenia whether or not they used cannabis." I hope that Gupta has kept up with the journal Schizophrenia Research and the research [...]
[...] I hope that the next surgeon general has been following the research on cannabis and mental health since 2002. This year, Dr. Mikkel Arendt of Aarhus University in Risskov, Denmark, said that people treated for a so-called cannabis-induced psychosis “…would have developed schizophrenia whether or not they used cannabis.” [...]
I don’t know about these Grasscity Forums.
Reciently I joined their forum and was banned the same day.
I posted a few things promoting the Change.gov voteing. I recieved a ton of replies thanking me for bringing it to their attn. others bragged that they had indeed voted some over 100 times.
I felt I had done a good thing,I was getting the word out to more people.
Later that day I started to recieve replies with fowl language calling me a spammer.
Next, Banned for life.
I sent them an e-mail explaining my side of things,mabee things will change.
Until then I can not support Grasscity.
JUST MY OPINION
[...] back up and I have my journal access reinstated, I’ll post the article up in it’s entirety. New study casts doubt on cannabis induced psychosis __________________ stay stoned Last edited by stoner_lukas; Today at 03:14 AM. Reason: [...]