New studies prove that brit study claiming weed/schizophrenia link was full of shit

[Bill]

Like anybody who follows such things couldn't see the ridiculous methodological flaws in that idiotic politically-motivated piece of crap a mile away...

http://ow.ly/goVD

The time-honored notion of reefer madness, given new life recently in the British tabloid press, has taken another hit from reality. Widespread marijuana use by the public has not been followed by a proportional rise in diagnoses of schizophrenia or psychosis, according to the findings of a forthcoming study to be published in the scientific journal Schizophrenia Research.


It stands to reason, after all: If marijuana really led to psychosis, wouldn't the streets be choked with burned-out, gibbering potheads?

---

Amidst a spate of breathless tabloid hysteria hyping the supposed dire threat from "Skunk," a potent pot strain, British lawmakers last year stiffened cannabis laws in the U.K. A team of researchers had fanned the flames in the July 28, 2007 issue of prestigious scientific journal The Lancet, proclaiming that smoking marijuana could boost one's risk of a "psychotic episode" by 40 percent or more.


In one fell swoop marijuana possession was reclassified from a verbal warning to a criminal offense punishable by up to five years in prison. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, ex-Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, and others cited the supposed 'pot-schizophrenia link' as a major reason for the giant step backward.


For the new study, British investigators at Keele University Medical School compared trends in cannabis use and instances of schizophrenia in the United Kingdom from 1996 to 2005. The research showed that even as marijuana use soared among the general population, "incidence and prevalence of schizophrenia and psychoses were either stable or declining" during this period.


The authors concluded that an expected rise in diagnoses of schizophrenia and psychoses did not occur over the decade under study. "This study does not therefore support the ... link between cannabis use and incidence of psychotic disorders," the study concludes, adding "This concurs with other reports indicating that increases in population cannabis use have not been followed by increases in psychotic incidence."

[SheepGuy]

I agree totally, and I do too.

[Cleo]

I've got the munchies...

[Torn Rose]

What?

[RedCherry]

I used to smoke back in the 80s in Hawaii. When I quit, then went to the eye dr, he asked if I had changed anything. I asked why? He said the pressure went up in my eyes like 15 points. When I told him I stopped smoking pot, he said you might want to start again.

[Useless]

I have two cousins (brothers, 38 and 40-something years-old) who are schizophrenic, both living at home with their mother, both big time potheads. Marijuana is what they use to self-medicate, not the cause of their mental illness. (I point at their mother as the cause. )

[RedCherry]

Originally Posted by Useless Warrior

I have two cousins (brothers, 38 and 40-something years-old) who are schizophrenic, both living at home with their mother, both big time potheads. Marijuana is what they use to self-medicate, not the cause of their mental illness. (I point at their mother as the cause. )

I worked with a guy that got cancer at 25, that smoked while going through chemo. Never missed a day of work, wasn't sick, and other than losing his hair, you'd never know he went through chemo.

Another woman was dealing with cancer at the same time, didn't smoke, and missed all kinds of work. It even seems to help prevent and/or treat some forms of cancer.

Why they don't legalize it, is beyond me.

[stuveltje]

i notice my sisters inlaws and my brother inlaw only got more nuts when they smoke pot, heay they grow it themselfs too, i only smoked pot twice in my life ( i had to try it ones in my life!) and that was with the age of 21 when i was living on my own, and still i was scared to dead that my parents would found out...because they would kill me, adult or not. my sister inlaws use pot when she has to clean alot, my brother inlaw well, he use pot and sniff or whatever he can to get high, i dont use pot, i think it isnt special and thats the message i give my kids too...pot isnt needed to relax or whatever..for real i am scared to dead my kids will use it, specially because its legal here.

[Cleo]

Wow, look at the time, it's already 4:20.

[stuveltje]

Originally Posted by Cleo

Wow, look at the time, it's already 4:20.

well in my country time isnt important, you can get pot here 24 hours a day

[hashbury]

Originally Posted by Cleo

Wow, look at the time, it's already 4:20.

I have an hout till 4:20

[Useless]

Originally Posted by hashbury

I have an hout till 4:20

I've never smoked pot, but even I get pot culture jokes. Cleo posted that it was 4:20 when it was 11:37 her time.

[hashbury]

Originally Posted by Useless Warrior

I've never smoked pot, but even I get pot culture jokes. Cleo posted that it was 4:20 when it was 11:37 her time.

Well, Thats what happens when you smoke a lot of pot, You tend to miss the punchline.

[Torn Rose]

What?

[RedCherry]

Originally Posted by Cleo

Wow, look at the time, it's already 4:20.

Down the road from us, there is an abandoned shed that has 4:20 on it. I had no idea what that meant, until Jim explained it a few weeks ago. I was around pot for 18 years in Hawaii, and never heard the saying.

[Cleo]

Originally Posted by RedCherry

Down the road from us, there is an abandoned shed that has 4:20 on it. I had no idea what that meant, until Jim explained it a few weeks ago. I was around pot for 18 years in Hawaii, and never heard the saying.

I'm slowing getting ready to go to the gym so it is already 4:20 my time.

Oddly last night as we were walking along the beach looking at the full moon over the water I realized that it must be 4:20 again but unfortunately had left my time at home.

I guess the clocks in my world must be all broken because it's 4:20 a lot here.

[Toker]

I've been around here 6 years and this is only my 3rd post??

Pot, What's that???

[Ms Naughty]

Well, I didn't know the 4:20 thing, you learn something new every day.

After having space cakes in Amsterdam last year I have empirical proof that pot makes you go to live sex shows and then crash your rental bike into a bridge the next day.