Pot Use in Youth Ups Risk of Psychotic Symptoms in Later Life

After smoking daily for 18 years, I have started to become "paranoid" or "agitated" more often while stoned. Being concious of this at the time of "stoning" I have come to the conclusion that particular strain of cannabis and increased thc level in those strains and less availibility if lower thc / higher cbd strains have lead to these symptoms. Potent "Indica" strains certainly have more of an uncomfortable effect on my psyche than light sativa strains. These sativas have been systematically hybridized with Indicas to produce a more marketable product.This was also found during alcohol prohibition where "bathtub gin" and adulteration of distilled spirits was commonplace.

Purely anecdotal experience, but the more I ask old timers about the change in WHAT they have been smoking the more I see a correlation. Used to be primarily Mexican Sativa Commercial "brickweed" and now its wholloping couch potato Indicas. I submit that the shift in thc and other chemicals found in strains bred for potentcy may agrivate those persons already predisposed to psycho-disorders. For these folks I sugest a high mountain Ruderalis Sativa.

Fairuse of HI 1:46AM March 03, 2011

Despite the fact every major government commission on marijuana has concluded it is less "addictive" than coffee and FAR less harmful than alcohol, the marijuana-prohibition-industrial-complex hangs onto their golden goose with a death grip.

Even trying to revive Reefer Madness. Even if this study does turn out to have some significance (others here have done a good job debunking it) - childhood alcohol use would cause FAR WORSE mental AND physical problems.

This is a straw-man argument. NO ONE in marijuana reform has suggested marijuana be consumed by minors. In fact, it is the fraudulent marijuana prohibition that PUTS marijuana into childrens' hands - in the schools and on the playgrounds. Legal, licensed vendors won't sell to minors.

As the DEA's own administrative law judge, Francis Young, concluded after an exhaustive review of the evidence: "Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man."

Thank goodness, California, and a few other states will re-legalize marijuana next year at the polls. It's WAY past time to end this persecution of millions of good Americans!

John Thomas of CA 4:09PM March 02, 2011

This is a lousy study and the researchers and media should be ashamed for using the results to promote an anti-pot agenda:

I love how the researchers adjusted for other risk factors "such as age, sex, socioeconomic status, other drug use and other psychiatric diagnoses."

BUT THEN STATE: "We are identifying so many risk factors, the genetics, the child abuse, the complexity of an urban environment"

Somehow we persistently zero in on pot when there are "so many risk factors."

Of course, the research is BS so these university "scientists", working under a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, include a disclaimer so they can live with themselves:

"The researchers did caution about several possible limitations, however, including self-reported data and the lack of direct adjustment for a family history of psychosis."

People do not become psychotic overnight. It's a gradual process. Subtle symptoms appear first and there is no way for science to determine when this onset occurs. Later down the line your friends and family may see that you are acting strangely before you even realize it, which makes self-reported data greatly suspect. But these symptoms can no doubt motivate people to try marijuana after seeing and hearing about the good experiences others had with the substance.

Charles of TX 11:11AM March 02, 2011