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[NORML News of the Week 9/18/04]

NORMEL E-Zine
Volume 7
Issue 36
September 18, 2004

* WARNING - there is a fake website with the name of  NORML that is
collecting money and personal information that is in NO way connected with
NORML.  We believe this site is operated by criminal individuals, and we
believe that they also sell the information to the government, and spammers.
We have received numerous complaints, and believe that the responcable group
is in Russia.

The NORML E-Zine is a free weekly compilation of major news items regarding
marijuana hazards. Text of archived stories is available on NORML's website,
with a picture of our 34 year old leader Allen St. Pierre:
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/cpress/20040204/capt.2020404au.jpg

Donate today to NORML's long-standing efforts to educate people on the
dangers of Pot use!
http://www.screenagercentral.com/summit/right_angle/

Sign up for NORML's monthly pledge program today, and know the health risks!
http://www.skincareindia.com/index-cid-19-pid-1960.html


A full 90% of all Business require drug testing now and  will not hire
stoners because of increased "problems", medical behavioral, physiological,
lack of work, and disruption in the workplace.

Gay and Lesbian Support NORML.  Since Cannabis use causes suppression of
testosterone, it causes male Breast growth on young men, typically tripling
in size or more, and also the repression of male-female sexual function.
This leads to the conclusion that with daily Cannabis use over long periods,
straights become chemically more like gays and slowly change to being gay.
Because of this, Cannabis use is happily recommended by most Gay and Lesbian
Organizations and they also fully support NAMBLA, an organization for free
sexual expression. Check it out, they support cannabis use it is on their
website,
http://216.220.97.17/   and   http://www.nambla.org


The News:

Existence of cannabis psychosis, the link between cannabis and depression:

http://www.trappedminds.org/content/view/75/2/

Tuesday, 31 August 2004, 2:38 pm
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0408/S00550.htm

http://www.mh.org.au/MentalHealth/MHTDU/Cannabis_conf.htm

http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14808.shtml

http://www.dutch-passion.nl/news/2001/February/UK-%20Cannabis%20Link%20With%20Mental%20Illness

http://www.news-medical.net/print_article.asp?id=4090


Cannabis link to depression and schizophrenia.

Frequent cannabis use triggers depression, a study finds.
Researchers have also found further evidence the drug can significantly
increase the risk of schizophrenia.

The risks are outlined in three papers in the latest issue of the British
Medical Journal. Researchers say their findings highlight the need for
measures to reduce frequent and heavy use of cannabis. The first paper, by
doctors in Australia, found frequent cannabis use among teenage girls in
particular can trigger depression. Their seven-year study of 1,600 teenage
girls found girls who used the drug everyday were five times more likely to
become depressed and suffer from anxiety compared to those who did not use
the drug.

Those who used the drug at least once every week were twice as likely to
develop depression compared to non-users.
A second study, by doctors in Sweden, confirmed previous research suggesting
that cannabis can increase the risk of developing depression.  Their study
of more than 50,000 men found those who had smoked the drug in the late
1960s were 30% more likely to have developed schizophrenia.  The authors
said their results suggested that as many as one in eight cases of
schizophrenia in the UK could be prevented by stopping people from using
cannabis.  The third study, by British scientists, suggests the risks of
developing schizophrenia are highest for those people who use the drug when
they are a teenager.
Their study of more than 1,000 people in their early twenties in New Zealand
suggested that one in 10 people who used cannabis as a teenager have since
been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

All of the researchers said the ill-effects were linked to cannabis and not
to any other drugs.  They also said there was little evidence to suggest
that occasional use of cannabis had a similar effect. Further research  In
an accompanying editorial Joseph Rey, professor of child and adolescent
psychiatry at the University of Sydney, said the studies backed up previous
research.

"These findings strengthen the argument that use of cannabis increases the
risk of schizophrenia and depression."

But he added that further research is needed.  "Whether the use of cannabis
triggers the onset of schizophrenia or depression in otherwise vulnerable
people or whether it actually causes these conditions in non-predisposed
people is not yet resolved."
Education campaign  The UK charity Rethink, formerly the National
Schizophrenia Fellowship, said the findings highlighted the need for a
public education campaign on the risks of using cannabis.  Cliff Prior, its
chief executive, said: "The research highlights how cannabis can be one of
the triggers for severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia and depression.
"It shows why it is so important that more work of this kind is done so that
people with severe mental illness can have the best chance of recovering a
meaningful quality of life."  He added: "Cannabis is not a risk-free drug.
The public needs to understand the potential dangers of triggering mental
illness." Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of mental health charity SANE,
added: "The most worrying revelation of these studies is not just the
immediate triggering of hallucinations but that cannabis can lead to
psychotic symptoms and depression in later life."
Source link : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2498493.stm

23:01 21 November 02, 2003


Editorials
Cannabis and mental health
More evidence establishes clear link between use of cannabis and psychiatric
illness
Papers pp 1195, 1199, 1212
In the 1990s the use of cannabis increased much among young people so that
it is now becoming more common than tobacco smoking in some countries.1-2
The ready availability of the drug, the increasing social disapproval of
cigarette smoking, stern drink driving laws, and perceptions that cannabis
is safe or less harmful than cigarettes or alcohol may explain these
changes. The increase in use is of concern because cannabis may be a gateway
to other drugs,3 and it may cause psychiatric illnesses. The link between
cannabis and psychosis is well established, and recent studies have found a
link between use of marijuana and depression.4-7 Does cannabis cause these
conditions, or do patients use cannabis to relieve their distress?

The explanation most accepted is that cannabis triggers the onset or relapse
of schizophrenia in predisposed people and also exacerbates the symptoms
generally. 4 5 Establishing direction of causality is difficult and is most
appropriately assessed in non-clinical samples, but a low incidence of the
illness and the fact that most drug users take other drugs in addition to
cannabis create methodological problems and explain the dearth of reliable
evidence.

The study often quoted in support of the causal hypothesis examined the
incidence of schizophrenia in more than 50 000 Swedish conscripts followed
up for 15 years.8 It showed that use of marijuana during adolescence
increased the risk of schizophrenia in a dose-response relation. Questions
have, however, remained about the validity of the diagnosis, the possible
causal role of other drugs, and prodromal symptoms of schizophrenia that
might have led to the use of cannabis, rather than cannabis triggering the
psychosis. 4 5

A longer follow up and reanalysis of this cohort published in this issue (p
1199) confirms the earlier findings and clarifies that cannabis, and not
other drugs, is associated with later schizophrenia and that this is not
explained by prodromal symptoms.9 In a similar vein, a three year follow up
of a Dutch cohort of 4045 people free of psychosis and 59 with a baseline
diagnosis of psychotic disorder showed a strong association between use of
cannabis and psychosis.10 Length of exposure to use of cannabis predicted
the severity of the psychosis, which likewise was not explained by use of
other drugs. Participants who showed psychotic symptoms at baseline and used
cannabis had a worse outcome, which also implies an additive effect. In a
New Zealand cohort, individuals who had used cannabis three times or more by
age 15 or 18 were not more likely to have schizophreniform disorder at age
26 (p 1212), although they showed an increase in "schizophrenia symptoms"
(but not schizophrenia).11 The meaning of "schizophrenia symptoms" requires
clarification to interpret these results.

The evidence in relation to depression is growing. A 15 year follow up of an
adult community sample of 1920 participants in the United States showed that
use of cannabis increased the risk of major depression at follow up
fourfold.7 Use of cannabis was specifically associated with an increase in
suicidal ideation and anhedonia. Similar findings in an Australian study
reported in this issue (p 1195) show a dose-effect relation between the use
of cannabis and anxiety or depression in a large cohort of 14-15 year olds
followed for seven years.12 This is reflected in higher rates of anxiety or
depression according to the frequency with which cannabis was used. The link
is stronger for young women than young men in this cohort, although sex
differences have not been found in other studies. 6 7 Baseline depression
did not predict later marijuana use in either study and therefore does not
support the self medication hypothesis. The study in the New Zealand cohort
did not find an association between cannabis use at age 15 and depressive
disorder at age 26. The authors found, however, that young people who had
used cannabis three times or more by age 18 were more likely to have a
depressive disorder at age 26, even after use of other drugs was controlled
for.

Although the number of studies is small, these findings strengthen the
argument that use of cannabis increases the risk of schizophrenia and
depression, and they provide little support for the belief that the
association between marijuana use and mental health problems is largely due
to self medication. Whether the use of cannabis triggers the onset of
schizophrenia or depression in otherwise vulnerable people or whether it
actually causes these conditions in non-predisposed people is not yet
resolved. Further, it cannot be assumed that mechanisms are the same for
both conditions (cannabinoids have effects on a variety of neurotransmitter
systems) or at different developmental stages. For example, although
evidence shows that mental disorder leads to the use of cannabis among
adolescents, the reverse seems true in early adulthood.13

The shown dose-response relation for both schizophrenia and depression
highlights the importance of reducing the use of cannabis in people who use
it. It was estimated that lack of exposure to cannabis would have reduced
the incidence of psychosis requiring treatment by as much as 50% in the
Dutch cohort,10 and is similarly reflected in the Swedish cohort, showing
that the use of cannabis increased the risk of schizophrenia by 30%.9 This
large effect is surprising and not yet reflected in an increased incidence
of schizophrenia in the population. If true, the use of cannabis will
contribute to more episodes or new cases of the illnessfood for thought for
both clinicians and legislators.

Joseph M Rey, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry.
University of Sydney, Coral Tree Family Service, PO Box 142, North Ryde, NSW
1670, Australia (jrey@doh.health.nsw.gov.au )

Christopher C Tennant, professor of psychiatry.
University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonard's, NSW 2065,
Australia (ctennant@doh.health.nsw.gov.au )

1. Gledhill-Hoyt J, Lee H, Strote J, Wechsler H. Increased use of marijuana
and other illicit drugs at US colleges in the 1990s: results of three
national surveys. Addiction 2000; 95: 1655-1667[CrossRef][ISI][Medline].
2. Miller P, Plant M. Heavy cannabis use among UK teenagers: an exploration.
Drug Alcohol Depend 2002; 65: 235-242[CrossRef][ISI][Medline].
3. Fergusson DM, Horwood LJ. Does cannabis use encourage other forms of
illicit drug use? Addiction 2000; 95: 505-520[ISI][Medline].
4. McKay DR, Tennant CC. Is the grass greener? The link between cannabis and
psychosis. Med J Aust 2000; 172: 284-286[ISI][Medline].
5. Hall W, Degenhardt L. Cannabis and psychosis. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2000;
34: 26-34[CrossRef][ISI][Medline].
6. Rey JM, Sawyer MG, Raphael B, Patton GC, Lynskey MT. The mental health of
teenagers who use marijuana. Br J Psychiatry 2002; 180:
222-226[Abstract/Free Full Text].
7. Bovasso GB. Cannabis abuse as a risk factor for depressive symptoms. Am J
Psychiatry 2001; 158: 2033-2037[Abstract/Free Full Text].
8. Andreasson S, Allebeck P, Engstrom A, Rydberg U. Cannabis and
schizophrenia. A longitudinal study of Swedish conscripts. Lancet 1987; 2:
1483-1486[ISI][Medline].
9. Zammit S, Allebeck P, Andreasson S, Lundberg I, Lewis G. Self reported
cannabis use as a risk factor for schizophrenia in Swedish conscripts of
1969: historical cohort study. BMJ 2002; 325: 1199-1201[Abstract/Free Full
Text].
10. Van Os J, Bak M, Hanssen M, Bijl RV, de Graaf R, Verdoux H. Cannabis use
and psychosis: A longitudinal population-based study. Am J Epidemiol 2002;
156: 319-327[Abstract/Free Full Text].
11. Arseneault L, Cannon M, Poulton R, Murray R, Caspi A, Moffit TE.
Cannabis use in adolescence and risk for adult psychosis: longitudinal
prospective study. BMJ 2002; 325: 1212-1213[Free Full Text].
12. Patton GC, Coffey C, Carlin JB, Degenhardt L, Lynskey M, Hall W.
Cannabis use and mental health in young people: cohort study. BMJ 2002; 325:
1195-1198[Abstract/Free Full Text].
13. McGee R, Williams S, Poulton R, Moffitt T. A longitudinal study of
cannabis use and mental health from adolescence to early adulthood.
Addiction 2000; 95: 491-503[ISI][Medline].


NewScientist.com news service

The link between regular cannabis use and later depression and schizophrenia
has been significantly strengthened by three new studies. The studies
provide "little support" for an alternative explanation - that people with
mental illnesses self-medicate with marijuana - according to Joseph Rey and
Christopher Tennant of the University of Sydney, who have written an
editorial on the papers in the British Medical Journal.

One of the key conclusions of the research is that people who start smoking
cannabis as adolescents are at the greatest risk of later developing mental
health problems. Another team calculates that eliminating cannabis use in
the UK population could reduce cases of schizophrenia by 13 per cent.

Until now, say Rey and Tennant, there was "a dearth of reliable evidence" to
support the idea that cannabis use could cause schizophrenia or depression.
That lack of good evidence "has handicapped the development of rational
public health policies," according to one of the research groups, led by
George Patton at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne,
Australia. The works also highlights potential risks associated with using
cannabis as a medicine to ease the symptoms of muscular sclerosis, for
example.

Pharmacological effect

Patton's team followed over 1600 Australian school pupils aged 14 to 15 for
seven years. Daily cannabis use was associated with a five-fold increased
risk of depression at the age of 20. Weekly use was linked to a two-fold
increase. The regular users were no more likely to have suffered from
depression or anxiety at the start of the study.

The reason for the link is unclear. Social consequences of frequent cannabis
use include educational failure and unemployment, which could increase the
risk of depression. "However, because the risk seems confined largely to
daily users, the question about a direct pharmacological effect remains,"
says Patton.

In separate research, a team led by Stanley Zammit at the University of
Cardiff, UK, evaluated data on over 50,000 men who had been Swedish military
conscripts in 1979 and 2001. This group represents 97 per cent of men aged
18 to 20 in the population at that time. The new analysis revealed a
dose-dependant relationship between the frequency of cannabis use and
schizophrenia. This held true in men with no psychotic symptoms before they
started using cannabis, suggesting they were not self-medicating.

Genetic factors

Finally, researchers led by Terrie Moffitt at King's College London, UK,
analysed comprehensive data on over 1000 people born in Dunedin, New Zealand
in 1992 and 2003.

They found that people who used cannabis by age 15 were four times as likely
to have a diagnosis of schizophreniform disorder (a milder version of
schizophrenia) at age 26 than non-users.

But when the number of psychotic symptoms at age 11 was controlled for, this
increased risk dropped to become non-significant. This suggests that people
already at greater risk of later developing mental health problems are also
more likely to smoke cannabis. The total number of high quality studies on
cannabis use and mental health disorders remains small, stress Rey and
Tennant. And it is still not clear whether cannabis can cause these
conditions in people not predisposed by genetic factors, for example, to
develop them. "The overall weight of evidence is that occasional use of
cannabis has few harmful effects overall," Zammit's team writes.
"Nevertheless, our results indicate a potentially serious risk to the mental
health of people who use cannabis. Such risks need to be considered in the
current move to liberalise and possibly legalise the use of cannabis in the
UK and other countries." Journal references: British Medical Journal (vol
325, p1195, p1199, p1212, p1183)

Chronic marijuana users are said to develop an "amotivational syndrome"
characterized by passivity, decreased motivation and preoccupation with drug
taking. The relationship of this syndrome to marijuana use, however, has no
been established.

Like alcohol intoxication, marijuana intoxication impairs reading
comprehension, memory, speech, problem-solving ability and reaction time.
Consistent evidence that marijuana induces or causes extensive brain damage
does not exist yet. Medical researchers were studying the effectiveness of
the drug in relieving some of the symptoms of glaucoma and in treating the
nausea induced by cancer chemotherapy and radiation treatments, but
conclusions have been negative.

Are there any other adverse reactions to marijuana?

A common bad reaction to marijuana is the "acute panic anxiety reaction."
People describe this reaction as an extreme fear of "losing control," which
causes panic. The symptoms usually disappear in a few hours.

What about psychological dependence on marijuana?

Long-term regular users of marijuana generally become psychologically
dependent. They may have a hard time limiting their use, they may need more
of the drug to get the same effect, and they develop problems with their
jobs and personal relationships. The drug can become the most important
aspect of their lives. Many display severe symptoms of Bipolar Affective
disorder within one year of continued use.

What are the dangers for young people?

One major concern about marijuana is its possible effects on young people as
they grow up. Research shows that the earlier people start using drugs, the
more likely they are to go on to experiment with other drugs. In addition,
when young people start using marijuana regularly, they often lose interest
and are not motivated to do their schoolwork. The effects of marijuana can
interfere with learning by impairing thinking, reading comprehension, and
verbal and mathematical skills. Research shows that students do not remember
what they have learned when they are "high".

How does marijuana affect driving ability?

Driving experiments show that marijuana affects a wide range of skills
needed for safe driving -- thinking and reflexes are slowed, making it hard
for drivers to respond to sudden, unexpected events. Also, a driver's
ability to "track" (stay in lane) through curves, to brake quickly, and to
maintain speed and the proper distance between cars is affected. Research
shows that these skills are impaired for at least 4-6 hours after smoking a
single marijuana cigarette, long after the "high" is gone. If a person
drinks alcohol, along with using marijuana, the risk of an accident greatly
increases. Marijuana presents a definite danger on the road.

Does marijuana affect the human reproductive system?

Some research studies suggest that the use of marijuana during pregnancy may
result in premature babies and in low birth weights. Studies of men and
women may have a temporary loss of fertility. These findings suggest that
marijuana may be especially harmful during adolescence, a period of rapid
physical and sexual development.

How does marijuana affect the heart?

Marijuana use increases the heart rate as much as 50 percent, depending on
the amount of THC. It can cause chest pain in people who have a poor blood
supply to the heart - and it produces these effects more rapidly than
tobacco smoke does.

How does marijuana affect the lungs?

Scientists believe that marijuana can be especially harmful to the lungs
because users often inhale the unfiltered smoke deeply and hold it in their
lungs as long as possible. Therefore, the smoke is in contact with lung
tissues for long periods of time, which irritates the lungs and damages the
way they work. Marijuana smoke contains some of the same ingredients in
tobacco smoke that can cause emphysema and cancer. In addition, many
marijuana users also smoke cigarettes; the combined effects of smoking these
two substances creates an increased health risk.

Can marijuana cause cancer?

Marijuana smoke has been found to contain more cancer-causing agents than is
found in tobacco smoke. Examination of human lung tissue that had been
exposed to marijuana smoke over a long period of time in a laboratory showed

cellular changes called metaplasia that are considered precancerous. In
laboratory test, the tars from marijuana smoke have produced tumors when
applied to animal skin. These studies suggest that it is likely that
marijuana may cause cancer if used for a number of years.

How are people usually introduced to marijuana?

Many young people are introduced to marijuana by their peers - usually
acquaintances, friends, sisters, and brothers. People often try drugs such
as marijuana because they feel pressured by peers to be part of the group.
Children must be taught how to say no to peer pressure to try drugs. Parents
can get involved by becoming informed about marijuana and by talking to
their children about drug use.

What is marijuana "burnout"?

"Burnout" is a term first used by marijuana smokers themselves to describe
the effect of prolonged use. Young people who smoke marijuana heavily over
long periods of time can become dull, slow moving, and inattentive. These
"burned-out" users are sometimes so unaware of their surroundings that they
do not respond when friends speak to them, and they do not realize they have
a problem.

How long do chemicals from marijuana stay in the body after the drug is
smoked?

When marijuana is smoked, THC, its active ingredient, is absorbed by most
tissues and organs in the body; however, it is primarily found in fat
tissues. The body, in its attempt to rid itself of the foreign chemical,
chemically transforms the THC into metabolites. Urine tests can detect THC
metabolites for up to a week after people have smoked marijuana. Tests
involving radioactively labeled THC have traced these metabolites in animals
for up to a month.

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2004.