Beer vs. Weed

[hugo]

Studies link marijuana, schizophrenia

By Kimberly Read & Marcia Purse, About.com

Updated: June 20, 2006

 

Last year, Netherlands researchers reviewed five studies and concluded that the use of marijuana (cannabis) approximately doubles the risk of developing schizophrenia. Because the studies excluded anyone with a history of psychosis and controlled for the use of other drugs, they were "able to show the specific effects of cannabis."

 

Now a new study from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York has shed light on the reason for the link between marijuana and schizophrenia. With several groups of adolescents as their subjects, they used a special type of MRI called diffusion tensor imaging to compare the brains of those with and without schizophrenia, both users and non-users of marijuana. They found that heavy use of marijuana caused the type of abnormalities in certain areas of the brain as were found in the brains of the subjects with schizophrenia, and these abnormalities were the most pronounced in schizophrenic subjects who regularly smoked marijuana. The abnormalities occur in a brain pathway related to language and auditory functions which is still developing during adolescence.

 

Thus if a young person is genetically at risk for schizophrenia, the research suggests, the use of marijuana can cause the same kind of damage the schizophenia would cause, which could bring on the illness when it might otherwise have not have emerged, cause earlier onset, and/or worsen the condition.

 

Newsday quoted one of the study's authors, Dr. Manzar Ashtari, as saying, ""Don't put yourself at risk, especially if you have a family history of schizophrenia or severe mental illness -- especially when the brain is still growing."

 

Smoked a bit of weed as an adolescent. Never bothered either myself or my other personality, Al.

[Jhony5]

Studies link marijuana, schizophrenia

By Kimberly Read & Marcia Purse, About.com

Updated: June 20, 2006

 

Last year, Netherlands researchers reviewed five studies and concluded that the use of marijuana (cannabis) approximately doubles the risk of developing schizophrenia. Because the studies excluded anyone with a history of psychosis and controlled for the use of other drugs, they were "able to show the specific effects of cannabis."

 

Now a new study from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York has shed light on the reason for the link between marijuana and schizophrenia. With several groups of adolescents as their subjects, they used a special type of MRI called diffusion tensor imaging to compare the brains of those with and without schizophrenia, both users and non-users of marijuana. They found that heavy use of marijuana caused the type of abnormalities in certain areas of the brain as were found in the brains of the subjects with schizophrenia, and these abnormalities were the most pronounced in schizophrenic subjects who regularly smoked marijuana. The abnormalities occur in a brain pathway related to language and auditory functions which is still developing during adolescence.

 

Thus if a young person is genetically at risk for schizophrenia, the research suggests, the use of marijuana can cause the same kind of damage the schizophrenia would cause, which could bring on the illness when it might otherwise have not have emerged, cause earlier onset, and/or worsen the condition.

 

Newsday quoted one of the study's authors, Dr. Manzar Ashtari, as saying, ""Don't put yourself at risk, especially if you have a family history of schizophrenia or severe mental illness -- especially when the brain is still growing."

 

Smoked a bit of weed as an adolescent. Never bothered either myself or my other personality, Al.

 

 

Again, as with all studies I have read. No indication whatsoever that marijuana causes schizophrenia. Please note, "similar abnormalities" in no way suggests a manifestation of the illness of schizophrenia.

 

Please make note of the elusive language;

Thus if a young person is genetically at risk for schizophrenia, the research suggests, the use of marijuana can cause the same kind of damage the schizophrenia would cause, which could bring on the illness when it might otherwise have not have emerged, cause earlier onset, and/or worsen the condition.

 

Maybe its not the marijuana at all causing these localized "abnormalities". Maybe its the tar in the cigarettes they smoke. Maybe its the caffeine in their coffee. Maybe its the pesticide on their apples. Maybe its the pet dander. Maybe.....you motherf cking assholes should stop wasting my tax dollars trying to prove that pot use leads to the sighting of pink elephants that chant "KILL KILL KILL".

[hugo]

Let me requote:

 

Now a new study from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York has shed light on the reason for the link between marijuana and schizophrenia. With several groups of adolescents as their subjects, they used a special type of MRI called diffusion tensor imaging to compare the brains of those with and without schizophrenia, both users and non-users of marijuana. They found that heavy use of marijuana caused the type of abnormalities in certain areas of the brain as were found in the brains of the subjects with schizophrenia, and these abnormalities were the most pronounced in schizophrenic subjects who regularly smoked marijuana. The abnormalities occur in a brain pathway related to language and auditory functions which is still developing during adolescence.

 

Once again, moderation is the key.

[Jhony5]

Let me requote:

 

 

 

Once again, moderation is the key.

 

"Heavy" is a very subjective term.

[RoyalOrleans]

"Heavy" is a very subjective term.

 

So is "addiction".

[Jhony5]

So is "addiction".

 

Touch?.

 

 

 

I can quit anytime.

[RoyalOrleans]

Touch?.

 

 

 

I can quit anytime.

 

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[Guest nucleareaction]

I was actually thinking about all of this today and happened to come across this particular debate forum. Figured I would post my opinion.

 

If it was up to me. Alcohol should be made entirely illegal whether bud is made legal or not. Think about how many people's lives you know of personally that alcohol has directly affected. I lost count in my world. My girlfriend has been going to AA for three years. My room-mate just started going to AA because he got to drunk the other night and got into a fight and then got picked up for a PI. Statistics prove that deaths caused by Marijuana each year are 0. Wouldn't that be nice if we could say that about Alcohol. I read a post earlier on this discussion where the guy talks about how he just has a few beers and doesn't drive drunk but he can't stand a stoned idiot driving around on the road. Just think...I only take a few tokes but I can't stand those drunk idiot drivers. In facts, if I see a person driving with an opened beer in the car or anything of the sort I will absolutely call the cops. There is no excuse for drinking and driving.

 

Now lets talk about the economic part of it all. Marijuana has much more hope for fixing this country's fat ass debt problem than alcohol could ever think about. There are so many resources involved in Marijuana/Hemp.

 

Personally I think the government already has something involved with the "drug wars" in America and they don't want to make anything legal because their actually profiting from it all in the background. But thats just a theory all in all. Nothing proven of course.

 

i hope you all enjoyed my little rant on beer vs. weed. Thanks for comin' out.

 

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[hugo]

Statistics prove that deaths caused by Marijuana each year are 0.

 

 

Source of those statistics?

[mercury]

They already tried making alchol illegal and all it did was create a black market that fueled organaized crime.

 

Alcohol consumption has killed a lot of my relatives, but so did bootlegging.

[Ahhlee]

I can't drink beer anymore. This thread is depressing!

 

But to answer the question, I don't think one is worse than the other. If you have an addictive personality, you are going to find a poison to overindulge in one way or another. Blame the user, not the substance.

 

Personally I miss beer because I didn't get hangovers with it, but man that stuff makes you feel bloated and gassy!

 

With liquor, I have to be careful because it's easier to overdo it and I end up hating life the next day. My tolerance is pretty low, especially now.

 

Weed...no problem. I don't indulge all that often, but when I do I feel fine after the fact. Me likey.