As a growing number of US states legalize the recreational use of marijuana, researchers are concerned about the short-term and long-term health consequences of the policy change.
Marijuana is the most popular and available street drug in the US. As part of surveys conducted throughout the USA, 48% of the respondents answered that they had tried the drug during their lifetime and 6.5% of the women admitted that they use it on a daily basis. Therefore, it is not surprising that in the November 2012 general elections, the states of Washington and Colorado for the first time in the history of the United States allowed the use of marijuana for pleasure purposes, even though the legalization is not complete and it only includes those 21 and older and allows the use of only limited amounts of the substance. Marijuana legalization activists expect similar constitutional changes to occur in other US states in the near future.
The successes of the experiments in the use of marijuana for medical purposes paved the way for more widespread legalization of weed. Eighteen states in the USA and the Autonomous District of Columbia (where the capital Washington is located) currently allow the possession and use of marijuana for medical purposes. Doctors in these countries are allowed to prescribe cannabis to treat or relieve pain and other symptoms in a wide variety of diseases, from glaucoma, a disease that damages the optic nerve, to dysmenorrhea (severe period pains). Some cancer patients smoke weed to ease the nausea and pain associated with chemotherapy treatments, and multiple sclerosis patients rely on the plant to ease the muscle stiffness typical of the disease.
Although many doctors agree that marijuana is safe enough to be used to temporarily relieve the symptoms of these diseases, the consequences of long-term recreational weed use are unknown. Researchers fear that both short-term and long-term use of the drug can lead to damage to the body and brain. The great popularity of marijuana among teenagers raises additional concerns, as it is possible that the drug can harm the normal development of the brain during the puberty process. Worse still, new cultivation methods of cannabis stiva (Cannabis sativa), the plant from which marijuana is produced, led to a dramatic increase in the concentration of the active substance in the leaves, and as a result, in the effects resulting from use. Various experts claim that the use of these super herbs will lead to an increase in the scope of cannabis addiction. Finally, although experts still disagree on how the legalization of marijuana will affect road safety, various studies show that the drug slows down the reaction speed and distance estimation of drivers. Despite the research evidence, the new laws allowing the use of marijuana for medical or recreational purposes do not address the potential dangers.
weed the weeds
Whether you roll it in a joint or slather it in buttered spice cookies, marijuana radically changes behavior and awareness. The psychoactive substance in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, has a spatial structure similar to that of endocannabinoid molecules that the body naturally secretes. These molecules bind to the cannabinoid receptor in brain cells and help regulate appetite, mood and memory. The spatial structure of the THC molecule also allows it to bind to the cannabinoid receptors. "After all," jokes neuroscientist Giovanni Marsicano from the University of Bordeaux in France, "the receptor is not in the brain just so we can smoke marijuana."
When THC binds to one of the receptors, it creates a chain reaction that manifests itself in the passage of signals in the nerve cells that cause abnormally high levels of certain neurotransmitters, and abnormally low levels of other neurotransmitters (neurotransmitters are the molecules through which nerve cells communicate with each other). The result is the sensation known as "Hi" or "Sotul". The world suddenly looks wonderful, and ordinary food becomes extraordinarily delicious. For the most part, users feel happy, relaxed, and reflective, although undesirable outcomes such as paranoia and nervousness are also common.
In addition, marijuana temporarily changes some mental abilities such as memory or ability to pay attention. For example, dozens of studies have shown that those under the influence of marijuana performed actions related to working memory worse than people in the control group (working memory is a part of short-term memory that allows information to be held consciously and used to guide the modes of action). The participants in their experiment experienced greater difficulty than normal humans in remembering a random series of words or memorizing a list of numbers. Additional studies have shown that marijuana dulls the ability to concentrate, weakens motor coordination and reduces the ability to scan obstacles in the subject's environment.
These mild cognitive changes are not important if the user remains sprawled on a couch, but the story changes when that person decides to drive under the influence of the drug, for example. In simulations and related studies, an increase in reaction time and stopping time and a lower ability to pass between lanes safely were found. Despite this, the researchers still disagree about the critical concentration in the blood of the substance that causes an increase in the chance of being involved in a car accident. A study conducted in 2009 found an increase in the probability of being involved in an accident if the level of THC in the blood is higher than 5 nanograms per milliliter of blood. Various evidence shows that such a concentration leads to impaired driving ability similar to that of a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08%, the legal limit for drunk driving. Usually a few puffs from a joint are enough for the concentration of THC in the blood to reach this level. Therefore, the voters in the referendum in Washington established the concentration of 5 ng/ml as the upper limit allowed while driving.
However, there is a technical obstacle to law enforcement. Unlike alcohol, it is impossible to detect marijuana with a simple non-invasive test like the one done with the "owl". To identify marijuana, the police will have to test the driver's blood, which often requires an explicit warrant. "Currently, there is no means that allows police officers in the field to check the level of marijuana in the blood of someone suspected of driving under the influence of the drug at a relevant time," says Paul Armentano, deputy director of the all-American organization located in Washington that deals with the reform of cannabis laws and advocates for the full legalization of marijuana. Instead of relying on blood tests, Armentano suggests that the officers test the drivers' ability to coordinate and look for the smell of marijuana wafting from the car.
smoke signals
Although it is easy to test the immediate effects of marijuana in the laboratory, it is more difficult to study the long-term effects of the plant on the body and the brain. So far the results, subject to different interpretations, point mainly to the need for caution. In a recent study conducted by clinical psychologist Madeline Meyer from Duke University and her colleagues, the data of 1,037 New Zealand citizens were examined. The researchers found that people who started using weed at a young age and continued to use it frequently over the years experienced an eight-point drop in their IQ by the time they reached age 38. By comparison, the IQ of those who did not use marijuana at all increased by one point over the same period.
A re-examination of the data from New Zealand made by Ole Rogberg from the Regner-Fritz Institute for Economic Research in Oslo suggested that it is possible to explain the difference in IQ through socio-economic factors alone and without connection to the use of marijuana. Those who start smoking marijuana at a young age are usually less intelligent to begin with. Even if this is true, Meyer claims, the results of the study show that the drop in IQ was greater in those who started smoking weed as an adolescent compared to those who started using weed as an adult, which preserves a cumulative effect that does not depend on the IQ itself. In her opinion, this result emphasizes the need to fight the phenomenon of marijuana use among youth.
A report by the American Association for Addiction Medicine published in 2012 claims that the increase in the concentration of the active ingredient in marijuana over the past few years has apparently led to a sharp increase in cannabis addiction among teenagers. Between 1993 and 2008, the concentration of THC in marijuana seized by the police jumped from a concentration of 3.4% to a concentration of 8.8%. At the same time, between the years 1992 and 2006, the number of referrals to hospitals and rehab institutions due to overuse of marijuana skyrocketed by 188%. The rate of referrals due to alcohol use, on the other hand, decreased by 64% percent in the corresponding period.
Other researchers chose not to focus on THC levels but rather on the dangers of prolonged exposure to additives found in street-bought marijuana. Since marijuana is usually sold by weight, many dealers try to increase their profits by adding sand or glass beads to their wares. Inhaling these granules over a long period of time can cause inflammation of the lung tissue and even scarring. A study of 5,000 Americans published in 2012 found no decline in lung function among subjects who smoked joints two or three times a month for more than twenty years. However, the researchers emphasize that they did not test the effect of daily weed use on lung function. "Someone needs to do this research if marijuana is going to be legalized or if its use is going to be expanded for medical purposes," says Mark Fletcher, an epidemiologist at the University of California, San Francisco and one of the authors of the study.
Some of the opponents of the legalization of marijuana are worried that the easing of the regulation of medical marijuana will lead to an increasing permissiveness also in relation to the use of marijuana for pleasure purposes. In the US states where the use of marijuana for medical purposes has been allowed, there is no supervision and enforcement of the quality and safety of marijuana and the levels of THC in it. In Oakland, California, patients can go with a prescription to the local distribution center where the quality of the substance they buy is guaranteed. On the other hand, in other parts of the country, patients buy their marijuana in all kinds of unsupervised small businesses or on the street. The next round in the battle to legalize marijuana in states other than Washington and Colorado will likely take place three years from now in the next presidential election in 2016. Until then, researchers have plenty of time to get to the bottom of things.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
on the notebook
Roxanne Hamsi (Khamsi) is a senior news editor at the journal Nature Medicine. Previously, she wrote for the New Scientist, Economist, and Aird News and MIT Technology News. You can follow her on Twitter at @rkhamsi
The article is published with the approval of Scientific American Israel
46 תגובות
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-31480234
http://www.antidrugs.gov.il/pages/1963.aspx
the truth and everything else,
I have to admit that I wasn't the real one at first for the conspiracy that says pharmaceutical companies appoint anti-legalization studies - but now that there is serious research on the subject...
http://www.haaretz.co.il/news/world/america/.premium-1.2432780
The diverse psychiatric disorders among marijuana users
http://psychiatry.doctorsonly.co.il/2014/02/72446/
A clear link between cannabis use and personality disorder or schizophrenia
http://psychiatry.doctorsonly.co.il/2014/01/71062/
And suppose (suppose...) that everything you wrote here is true - is this a reason to put those who choose to take the "risk" and use cannabis in prison? Is this a good enough reason to register criminal cases against over 20,000 Israelis? Wake up, it's fascism!
Avi,
I was just responding to claims that are debunked at best, false at worst.
Who like you knows that there are things in science that are obvious.
It is clear that cannabis does not kill, does not cause suicides and does not cause murder. These are just superstitions. (Obviously for science - not for politics).
Regarding the positive effects of the plant, there is a debate. But if you notice, for a moment I did not claim that it has positive effects, and even if there were arguments here that claim that it is not a medicine, I would not bother to answer...
There is no matter of an audible voice here (and I also don't know why you address me in the plural, but let it go)
http://webster.co.il/2013/12/03/3609
The similarity between medical cannabis and homeopathy
MouthHole I think your voice is heard well, let the other side speak as well.
I said last article. This is not an article 🙂
I'll just put it here. worth watching
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x17zgt8_%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%92%D7%93%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%A7-1_news
This is also very interesting:
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/features/marijuana-what-science-has-say/
And a final article (also peer-reviewed) - this time shows the use of cannabis in a relatively positive light
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC34325/
Avi,
here:
A study examining psychotic outcomes in cannabis users. In the end, we did not find anything significant new for or against cannabis:
http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/193/5/357.full.pdf+html
A study that examines the negative effects of cannabis, does not find a significant new conclusion. Finds evidence regarding heavy use in small children:
http://www.med.unsw.edu.au/gbdweb.nsf/resources/cannabismortality/$file/Calabria+et+al.+2010+Does+cannabis+use+increase+the+risk+of+death+DAR.doc.pdf
Both studies were peer reviewed
Please if you have an idea for articles on peer-reviewed research, direct the researchers to me.
I assume that the fact that you stopped treating my claims objectively, stopped responding to the merits of the matter, started making things up (could cause me to murder my family) and are responding to the merits of the claimant is because you are beginning to agree with me.
And I agree with you that it is not healthy for small children. It can harm their development.
The goal of a poor little junkie like me is first of all to tell the truth. Because I believe that this is the best way to deal with things, with the truth and not with lies and superstitions (as you were told - suicides and murder).
All right, dumbass
For "Hidan" - please publish an article by psychiatrists about the dangerous effects of the cannabis plant.
The cannabis growers and their loyal consumers take over every discussion on the subject, spread false stories about miracles and wonders about the plant and encourage innocent young people to use the drug and harm them mentally, morally, physically, socially and probably harm others.
You can cause car accidents and murder your family and other innocent people, now you understand poor little dope? Your words are dangerous! You cause children and youth to read your nonsense, degenerate into drugs and criminal gangs, damage their mental health irreparably at times, and even death and suicide and consequently destroy families who have to deal with the disaster of their relative. So be careful not to spread your stupidity and poison, got it? For drug addicts like you, the moral capacity is also damaged, among other things. It is known that you lie and hurt the people around you without feelings of guilt or remorse. So you've obviously lost any capacity for mental or emotional understanding. You have long been hurt. I feel sorry for your family... how lucky they are to have such a close relative!! dumb!
Yes, I expect you to approve it. No, I'm not kidding.
As I expect Paul, even though he can kill some of the population to remain legal. As I expect a bee, even though it may kill some of the population, to remain legal. As I expect from water, that even though it can cause water poisoning and kill you (if you drink huge amounts of water), to remain legal.
This is what I also expect from cannabis, which although it can cause damage (not death) to a part of the population (in lower percentages than those allergic to pollen in Israel) will be legal.
And I really hope that my opinion is understood and the discussion is over 🙂
So if the substance is dangerous for part of the population, you expect me to approve it? Say, are you kidding?
If you're that stupid and want to test your limits, hurt yourself and break the law, that's your problem! It is my job and my responsibility to protect public health. end of discussion
The truth,
There are millions of people who use cannabis and hundreds of millions throughout history so I'm sure a reliable statistic can be made. What percentage of people have been harmed in their lives as a result of cannabis?
Because every material has sensitive people. I'm sure more people have died from Paul than people developed instability from cannabis.
Also the caffeine (in coffee and chocolate) (which is also considered a drug) can cause psychotic attacks or mental illnesses.
Here is a study. http://iospress.metapress.com/content/54x2n5075x170p62/fulltext.pdf
Does the truth recommend staying away from chocolate? Do you recommend staying away from Paul (some owners of certain genes can die from Paul)?
There are situations in life or certain gene carriers that cause excessive vulnerability to the onset of psychosis. According to Prof. Yoram Yuval, every person is at risk of having a psychotic attack. Therefore, using cannabis - marijuana is Russian roulette. It's only a matter of time before you get hurt
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071023183937.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15866551?dopt=Abstract
Owners of certain genes make them more vulnerable to mental illness following the use of cannabis - marijuana. You don't want to do an experiment on yourself and have a psychotic attack or get more serious mental illnesses, do you? So please stay away from "light" drugs or any drug.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15866551?dopt=Abstract
"Marijuana/cannabis causes psychotic outbreaks and mental illnesses even in normal and healthy people without any prior background".
http://www.adishaked.co.il/images/stories/drugs_and_psychosis.pdf
Omri Frish on the village he founded for hallucinogenic drug victims
http://www.nana10.co.il/Article/?ArticleID=785589
In terms of the anti-pain effect, cannabis has been found to be about as effective as codeine, one of the ingredients in the codacemol pill or paracetamol forte. In a broad literature review published in 2001, the researchers noted that in addition to the moderate effect on pain, there are also many side effects, including a decrease in cognitive and psychomotor function, anxiety attacks and even paranoia attacks. We also noted the symptoms of blurred vision, dry mouth, palpitations, rapid heart rate and a drop in blood pressure when standing (a phenomenon that can cause fainting).
Beyond all these, it should be taken into account that some patients suffering from chronic pain take other painkillers such as morphine and its derivatives. It is clear that a patient taking both cannabis and morphine must not drive or work in any field that requires dangerous mechanical equipment. Regarding the combination of cannabis and alcohol, this is a very dangerous combination for the person himself and his environment.
To summarize the medical chapter, it can be said that medical marijuana has a positive effect on appetite and nausea, a mild to moderate effect on pain and can induce a feeling of euphoria and well-being. Besides these, cannabis has dangerous effects in the area of thought processes and can pose a real risk in the form of anxiety attacks, psychosis and paranoia
http://doctorsonly.co.il/2011/04/8423/
Here is a study and its conclusions: "Cannabis use does not seem to be causally related to the prevalence of schizophrenia, but its use may trigger disorders in people who are vulnerable to developing psychosis and worsen the course of the disorder among those who have already developed it
http://ukcia.org/research/TestingHypotheses.pdf
Here are the dangers of using marijuana/cannabis that we all already know but for some reason stick to the bond of silence and give a voice and stage to the criminals who have an interest in dealing drugs to voice their lies in the internet media from which the innocent young people feed:
http://www.tapuz.co.il/blog/net/ViewEntry.aspx?entryId=1985970&skip=1
By the way,
I can bring many studies that tried to find your superstitions but in vain...
Here's an example:
http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1164/ajrccm.155.1.9001303#.UmFaqvmJTK4
mangus,
It's just a scare campaign. The plant and its Egyptians do not make people think they are a dolphin.. as the millions of people who use them every day will testify (including a significant percentage of your Knesset members, US presidents, TV presenters, respected authors and more)..
Stella,
I would be happy if you could show me studies that cannabis directly causes death (there really aren't any), one example will suffice...
I would appreciate it if you could explain to me how it is similar to bleach? What is poisonous about it?
Hallucinations that cause dangerous behaviors?? Cannabis? Please talk to me with proofs…
Drinking bleach may also have benefits for destroying cancer cells, but like marijuana it is poison! which at the same time also destroys brain cells and may cause death directly (collapse of bodily systems) or indirectly (hallucinations that lead to dangerous behavior or depression to the point of suicide).
The stupid commenters here are further proof that "if you're stupid you have an insurance policy" against a psychotic attack from marijuana
http://www.themarker.com/misc/1.592171
Hmmm responses to the body of a claimant and not to the body of the claim is a logical error. But you know what Johnny- this is for all those who think like you. Here is a study published even on this site 🙂
Enjoy
https://www.hayadan.org.il/%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%95-%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%98%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%98-%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%97%D7%95%D7%90%D7%A0%D7%94-%D7%A0%D7%92%D7%93-%D7%A1%D7%A8%D7%98%D7%9F-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%97/
Those who refer to emergency rooms and mental hospitals to statistically check the dangers of something do not understand a thing and a half about statistics. It's like checking how vulnerable fighter planes are according to the planes that returned...
Anyone who thinks that the 'studies' on the website that Mauthall recommended are objective is completely stonewalled.
Dr. Debi, I agree - please publish an opinion that is currently accepted by the experts. Ann, publish studies that prove your claims...
such as for example:
http://www.xn--4dbcyzi5a.com/2013/09/%D7%A7%D7%A0%D7%90%D7%91%D7%99%D7%A1-%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%A4%D7%90-%D7%A1%D7%A8%D7%98%D7%9F-20-%D7%9E%D7%97%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%97%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%96%D7%90%D7%AA/
A request to publish a professional opinion of psychiatrists specializing in the subject working in emergency rooms, balance villages and mental health hospitals regarding children, adolescents and young people mentally damaged due to the use of marijuana. The real data will surprise you and not for the better!!!! So let's see what all the aforementioned delusional drug addicts have to say. And maybe you won't admit it, until the Russian roulette hits you and your children. After all, anyone who consumes the drug and justifies its use, has already proven that he is an unstable and mentally immune person, and needs an external means to elevate his condition, so it's only a matter of time before he gets hurt. I wonder how mentally unstable a person can demonstrate his stupidity and not be self-aware 🙂 No wonder no drugged consumer is among the decision makers, so I'm calm 🙂
Some important notes:
1.
"Although it is easy to test the immediate effects of marijuana in the laboratory, it is more difficult to investigate the long-term effects of the plant on the body and the brain. So far the results, which are subject to different interpretations, point mainly to the need for caution"
Am, a plant on which thousands of studies have been done, and it has been used for thousands of years, and they still haven't found (even though they searched a lot) proof or real evidence of being vulnerable to the long drum, says Dayno.
Of course, I'm not talking about adolescent children, where apparently there is a vulnerability in the long run and the use should be prohibited for children under the age of 15 (of course it would be 18, but from a health point of view 15 is enough).
2.
"Since marijuana is usually sold by weight, many dealers try to increase their profits by adding sand or glass beads to their merchandise."
I agree with the author on this matter, the solution is of course to legalize the drug (especially since this is the main problem!). The legalization of cannabis will solve problems such as these.
3.
I really like this site, because whenever I want to know what the consensus is, I check here first.
This study, although cautious in its conclusions, is still clear in its trend. It seems that most researchers are not worried about the legalization.. There are many more studies that find that there are not many long-term problems for the plant.. Even if not everyone claims that it is beneficial, and apparently smoking is not the healthiest in the world.. Still banning it is just stupid...
Dr. Debbie, let me reassure you, the percentage of those suffering from schizophrenia or an outbreak of mental illness in connection with weed is no different from their percentage in the general population, in other words, people with a genetic predisposition to mental illness may experience an outbreak due to use, but marijuana itself cannot cause a person who does not have the tendency to develop the symptoms.
In general, this article looks like it was written a decade ago, where is the comparison between the medical benefits of marijuana compared to alcohol?
And in general, the attitude towards hydro cultivation as something that made the plant more dangerous is ridiculous, 8%? Hydro reaches 20% and more.
Very bad article.
The title of the article should be changed to "disinformation regarding marijuana".
Instead of presenting links to studies, so that we can see who is funding them, they are presented as pure truths.
The article does not bring up any real research points for discussion, but only brings up negative effects (seemingly) in front of the scope of use (which it is impossible to know what they really are) and the concentration of the active substance (only the one caught by the police, out of all that is on the market).
And one last thing - third paragraph - "led to a dramatic increase in the concentration of the active substance in the leaves". The concentration of the active substance in the leaves is very low compared to its concentration in the flowers and the petals next to them. Most of the leaves are harvested and thrown away due to the low concentration in them. It is obvious that the author did not do her homework, she probably just translated a trending article...
A ridiculous article, because beyond the factual flaws raised by the commenters above me, it naturally assumes a correlation between the legality of use and the extent of recreational use of marijuana.
If 48 percent of the American public has experimented with using a drug, how exactly can the question of legality affect any health aspects? Anyone interested can use. And today the health damage from the use of unregulated substances is great, not only because of the content of the substances, as she points out, but because of the police persecution and the hundreds of thousands imprisoned in the prisons, whose health condition has certainly not improved as a result.
The only ones who suffer from the fact that marijuana is illegal are the patients who need it, and in order to get medical approval they sometimes have to go through another winding obstacle course, in addition to their illness. Everyone else who wants marijuana can buy it at any street corner, because even the police usually turn a blind eye to smoking the 'weed'.
In my opinion, the article should not be considered in isolation from what is happening in society today and what is happening in society today is a trend of easing in relation to marijuana and a trend of worsening in relation to alcohol.
Besides, you shouldn't come to someone who offers a way to deal with the cancer problem with claims that he doesn't offer a way to deal with heart disease.
Defective article because it does not include a comparison with alcohol on behavior
dangerous and violent and on the other hand ignores the danger of an outbreak
Mental illnesses due to the use of hashish. There are quite a few people, and I am among them,
Those who think that alcohol is much more dangerous for society and the individual than hashish.
The article is ridiculous! The danger of an outbreak of mental illnesses, delusions, delusions, hallucinations and paranoia following the use of marijuana in the short and long term among a significant percentage of the population, who are not represented in the aforementioned superficial surveys because they do not consume marijuana at all, is not reviewed. Which minister of health will take responsibility for making children sick and their hospitalization? It's like legalizing murderers, rapists, thieves and other criminal acts. come on.
The word alcohol appears in the article three times and in each of them it is related to the comparison of marijuana with alcohol
With all due respect to the writer and I assume she is a very respectable woman. Half of this article is based on simply false data that has long been proven to be incorrect. Quickly go to Google Scholar and run a search on marijuana.
The research on IQ is simply bullshit. Research conducted in a biased and disgusting manner.
'American Medical Association'. One of the biggest opponents of legalization. Funds research that will prove the harm of the weed.
Go to 'Cannabis.com' and watch Dr. Gepta's 'weed' movie on YouTube and get out of this circle of lies!!
FREE THE WEED!
This is exactly what I was thinking: if they had made an identical article about the considerations for approval or prevention of alcohol for the masses
We would see much more risks than with marijuana.
And why go so far: imagine an article that tries to give the public information, before the legalization of white sugar...
Why is there no comparison to alcohol?