Cannabis brain damage facts needed!

[REVLEFT'S BIEGGST MATSER TROL]

Hey,

Was wondering if any of the more wisened comrades on here could give me a run though of their understanding of the current link (if there is one at all) between cannabis and brain damage/mental illness/intelligence etc and anything else mentally damaging at all.

Was just wondering this after a character in some biography I am reading see's a psychiatrist for Cannabis addiction, and hears that the new "Skunk" stuff can actually be doing irreversible damage to adolescent brains.

Given that I am an Adolescent, this worries me. And I do feel a lot dumber this year than I was before I had smoked anything at all.

Beforehand I had assumed it was totally safe, but reading around the web has gotten me worried, check out these articles:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/jun/03/drugs.drugsandalcohol

http://www.healthzone.ca/health/article/740642

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article757211.ece

But sites like this say the opposite:

http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/

All of them seem reputable, so i'm super confused.

[CartCollector]

And I do feel a lot dumber this year than I was before I had smoked anything at all.

Feeling dumber doesn't mean you actually are dumber. It could be that you feel dumber because you feel you're supposed to feel dumber. You'd have to take some sort of test to objectively prove you actually are dumber.

As far as cannabis causing mental illness is concerned, yes, there is a correlation. However, researchers are still unsure as to what the causal link is. There's a principle known as "correlation does not imply causation," meaning in this case that cannabis doesn't necessarily cause mental illness- it could be that those with mental illness use cannabis to self medicate.

As far as mental ability goes, adolecents who lightly used cannabis actually gained more IQ points on average than those who didn't. There are some caveats though: very heavy use (>5 joints a day for 10 years) can shrink the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls short term memory. A decrease in short term memory is one of the short term effects of cannabis, however it isn't permanent unless you're using very heavily. So yeah toking before you study or go to school isn't a good idea.

[F9]

Rotstern you have been issued with an infraction for spamming, stop doing that anywhere in this forum, but especially in Learning,

[The Vegan Marxist]

Hey,

Was wondering if any of the more wisened comrades on here could give me a run though of their understanding of the current link (if there is one at all) between cannabis and brain damage/mental illness/intelligence etc and anything else mentally damaging at all.

Was just wondering this after a character in some biography I am reading see's a psychiatrist for Cannabis addiction, and hears that the new "Skunk" stuff can actually be doing irreversible damage to adolescent brains.

Given that I am an Adolescent, this worries me. And I do feel a lot dumber this year than I was before I had smoked anything at all.

Beforehand I had assumed it was totally safe, but reading around the web has gotten me worried, check out these articles:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/jun/03/drugs.drugsandalcohol

http://www.healthzone.ca/health/article/740642

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article757211.ece

But sites like this say the opposite:

http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/

All of them seem reputable, so i'm super confused.

Here's all that you'll need to fight back against anti-marijuana advocates: http://www.revleft.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1658116&postcount=1

[Axle]

Was just wondering this after a character in some biography I am reading see's a psychiatrist for Cannabis addiction, and hears that the new "Skunk" stuff can actually be doing irreversible damage to adolescent brains.

Cannabis addiction is bullshit. At most all you'll get is a mild mental addiction. I have a friend who smoked almost every day for eight years and just recently quit cold turkey with no adverse effects.


Given that I am an Adolescent, this worries me. And I do feel a lot dumber this year than I was before I had smoked anything at all.

You're just experiencing a placebo effect coming from all that propaganda that tells you weed will make you dumb.


Beforehand I had assumed it was totally safe, but reading around the web has gotten me worried, check out these articles

Well, smoking anything isn't safe in itself and is going to damage your lungs, but the actual chemicals in marijuana are totally harmless.


EDIT: I didn't see it initially, but the link The Vegan Marxist posted above mine should put your mind at ease.

[el_chavista]

Was wondering if any of the more wisened comrades on here could give me a run though of their understanding of the current link (if there is one at all) between cannabis and brain damage/mental illness/intelligence etc and anything else mentally damaging at all...
Marijuana produces amnesia and... Jesus! I can't remember anything else! :lol:

[RED squirrel]

hi comrades, new member here.

as an on off smoker for many year i can honestly say i have only experienced negative side effects from smoking dope when i have smoked it excessively, large amounts over a long period. i suppose it is just like drinking (i am not a drinker) if you do it in moderation its fine, but if you take it to excess you might have problems. hope that helps.

[Scary Monster]

hi comrades, new member here.

as an on off smoker for many year i can honestly say i have only experienced negative side effects from smoking dope when i have smoked it excessively, large amounts over a long period. i suppose it is just like drinking (i am not a drinker) if you do it in moderation its fine, but if you take it to excess you might have problems. hope that helps.

Except Marijuana doesnt give you cancer, liver/kidney damage or any other serious illness like alcohol does. Of course, smoking obscene amounts of marijuana would fuck your body up, but then again, so can every other material substance if you ingest a high quantity of it. But just like alcohol, you can only get psychologically addicted, and it becomes a problem when you cant function in your life without it.

[The Vegan Marxist]

Except Marijuana doesnt give you cancer, liver/kidney damage or any other serious illness like alcohol does. Of course, smoking obscene amounts of marijuana would fuck your body up, but then again, so can every other material substance if you ingest a high quantity of it. But just like alcohol, you can only get psychologically addicted, and it becomes a problem when you cant function in your life without it.

Well, technically, marijuana can still give you cancer through the carcinogens in marijuana smoke. But, if one simply just starts using a vaporizer, the carcinogens can be eliminated. So it's not really a biggy when one tries finding 'flaws' of smoking marijuana.

[RED squirrel]

Except Marijuana doesnt give you cancer, liver/kidney damage or any other serious illness like alcohol does. Of course, smoking obscene amounts of marijuana would fuck your body up, but then again, so can every other material substance if you ingest a high quantity of it. But just like alcohol, you can only get psychologically addicted, and it becomes a problem when you cant function in your life without it.

it doesnt give you any of those things, you are right. but the effects are more psycological, and in some cases thats more harmful than physical damage.

another thing i would like to say is if you are going to experiment smoke it pure, smoking joints got me addicted to ciggarettes which i would say is a much worse substance.

[The Vegan Marxist]

it doesnt give you any of those things, you are right. but the effects are more psycological, and in some cases thats more harmful than physical damage.

another thing i would like to say is if you are going to experiment smoke it pure, smoking joints got me addicted to ciggarettes which i would say is a much worse substance.

how did pot get you addicted to cigarettes? :confused:

[RED squirrel]

how did pot get you addicted to cigarettes? :confused:

by rolling it with tobbaco :laugh:

[redmist]

It doesn't get you addicted to cigarettes I'd imagine. If you spend your evenings blazing, when it comes to work the next day and you want a joint, I can see how people will just have a fag as a substitute, even if they don't usually smoke them.

[ZombieGrits]

Just dont smoke CONSTANTLY, and you shouldn't have any long-term issues. The only ones to really worry about are lung-damage from chemicals in rolling paper (just use a bong) & memory loss.

[Little Bobby Hutton]

I smoked a quarterof solids every day for like two years, but im not that fucked up, or maybe i am, i just dont realise.

[Little Bobby Hutton]

Also dont buy skunk or solids off the street, dealers put crushed up glass to make them look like thc crystals in the shit, buy some seeds and grow naturally in your house no extra UV light or anything, itll grow mild and tasty, weed today is too m strong brother.

[Nosotros]

Cannabis addiction is bullshit. At most all you'll get is a mild mental addiction. I have a friend who smoked almost every day for eight years and just recently quit cold turkey with no adverse effects.



You're just experiencing a placebo effect coming from all that propaganda that tells you weed will make you dumb.



Well, smoking anything isn't safe in itself and is going to damage your lungs, but the actual chemicals in marijuana are totally harmless.


EDIT: I didn't see it initially, but the link The Vegan Marxist posted above mine should put your mind at ease.It is addictive, I was addicted to it myself and have had to stop hanging out with ppl who smoke it. And I know from personal experience that it causes depression and psychosis because that happened to me aswell-twice. Theres no real harm in smoking it for a while but my advise to the young chap is to give up at some point, it's not healthy anyway and it could seriously fuck you up in the long run if you become a regular user- drug dealers don't give a fuck about you either, all they care about is money-low life scum.

[redmist]

I don't know the facts on how physically addictive it truly is but I'm in no doubt it can impact you mentally.

You would be better than growing your own plants though. Most strong skunk generally has high THC content with low CBD content (anti psychotic) nowadays. So if you do spend your time smoking proper skunk, it will most likely have an imapct on you. Although I think it is something like under 10% of serious skunk smokers will develop a form of mental illness and that often isn't caused purely from skunk.

[The Vegan Marxist]

It is addictive, I was addicted to it myself and have had to stop hanging out with ppl who smoke it. And I know from personal experience that it causes depression and psychosis because that happened to me aswell-twice. Theres no real harm in smoking it for a while but my advise to the young chap is to give up at some point, it's not healthy anyway and it could seriously fuck you up in the long run if you become a regular user- drug dealers don't give a fuck about you either, all they care about is money-low life scum.

Yeah, my personal experiences is far more different than you. I smoke maybe every 2-3 months, & I've never had a problem with that, nor did I have a problem if that pattern didn't continue at times, such as not smoking for around 6-7 months. The science shows you can't get addicted to it, so whatever was going on with you, it was not some physical addiction to where the marijuana was making you addicted to it, but rather you were mentally unstable to such an extent that you refrained yourself from preventing yourself on smoking marijuana.

[[email protected]]

smoking itself is bad because any foreign substance that will disturb ur body's homeostasis is gonna cause damage and it is better to be avoided .. anyways it affects lung the most and in brain i know that it may affect a part called " hypothalamus " which is partially responsible for reward and punishment and all these stuff give excessive reward and so by time it will get confused and will be partly or may be to very minor degree damaged ... leave it :thumbup1:

[The Vegan Marxist]

smoking itself is bad because any foreign substance that will disturb ur body's homeostasis is gonna cause damage and it is better to be avoided .. anyways it affects lung the most and in brain i know that it may affect a part called " hypothalamus " which is partially responsible for reward and punishment and all these stuff give excessive reward and so by time it will get confused and will be partly or may be to very minor degree damaged ... leave it :thumbup1:

Actually, there's no evidence that it directly effects with a person's brain from just smoking it. There has to be continual use, as in more than one time a day, every day. And the only reason it effects the lungs is through the carcinogens which is found in marijuana smoke, in which can be filtered out by simply using a vaporizer.

[Glenn Beck]

As far as I know, weed is essentially harmless physiologically, though I'm not sure about its effects on developing brains. Despite a few studies here and there, the general consensus is that it does not cause brain damage (is not neurotoxic). It's also not physically addictive, but then again, neither are amphetamines, which all the pro-pot "herb is no drug" hippies consider a "hard drug" and feel free to frown upon. Both drugs are mostly benign, easy to use, and have relatively long lasting highly desirable effects at low cost. This makes a significant fraction of the people who use them tempted to make a lifestyle out of using them, which is where the problems start.

Being in a constantly altered state of mind is not good for anyone and is bound to damage an individual socially and psychologically, regardless of any physiological effects. When on a low-risk, high-reward drug a user feels so much in control they are bound to eventually get careless. We know what that will do to an irresponsible speed user as they begin to ratchet up their dose to the point of neurotoxicity to chase the high, or abuse repeatedly to stave off the inevitable crash.

But what about the pothead, whose lower energy more passive lifestyle avoids a dramatic burnout? Is he safe? Bullshit. The lifestyle adopted by heavy stoners is a very unhealthy one, and anyone who has used cannabis to any considerable degree can't deny that tolerance to THC not only exists but builds up rather quickly. Despite the inconclusive nature of the brain damage studies it is clear that there is a correlation between cannabis use and mental illness, esp. depression and anxiety disorders. If you think this is bullshit, try wake-and-bake for a week or two and tell me with a straight face that you don't feel depressed and sluggish as your tolerance starts to build up. I still won't believe your lying ass.

All in all I would recommend that if you use, do it in moderation and listen to what your body and mind are telling you. If using weed makes you feel bad then note the circumstances in which it makes you feel bad and avoid those circumstances at all cost. I wouldn't under any circumstances recommend the practices of "waking and baking" or smoking everyday. Healthy habitual smokers tend to limit their dose very carefully and are characterized by a relatively high activity level, if you find yourself having trouble concentrating or getting shit done after just a few small hits then regular use is most probably not for you.

If you have a personal or family history of mental illness; especially depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia then you should make your use a very occasional thing. If you have risk factors for schizophrenia or any type of psychosis I would recommend that you avoid the drug altogether until you reach full adulthood (the age of onset for schizophrenia in males is mid-to-late adolescence, so you're not in the clear until at least 21).

[CartCollector]

The advantage of smoking high potency cannabis is that you need less smoke for the same high. Less smoke = less problems from smoke.

[ArmedGuerilla]

Cannabis does not cause brain damage of any sort. This is bullshit handed to you by the Amerikkkan Pig Empire, specifically D.A.R.E. and Above the Influence.

[The Vegan Marxist]

Cannabis does not cause brain damage of any sort. This is bullshit handed to you by the Amerikkkan Pig Empire, specifically D.A.R.E. and Above the Influence.

Now now now, let's not be too dogmatic about this claim. Yes, marijuana does kill certain brain cells, but trust me, if you are like me, I'm sure we're ALL in support of marijuana to kill off this brain cell for good: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=7235037&page=1

[REVLEFT'S BIEGGST MATSER TROL]

Thank you everyone.

Anyone got any links dealing specifically with the "Newer" "skunk" stuff which apperently is pretty much 99 percent of weed nowadays?

From what I read, that at least has some possibility to your mental health/overall functioning...although I'm totally open to that being proved to be bullshit, as I thought all I'd heard about it was before reading this biography where the kid in it seems to get into serious problems due to skunk (at least according to the reasoning of his psychiatrist)

[The Vegan Marxist]

Thank you everyone.

Anyone got any links dealing specifically with the "Newer" "skunk" stuff which apperently is pretty much 99 percent of weed nowadays?

From what I read, that at least has some possibility to your mental health/overall functioning...although I'm totally open to that being proved to be bullshit, as I thought all I'd heard about it was before reading this biography where the kid in it seems to get into serious problems due to skunk (at least according to the reasoning of his psychiatrist)

There's a huge difference between physical addiction & mental addiction. We've also got to get all the details such as what is all in this type of weed, is he taking it medicinally, if so what are the reasons behind so. Fact of the matter is that Marijuana is harmless & as long as you don't abuse it, it'll bring you great health throughout your entire life. So toke up & smoke up, Comrade.

[johnnyrook]

Hello everyone, this is my first post on RevLeft.

I have to agree a lot with Glenn Beck's post above.

I have recently come out of a period of very heavy use for around 2 years, during which time I was a student (didn't get much studying done I might add).

Some of the effects: I have much slower and less clear thoughts, I have a memory like a leaking drainpipe, reading is much more difficult, as is concentrating during conversations, I can get very paranoid and I have noticed that I am a lot more anxious than I used to be, sometimes prone to fits of anger, I hear a lot of voices, and generally I get into conversations with them.

Cannabis is all relative, I've seen people smoke as much as me and hold down a good job and maintain ordinary relations with other people. For me however, cannabis was like a fucking curse at times, it was my 'liquor' so to speak. I always wince a little when I read or hear others maintain that you can not get addicted to it, or that there are no withdrawal effects - it depends on the person and the situation. There's a debate to be had about whether it was the cannabis that has caused some of my mental problems or an underlying problem that was exacerbated by the continual heavy use. I'm going with the latter.

Anyway, so long! :)

[johnnyrook]

By the way, just to make myself clear in that last paragraph, I don't advise anyone should get into 'wake & bake', it's very boring.

[Shitfaced]

You need to remember that this is for daily exposure to weed. yes, weed may have bad effects if you use it all the time, just like tobacco or anything else you smoke. The fact of the matter is that unless your using it heavily, even a couple times a week, it is not harmful. If you do you this heavily i would suggest limiting yourself to once or twice a month.