Teen Marijuana Use Not Linked To Depression

[slimvictor]

After years of observation it was found out that the chronic use of marijuana by the participants was not associated with health conditions like depression, asthma or psychotic symptoms in the later years of their lives.

Some previous studies have suggested that teens who use marijuana are at increased risk for cancer, delusions, hallucinations and other psychotic symptoms, asthma and other respiratory problems later in life, but this study found no such links.

As part of the study, the researchers tracked 408 Pittsburgh males from adolescence into their mid-30s.

Dr. Jordan Betchtold, a psychology fellow at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, said that he found the study’s findings a little surprising.

“There were no differences in any of the mental or physical health outcomes that we measured regardless of the amount or frequency of marijuana used during adolescence”, Bechtold explained.

cont at
http://www.dispatchtimes.com/teen-marijuana-use-not-linked-to-depression/32644/

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Looks like the jury is more out than initially expected.

I know this is a stereotype, but I always thought blacks were more likely to appreciate the effects of marijuana than whites. And in this study, more than half of the participants were black--not really a representative sample regardless.

 

[poledriver]

Massive, Long Term Study Shows No Health Harms From Cannabis. Where Are The Headlines?

Long term cannabis use by teenage boys is not linked to later physical or mental health issues according to a very large, long term study published by the American Psychological Association.

Where are the front page headlines, the hysterical editorials, the hand wringing, bleating and scaremongering from the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail? They seem to be very quiet on this one. To be fair the Mail has covered it Daily Mailbut the leaders in anti-cannabis propaganda at the Telegraph have ignored it and so have the BBC. What a surprise! Even Jon ‘Skunk’ Snow, the latest journalist to sacrifice his integrity on the altar of reefer madness, is completely silent. No grandstanding opportunities on this one.

This is a huge study of 408 males tracked from adolescence into their mid-30s. The results have been published in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors and comprehensively demolish the many, much smaller, ‘snapshot’ studies that the Mail, the Telegraph and the BBC have given massive prominence to in the past.

Even more important than the study itself is the insight this provides into the blatant dishonesty, misrepresentation and falsehood which UK newspapers and TV routinely engage in when reporting on cannabis. The usual bigots and deceivers such as Kathy Gyngell, Dr Max Pemberton, Simon Heffer and Melanie Phillips are notable only for their absence. This is the way the debate on cannabis is conducted in the UK. The media misrepresent the evidence, report only what supports their editorial position and our weak, cowardly political leaders dutifully follow what Fleet Street tells them to do.

Cont -

http://clear-uk.org/massive-long-te...-harms-from-cannabis-where-are-the-headlines/

 

[Felonious Monk]

Looks like the jury is more out than initially expected.

I think a better way of stating that might be, the government propaganda which painted cannabis as a dangerous drug is beginning to truly crumble.

 

[slimvictor]

^ Yes. Very yes.

And about poledrivers's article above: interesting article/perspective up there. Couldn't have said it better myself!