Marijuana links with psychosis

[thestudent14]

Marijuana links with psychosis
Emily Bourke reported this story on Tuesday, February 8, 2011 08:00:00

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TONY EASTLEY: The science is finally in on the link between cannabis use and early onset psychosis.

New Australian research has provided the first conclusive evidence that smoking cannabis hastens the appearance of psychotic illnesses by up to three years.

The risks are especially high for young people whose brains are still developing.

Emily Bourke reports.

EMILY BOURKE: The latest research pulled together data on 20,000 patients and drew on more than 80 international studies dating back 30 years.

And it's definitively linked cannabis smoking and earlier onset of psychosis.

The chief investigator of the study is Dr Matthew Large who's from the University of New South Wales and the Prince of Wales Hospital.

MATTHEW LARGE: What our research has found is that in addition to early cannabis smoking bringing on schizophrenia it brings schizophrenia on early by an average of 2.7 years early - earlier than you would have otherwise developed it had you not been a cannabis smoker.

EMILY BOURKE: And he says the earlier the smoking starts and the more frequent the use the greater the risks.

MATTHEW LARGE: The risks for older people is about a doubling of the risk, so instead of having a one per cent chance of developing schizophrenia you are probably likely to have about a two per cent chance of developing schizophrenia.

But for young people who smoke cannabis regularly, instead of having around a one per cent chance of developing schizophrenia during their life they will end up with something like a five per cent chance of developing schizophrenia.

EMILY BOURKE: But the causal relationship between cannabis and mental illness is still unclear according to Philip Mitchell, the head of psychiatry at the University of New South Wales.

PHILIP MITCHELL: This research can't distinguish about whether cannabis causes schizophrenia or brings it out in vulnerable people. But in many ways that's really a sort of an esoteric academic question. The information from this study makes it very clear that cannabis is playing a significant role in psychosis.

And we need to take this on board to develop strategies to prevent this terrible condition occurring in young people.

EMILY BOURKE: With around 33 per cent of the Australian population and 18 per cent of secondary school students using the drug, Jan Copeland from the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre says campaigns need to be ramped up and better targeted.

JAN COPELAND: Certainly its reputation is that it's just a chilled out alternative to alcohol. We know that alcohol is very bad for adolescents and we're saying the same thing about cannabis. We always knew that there was a strong association between cannabis and developing psychotic disorders.

But this gives us a very clear piece of information - that it can bring on an episode of schizophrenia up to three years earlier than would otherwise have occurred.

EMILY BOURKE: The research is published in the journal, Archives of General Psychiatry.

TONY EASTLEY: Emily Bourke.

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2011/s3132596.htm

 

[Busty St Clare]

Not particularly surprising and it is one of the reasons I would dissuade my kids from smoking weed until they reach 20. Having said that, a 5 % chance of developing schizophrenia is still small compared to the chance of getting king hit while out drinking in a lot of night spots in Australia.

 

[Crankinit]

Not particularly surprising and it is one of the reasons I would dissuade my kids from smoking weed until they reach 20. Having said that, a 5 % chance of developing schizophrenia is still small compared to the chance of getting king hit while out drinking in a lot of night spots in Australia.

Not to mention brain damage, liver damage, increased risk of various cancers and the variety of violence and general mayhem that occurs as a result of alcohol abuse

 

[UnSquare]

But this gives us a very clear piece of information - that it can bring on an episode of schizophrenia up to three years earlier than would otherwise have occurred.

Moar-time-to-get-yur-life-in-order-before-you-go-batshit-insane-win.

 

[Divine Moments]

PHILIP MITCHELL: This research can't distinguish about whether cannabis causes schizophrenia or brings it out in vulnerable people. But in many ways that's really a sort of an esoteric academic question. The information from this study makes it very clear that cannabis is playing a significant role in psychosis.

I fail to see how that is an "esoteric academic question". There's a massive difference between causing something in healthy people and hastening its manifestation in those who would develop it regardless, especially when schizophrenia has many identified risk factors and often a long prodromal phase. I think this chap's just trying to make the research sound more groundbreaking than it is. Really it tells us nothing new at all.

 

[belarki]

I fail to see how that is an "esoteric academic question". There's a massive difference between causing something in healthy people and hastening its manifestation in those who would develop it regardless, especially when schizophrenia has many identified risk factors and often a long prodromal phase. I think this chap's just trying to make the research sound more groundbreaking than it is. Really it tells us nothing new at all.

^ I think "it brings schizophrenia on early by an average of 2.7 years early" [for those predisposed] is a reasonable result from the research. I could take or leave the rest of this article though.

Here we go, this should be more enlightening:

http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/archgenpsychiatry.2011.5

 

[Divine Moments]

^ Thanks. Makes sense that it doesn't say anything new (to me) - I didn't realise it was a meta-analysis

 

[TripppAR]

Wtf did my comment get deleted? Im aloud to express my opinion if ithink the article is bullshit?!


WTF MODS!?

 

[belarki]

^ I didn't feel a post simply stating "Bull - Shit" was appropriate or helpful in any way. If you disagree with the article then at least state why. I found and linked the published findings so feel free to read the full report rather than the ABC article and bring up any aspects of the research you dispute?

 

[ayjay]

The article in today's Australian cites the study author as saying "the findings were consistent with the theory that the drug at least induced earlier onset, and could cause up to 20 per cent of cases that would not have happened otherwise."

In other words - theory not disproved, which is a different story to "theory proved". An alternative theory could be that some of the factors that lead to earlier onset of schizophrenia also lead to earlier onset of cannabis smoking.

So yes nothing new - and certainly no reason to ramp up anti-cannabis campaigns. Much better to target supports to young people who start smoking cannabis regularly to cover off the other risk factors for mental health issues.

 

[Busty St Clare]

I would like to see a study that compared frequency of use to these nasty side effects. I very rarely see mates get into trouble who have the occasional spliff at a BBQ every month or so, compared to the guys who wake up with breakky bongs every day. Personally I believe moderation is the key and I would like to think my kids would treat marijuana as an occasional habit not a lifestyle crutch.It is easy to fall into the typical stoner trap where every activity you do needs a cone before hand.

 

[belarki]

^ how many of these mates are past the age where schizoaffective symptoms are likely to manifest though?

Also this study noted "Subgroup analysis was performed using the subset of studies reporting data for males and females separately and for studies reporting data both for heavy or ongoing substance use and for lighter and infrequent or discontinued substance use" though they don't go into much further details about this subgroup analysis.

Personally I believe moderation is the key

I agree, though what if it only took light , infrequent use at an early age to hasten developing schizophrenia symptoms?

 

[Sykik]

There is a risk, I can speak personally on that. What the risk is, well for me it's 100%. For you, it might be zero. For others who knows.

But there is a risk, and there doesn't seem to be much evidence or research done on how much you need to smoke over a period of time for pycosis to develop. <6mnths was enough for me. Also at the age of 18.

So be concerned, wether or not to let this concern stop you from smoking or from cutting down is your choice.

 

[UnSquare]

^
What mental illness do you have as a result of cannabis smoking?

 

[UnSquare]

I agree, though what if it only took light , infrequent use at an early age to hasten developing schizophrenia symptoms?

What do you mean?
Do you think we should ban cannabis?

...

 

[UnSquare]

Moar On The Report

"Most of the patients involved had schizophrenia and, of those who were cannabis smokers, their diagnoses were seen to occur an average of 2.7 years earlier in their lives."

.........................................

"Dr Large said it was also estimated about one third of those Australians with a diagnosed psychotic illness also report a history of cannabis use."

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1480137/Cannabis-triggers-earlier-mental-illness

"With around 33 per cent of the Australian population and 18 per cent of secondary school students using the drug,..."

.....................

"He said those cannabis smokers who developed psychotic illness early could still have done so later in life had they never used the drug, and more research was needed."



It's science...

 

[belarki]

^ those are quotes from the journalists, not the actual study... which I linked.

What do you mean?
Do you think we should ban cannabis?

Also, WTF at thread comments being deleted?!?

Last time I checked it was banned

Also the deleted post consisted of the words: bull, shit, and a smiley face. I didn't feel it added any significant contribution to the thread as I mentioned above in my repsonse to TrippAR. If you feel that is over-moderating then there are official channels to go through, feel free to pm a senior mod like leftwing or hoptis.

 

[UnSquare]

If anyone's interested in how they performed said study-

"A systematic search of 5 electronic databases (CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and ISI Web of Science) was conducted for publications in English reporting the age at onset of psychotic disorders in cohorts of patients who reported the use of a psychoactive substance (other than tobacco) compared with the age at onset among a control group of patients with psychosis who did not use psychoactive substances "

"The data were independently extracted by 2 of us (M.L. and S.S.)."

http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/archgenpsychiatry.2011.5

- so 2 dudes with a search engine.

...

 

[Breecamb]

Now now now, this is a 'Meta-analysis' and people get journal publications out of those things.

There are so many variables and unknowns here, aside from the strength of the cannabis that was used (THC content) or their use of other substances (legal or illegal). Or the patients' truthfulness in reporting use of substances (let alone the regularity of it)

Bah humans and their variability (genetic or otherwise)

 

[Mr Blonde]

I don't know why people are getting up in arms over this. It's already well known that cannabis can be a risk factor for people who would have schizophrenia anyway. Not to mention that if you already have developed a mental illness, it can worsen it.

I can't speak for Sykik, but I know cannabis is definitely something I should stay away from. I had a psychotic episode last year that was unrelated to drugs. I almost never smoke cannabis, but for some reason I decided to have a couple of hits while I was ill. Big mistake. There was a dramatic worsening of my symptoms that persisted an amount of time I can't remember as most of that period is a haze in my mind.

A little while after I'd recovered, I decided to smoke a couple of hits again; another stupid decision. Symptoms began again, mostly just delusions. This persisted for about a week.

I don't believe this risk factor for those already predisposed to a psychotic illness is a real justification for the continued prohibition on cannabis. Alcohol is available everywhere once you turn 18, and easy to get when you are younger, but look at how much death, illness, addiction and other tragedies are associated with it. It's one of the most dangerous drugs there is, yet it's the legal one. In my view, no one can rationally say that it makes sense alcohol is a legal drug and cannabis or almost any other illegal drug is prohibited.