Thank you very much for the interesting 2011 reference (excerpt:An increasing number of authors identify cannabidiol, another component of the cannabis plant, as an antipsychotic agent). A consideration would be that this was a study of cannabis users and was a self-reporting study.
In terms of psychosis I would think that tricycĺics are even worse than SSRIs.
The problem with cannabis is that it is a youth drug and the brain's plasticity at 14 is a factor if you're considering using psychoactive drugs. Yes, for males the ages of 17-27 are the most common for its outbreak. And yes, genetics is by far the major risk factor. Minor risks seem to be (in Europe) living in cities, member of migrant population, being born in winter/spring and apparently pregnancy/birth complications as well as child abuse (in addition, of course, to cannabis use). In all the serious literature that I have read concerning this, the argument is made that a correlation between cannabis and psychosis (and schizophrenia) exists. Each of us can decide what to do with this piece of knowledge. I am not trying to argue against legalization, it's just that it's not all love & peace.
The BMJ from 2010 cited is the most recent I know of. I would also add BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY (2004),184:Causal association between cannabis and psychosis:examination of the evidence (discussing 5 studies).
Aaron, very good points (being born in winter or spring is also a risk factor in schizophrenia, for example). Which studies Juan Cole refers to are unknown to me, the most recent one I've read was published in 2010 and everything I've read supports this correlation. Chris
not that I am in favour of a 'war on drugs', but in legalizing cannabis one should do this in full knowledge that cannabis is a risk factor in the development of schizophrenia (this having been shown in many studies).
I do think that one could expect from every American with a minimal education to actually read something from Emerson or W. James without it being free (that magic word). Or what is the state of education in the USA these days?
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Thank you very much for the interesting 2011 reference (excerpt:An increasing number of authors identify cannabidiol, another component of the cannabis plant, as an antipsychotic agent). A consideration would be that this was a study of cannabis users and was a self-reporting study.
In terms of psychosis I would think that tricycĺics are even worse than SSRIs.
The problem with cannabis is that it is a youth drug and the brain's plasticity at 14 is a factor if you're considering using psychoactive drugs. Yes, for males the ages of 17-27 are the most common for its outbreak. And yes, genetics is by far the major risk factor. Minor risks seem to be (in Europe) living in cities, member of migrant population, being born in winter/spring and apparently pregnancy/birth complications as well as child abuse (in addition, of course, to cannabis use). In all the serious literature that I have read concerning this, the argument is made that a correlation between cannabis and psychosis (and schizophrenia) exists. Each of us can decide what to do with this piece of knowledge. I am not trying to argue against legalization, it's just that it's not all love & peace.
The BMJ from 2010 cited is the most recent I know of. I would also add BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY (2004),184:Causal association between cannabis and psychosis:examination of the evidence (discussing 5 studies).
Aaron, very good points (being born in winter or spring is also a risk factor in schizophrenia, for example). Which studies Juan Cole refers to are unknown to me, the most recent one I've read was published in 2010 and everything I've read supports this correlation. Chris
not that I am in favour of a 'war on drugs', but in legalizing cannabis one should do this in full knowledge that cannabis is a risk factor in the development of schizophrenia (this having been shown in many studies).
I do think that one could expect from every American with a minimal education to actually read something from Emerson or W. James without it being free (that magic word). Or what is the state of education in the USA these days?