Pubdate: Fri, 05 Jul 2013
Source: Missourian (MO)
Copyright: Washington Missourian 2013
Contact:  http://www.emissourian.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3309
Author: Bill Miller Sr

POT-SMOKING AND SCHIZOPHRENIA

There are predictions that, sooner or later, marijuana use will be
legal in most states in this country. We've all read that the
recreational use of marijuana is now legal in Colorado and Washington
state. It also is legal for medical purposes in about a dozen states.

Medical research shows a clear link between marijuana use and mental
illness, especially schizophrenia. Samuel T. Wilkinson, resident
physician in the Department of Psychiatry at The Yale School of
Medicine, wrote an article in The Wall Street Journal about the
connection between pot-smoking and schizophrenia. Every high school
should make the reading of this column mandatory for students.

Wilkinson bluntly states that as "medical and scientific literature
continues to accumulate, however, it is becoming clear that the claim
that marijuana is medically harmless is false." He continues:

There is a significant and consistent relationship between marijuana
use and the development of schizophrenia and related disorders.
Schizophrenia is considered by psychiatrists to be the most
devastating of mental illnesses. Patients who suffer from it often
experience auditory or visual hallucinations, severe social withdrawal
and cognitive impairment. Many require frequent and prolonged
hospitalization in psychiatric wards."

Wilkinson said schizophrenia affects almost 3 million Americans. Less
than a third of them can hold a job or live independently. About
one-third of the homeless suffer from the disease.

Not much or anything is said about this health problem when
legalization of marijuana is debated. It's probably because what
medical evidence there is about the side effects of marijuana use
aren't widely publicized. There have been reports on the studies of
this issue, but we don't hear about them. Wilkinson wrote that in 2004
there was a story in the British Journal of Psychiatry that reported
on studies that "showed a significant and consistent association
between consumption of marijuana (mostly during teenage years or early
20s) and the later development of schizophrenia."

In 2007, a report in another British journal concluded that using
marijuana increases the risk of young people developing a psychotic
illness, such as schizophrenia.

"Marijuana may push everyone a few feet closer to" falling off the
cliff of sanity. Wilkinson wants this issue to be debated, especially
when efforts are being made to legalize the use of marijuana. He's
right. Wilkinson worries that when and where marijuana is legalized,
"It will be all but impossible to undo." He's right.

We used to hear a lot of talk that use of marijuana leads to stronger
drugs, and that is undoubtedly true in many instances.

The implementation of the laws making marijuana legal in Colorado and
Washington has been slow to unfold because of provisions as to the
sale of marijuana. However, individuals 21 and older may possess and
use pot in those two states. As to the sales, there are complications
due to federal restrictions.

It is becoming clearer that marijuana use definitely leads to medical
problems later, even severe mental illnesses. Young people should fear
marijuana. Use of it may ruin their lives.
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