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Taken from: http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20100228/hl_hsn/marijuanausecanuppsychosisrisk


SATURDAY, Feb. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Long-term use of marijuana can lead to increased risk of developing hallucinations, delusions and psychosis, a new study shows.

Australian researchers asked nearly 3,100 young adults averaging about 20 years of age about marijuana use. They found that almost 18 percent reported using the drug for three or fewer years, about 16 percent for four to five years, and just over 14 percent for six or more years.

Among the participants, 65 had been diagnosed with a "non-affective psychosis" such as schizophrenia, and 233 had at least one positive item for hallucination on a diagnostic interview conducted for the study.

The researchers found there was an association between length of marijuana use and mental health.

"Compared with those who had never used cannabis, young adults who had six or more years since first use of cannabis [i.e., who commenced use when around 15 years or younger] were twice as likely to develop a non-affective psychosis and were four times as likely to have high scores on the Peters et al Delusions Inventory [a measure of delusion]," wrote Dr. John McGrath, of the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Park Centre for Mental Health in Wacol, and colleagues. "There was a 'dose-response' relationship between the variables of interest: the longer the duration since the first cannabis use, the higher the risk of psychosis-related outcomes."

The study appears online March 1 and in the May print issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

But the association between psychosis and marijuana use is not simple, the researchers noted. They found that people who'd experienced hallucinations earlier in life were also more likely to have used marijuana longer and to use it more frequently.

"This demonstrates the complexity of the relationship: those individuals who were vulnerable to psychosis [i.e., those who had isolated psychotic symptoms] were more likely to commence cannabis use, which could then subsequently contribute to an increased risk of conversion to a non-affective psychotic disorder," wrote the study authors.

Further research is needed to learn more about the mechanisms underlying the association between psychosis and marijuana use, they concluded.

Is that your personal theory? Or do you have research to back that up? Because I don't believe I have seen evidence that supports that theory.

Research is still being done. But from the studies that I have read, it looks like marijuana might have some negative effects that can last a long time, possibly even for life.

But the negative effects are often subtle, or slow to appear, or embarrassing, or something a guy might not notice, etc. That means that people often don't realize they have any ill effects, or they don't admit to them. So most smokers think they're fine or problem-free. But that doesn't necessarily mean they are.

And that means it's probably best to stay away from marijuana for the time being. It's not worth gambling with your health while the jury is still out on this one. wink

The government also said that it kills you from using it, hasn't happened yet, except with it laced with some dangerous substance, like, crack for example. I can't trust half the stuff they say about the substance, because of the first thing they call it, a DRUG. DRUGS are made by man and are not found in nature. Cannabis is a HERB, which is found in nature. And pretty much all herbs are good for you, like green tea. Something like Marijuana, you have to go the those who have had a long history of use and experiences, you can't just come out and say it does this, this and this. Cause almost all users who have done it for 20 years or more, will say they've received little consequences from its use and massive benefits from it. Alcohol kills brain cells, disfigures the brain over time and does permanent damage to the mentality, but no one seems to complain about it.

I will use Marijuana on special occasions, because it's been in use for thousands of years and no one has died from it. What risk is there if it doesn't kill you? Isn't the ultimate risk of using anything is death?

From personal use, I haven't succumbed to any ailments, unless being Philosophical counts. Last time I used it was back in December, so I'm sure I'd have noticed something by now. Trust me, it was high grade stuff too. It can cause lung cancer if you smoke it, but if you vaporize it, that'd eliminate the cancer risk issue. I've personally noticed a extreme difference from a joint and a vaporizer. You don't get a burning feeling from the vaporizer. Reproductive issue only lasts as long as the stuff is in your system and when its flushed out, its back to normal. I tried masturbation one time when high, let me tell you, it wasn't great at all. The orgasm felt dry, lets go with that XD. The funny thing about the heart thing, before I smoked I could run very long, maybe 10 minutes without stopping. After now, I can run about 45 minutes without stopping.

I think that it probably matters how often you smoke marijuana too.
I'm just one of those people who smokes it every great once in a while when I have some, but I never really go out looking for it.
I, also, waited until I was 18 to start, and I didn't start smoking it more than maybe once a year until I was 19-20. So I think that because of how old I was when I started, and how often I smoke, I don't have any of those symptoms. I've never hallucinated. I just get the munchies really bad, and laugh at everything, haha.

I'm 22 now, by the way.