Skunk cannabis can make well users psychotic: study
From: Skunk cannabis can make well users psychotic: study
| July 28, 2009 – 3:33PM
Potent cannabis can cause psychosis in healthy people, a new British study has proved conclusively. The results appear to confirm a link between psychosis and skunk cannabis, which accounts for 80 per cent of street seizures of the drug. Scientists at the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College, London, made the discovery after tests on 22 healthy men in their late 20s. They injected them with the chemical THC – a main component of skunk cannabis, which has been blamed for increasing psychosis among heavy users. Scientists gave a dummy injection to some of the men and a dose of THC to others. They found a link between the chemical and psychosis, in which hallucinations leave sufferers unable to know what is real and what is imagined. The team, led by Paul Morrison, concluded: “These findings confirm that THC can induce a transient acute psychological reaction in psychiatrically well individuals.” Researchers found that the “extent of psychotic reaction” was not related to “the degree of anxiety or cognitive impairment” in the men. Mary Brett, vice-president of Europe Against Drugs, an advisory group, said: “This shows that anyone who is healthy can become psychotic by smoking cannabis. They don’t already have to have a mental illness.” The potency of skunk cannabis had risen from 6 per cent THC (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) content in 1995 to 14 per cent in 2005. It had been linked to increased instances of psychosis, particularly among young men. Today’s skunk cannabis has virtually no traces of another chemical, called CBD (cannabidiol), which appears to counteract the damaging effects of THC. The research is the first time that the dangers of skunk cannabis have been tested in Britain. Previous experiments were carried out in America, Holland and Brazil. Dr Morrison said the findings offered “additional evidence that can elicit temporary psychotic-like effects in some people”, but stopped short of suggesting they proved a direct link between psychosis and THC. He added: “Much more research is needed to clarify if skunk is actually more harmful than traditional cannabis.” More work was also needed on the benefits of CBD in balancing the results of THC, he said. Earlier this year, Jacqui Smith, the home secretary at the time, restored cannabis from class C to class B status after concerns about adverse health effects, against the advice of drugs experts. A Home Office spokesman said: “We have always been clear that cannabis is a harmful drug, which should not be taken. Its use can lead to physical and psychological harms, and the mental health effects of cannabis use are real and significant. “We are taking comprehensive action to tackle cannabis use, from increased enforcement to reduce the supply, along with effective education and early intervention for those most at risk,” he added. |
What a croc of absolute and complete SHIT. They spend half the article saying that it’s been proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that cannabis causes psychosis in healthy people, then they admit that the doctor who performed the tests has said that the findings offered “additional evidence that can elicit temporary psychotic-like effects in some people” – ie: if you are predisposed to it then you may have issues. Yet the media have blown this out of proportion as usual and have jumped to conclusions.
Not to mention the fact that the doctor admits that the studies didn’t look into the effects of CBD in unison with THC – something that is a MAJOR factor in how the process of putting cannabis into our bodies works.
Complete, total and utter tripe. The writer of this article should be ashamed of themselves.
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What incredible bullshit. First they “They injected them with the chemical THC,” then declare that “anyone who is healthy can become psychotic by smoking cannabis.” Injecting one component of a complex drug and smoking it are two completely different things. It’s like injecting people with apple juice then declaring we shouldn’t eat apples.
Your right Michael, The whole study is manipulated to scare people into not smoking.
They had a similar study which proved that skitzos could become more paranoid while smoking but it relieved other symptoms too. At least in the latter there was some factual information involved. The study wasnt done on a couple people. At the same time the popular cholesterol drug Statin has given 1/4 of 5000 patients mental illness. I bet that wont slow down one pill pushing DR trying to stuff them down your throat.