Casual Marijuana Use May Damage Brain

[Symphonic]

Edit: Before blasting the research, just keep in mind they say in their conclusion that what it really means is more research would help further the discussion of it.

The direct link to the research study is here: http://jn.sfn.org/press/April-16-201...1614005529.pdf

Researchers examined the brains of 40 young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 who were enrolled in Boston-area colleges. Twenty of them smoked marijuana at least once a week. The other 20 did not use pot at all.

The marijuana smokers were asked to track their cannabis use for 90 days. All were given high-resolution MRIs, and users and non-users' results were compared.

Researchers examined regions of the brain involved in emotional processing, motivation and reward, called the nucleus accumbens and the amygdala. They analyzed volume, shape and density of grey matter - where most cells in brain tissue are located.

Breiter said. "This research with the other studies we have done have led me to be extremely concerned about the effects of marijuana in adolescents and young adults and to consider that we may need to be very careful about legalization policies and possibly consider how to prevent anyone under age 25 to 30 from using marijuana at all."

So it sounds like it is worse for you if you are 25-30 or younger. Worse the younger you are. Opinions?


EDIT: I think this study REALLY shows that more study is necessary, in order to get a better idea of what it could actually do to people.

From the conclusion of the study:

The present findings suggest that further study of marijuana effects are needed to help inform discussion about the legalization of marijuana.

I think that's valid. I think anything to help discuss topics that the majority of people don't know anything about is important. I'd like to note that a discussion, unlike a debate which requires someone to "win", is actually seeking understanding.




http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2014/0...ain/?hpt=he_t3

[Deleted]

It seems that the average age on onset is 16 and it begins to show its effects after 6 years of use, now assuming that age of onset is when they began smoking that explains quite a lot, too young to start smoking that stuff.

[Blueobelisk]

More like people who are already 'slow' are the ones who use marijuana, if we're comparing college kids.

[Hraklea]

I don't think that "it damages you" is a good justification to forbid someone from doing something.

[Deleted]

This has been observed numerous times before, anything new?

I've read too many papers on it to really care any more. During formative stages, it damages the brain in various ways. Nothing new tbh.

[Gheld]

Okay you guys, here's how this thread is going to go down. This will be a template A marijuana thread.

OP links peer reviewed scientific study suggesting that marijuana isn't 100% safe for everybody.
Next a couple of people will make casual comments about it.
Then once all of the pot smokers wake up, they will start ragging on the OP for his apparently social conservative stance.
Then the hard cores are going to come in and make subtle implications that pot smokers are being "oppressed" and start comparing that to racism.
And then after they've hijacked this thread and turned it into a "leave Britney alone" rant I want daily users to start bragging about how often they smoke.

EDIT: Oh I forgot to mention, Gheld should be accused numerous times of being anti-legalization, even though he's actually pro legalization.

[Kathandira]

I don't believe it. I've been partaking for 17 years. I am not brain damaged. I'm actually quite swift and witty. I may not be the most knowledgeable person, but I am intelligent.

My motor skills are still sharp, And I do not have emotional response issues.

The only emotional response issue I could claim, would be that I am so desensitized to tragedy due to the amount I have seen. I've become pretty apathetic towards certain incidents, but i'm sure that can be said for a majority of people who live on the internet most of their day.

[devark]

Sample size = laughable, btw my tap water has plutonium in it. Priorities, Priorities...

[Xeones]

Anything that effects your brain is going to cause changes. The brain does no regenerate. Making some wild claim that Marijuana is natural is all the counter claims that will come up. Night Shade is all natural too. Don't see me putting that in my body.

[Kathandira]

Okay you guys, here's how this thread is going to go down. This will be a template A marijuana thread.

OP links peer reviewed scientific study suggesting that marijuana isn't 100% safe for everybody.
Next a couple of people will make casual comments about it.
Then once all of the pot smokers wake up, they will start ragging on the OP for his apparently social conservative stance.
Then the hard cores are going to come in and make subtle implications that pot smokers are being "oppressed" and start comparing that to racism.
And then after they've hijacked this thread and turned it into a "leave Britney alone" rant I want daily users to start bragging about how often they smoke.

EDIT: Oh I forgot to mention, Gheld should be accused numerous times of being anti-legalization, even though he's actually pro legalization.

So you are saying this will be pretty much like most forum threads about any topic? Because that pretty much sums up most interactions on the internet.

[Ryme]

So, smoking weed makes you emotionally detached and unmotivated? Why is this news?

[Symphonic]

Yes, I think this study REALLY shows that more study is necessary, in order to get a better idea of what it could actually do to people.

From the conclusion of the study:

The present findings suggest that further study of marijuana effects are needed to help inform discussion about the legalization of marijuana.

I think that's valid. I think anything to help discuss topics that the majority of people don't know anything about is important. I'd like to note that a discussion, unlike a debate which requires someone to "win", is actually seeking understanding.

[Kathandira]

Anything that effects your brain is going to cause changes. The brain does no regenerate. Making some wild claim that Marijuana is natural is all the counter claims that will come up. Night Shade is all natural too. Don't see me putting that in my body.

What kills me is that there is evidence that it can help, and also hurt. I can understand people being conflicted about legalizing it as the scale has not been heavily tipped in either direction.

[Kraenen]

I don't believe it. I've been partaking for 17 years. I am not brain damaged. I'm actually quite swift and witty. I may not be the most knowledgeable person, but I am intelligent.

My motor skills are still sharp, And I do not have emotional response issues.

The only emotional response issue I could claim, would be that I am so desensitized to tragedy due to the amount I have seen. I've become pretty apathetic towards certain incidents, but i'm sure that can be said for a majority of people who live on the internet most of their day.

Dunning-Kruger could be at work with you. I know for myself when I'm sleep deprived I feel like I perform much better, however objective results show that you perform significantly worse. Your own subjective appraisals could be affected by the partaking.

[devark]

So, smoking weed makes you emotionally detached and unmotivated? Why is this news?

I'm autistic and use it medically, I experience the exact opposite effect.

[Masark]

The study is basically "Marijuana use results in some structural changes to a certain part of the brain. We currently haven't a damn clue what the implications of this are, if there even are any."

[Deleted]

I read the report, and there is no link to causation anywhere. They can state (as they indeed do) that changes in two areas of the brain occured between the two different groups, however they have no way to prove what actually caused the change without further study. They also stated numerous times that whilst this study was important due to being one of the first to actually look into the effects on the human brain caused by casual use, it was not a large enough study group to actually be considered a viable scientific source.

The report also noted that two regions of the brain that showed differences on the MRI scan NOT damage - one that was linked to "risk and reward" and the other escapes me at the moment (probably due to my casual drug use...oh the irony!) The key points here were visable "differences", not visable "damage" - just to stress that point again.

I would be interested in a large study to see if there really are any serious side effects for users (casual or heavy), but please change the title of your thread because it is only going to devolve in to arguments between people who are either pro or anti drug use.

[Austilias]

Not very surprising; but it's hard to have a serious discussion about the matter when you have people claiming it's some sort of 'miracle drug' that is completely harmless as well as 'curing' cancer and a whole host of other ailments.

[Halyon]

Makes sense, as the brain isn't fully developed until aged 25, so using things that alters your brain will have greater impact and higher risk of damage.

- - - Updated - - -

I read the report, and there is no link to causation anywhere. They can state (as they indeed do) that changes in two areas of the brain occured between the two different groups, however they have no way to prove what actually caused the change without further study. They also stated numerous times that whilst this study was important due to being one of the first to actually look into the effects on the human brain caused by casual use, it was not large enough study group to actually be considered a viable scientific source.

The report also noted that two regions of the brain that showed differences on the MRI scan NOT damage - one that was linked to "risk and reward" and the other escapes me at the moment (probably due to my casual drug use...oh the irony!) The key points here were visable "differences", not visable "damage" - just to stress that point again.

I would be interested in a large study to see if there really are any serious side effects for users (casual or heavy), but please change the title of your thread because it is only going to devolve in to arguments between people who are either pro or anti drug users.

Also these are smart words. Read them.

[s_bushido]

In other news: controlled substances can have negative effects on the human body. Full story at 11.