​MARIJUANA REGULATION & MENTAL HEALTH

Val's Take

           I am absolutely for "Decriminalization"  of Street Drugs from Marijuana to Cocaine to Methamphetamine, etc.   I am NOT for their open Sale and Commodification, without regulation based on current knowledge and science.  Of course, one of the problems has been that the Science hasn't always been rock solid.

            Marijuana does have beneficial uses, AND current research is indicating that for 1 in 100 people it can lead to genetic abnormalities that we are currently associating with Schizophrenia.  This is coming out of Japan and seems to corroborate other studies.  Do we just ignore this?  Use Marijuana at your own risk?

             What does that mean for Colorado -- a State that is such a  prominent legalized marijuana state?  Need for increased housing and mental health services?    I can certainly say of my own experience that people who want to smoke marijuana and have had legal problems in Oklahoma,  some are looking to move to Colorado. (Of course, I don't think any of these drugs should be criminalized).

              This isn't going to be a popular statement for a lot of people, AND I'm NOT sure I have the answer, AND I'm pretty sure what we're doing isn't the answer when marijuana use among young people is up and we absolutely know that it is NOT GOOD for their developing brains.

               For States looking at Colorado as a Model on Marijuana regulation, as far as I'm concerned -- we're NOT there yet AND I would be interested in working with others to address these concerns.                 
Some Interesting Comments from Our Facebook Page:
  • "I have personally seen the direct result of thc and SZ...I believe more needs to be done to keep it out of the hands of those under 18... Don't get me wrong , I see the huge health benefits as well ,I use cbd/ thc to treat my Parkinson's...my condition bring dopamine deficient whereas a SZ sufferer has too much dopamine hence the bad reaction to THC...So yeah THC and SZ do not mix well probably at any age..."

AND
  • "Have had a huge increase in ER visits for patients related to this unfortunately"

[P.S.  We don't all always agree with one another, in fact that is a rarity.  If you have a different opinion, ​ please feel free to comment on the Orchid Facebook Page or directly to me Val Corzine @ vcorzine@orchidadvocacy.org
http://diseasespress.com/how-cannabis-can-trigger-schizophrenia/
Researchers have found the first evidence that marijuana can cause genetic abnormalities associated with the mental illness, which affects about one in every 100 people.

Many scientists have been warning for years that cannabis can trigger hallucinations and delusions similar to symptoms found in schizophrenia.
Previous studies have suggested that using the drug before the age of 18 raises the risk of the condition in later life by six-fold.

Its ability to cause psychotic conditions is probably related to long-term changes in the brain caused by a substance found in marijuana called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

THC affects chemicals in the brain that transmit information from one nerve cell to another.
Disrupting the delicate chemical balance can result in memory loss, anxiety and other conditions.

The new Japanese research was led by clinical psychiatrist Dr Hiroshi Ujike of Okayama University and reported in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.
​
The team examined the gene-controlling ‘receptors’ in the brain that respond to marijuana in 121 Japanese [people with schizophrenia] and a similar number of healthy men and women. ‘These sites are where marijuana acts on the brain,’ said Dr Ujike.