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Ten Myths About Marijuana That No One Should Believe Part 3: Marijuana Causes Schizophrenia

Originally posted October 1, 2015

One of the newest concerns about marijuana that has been gaining attention in the media recently is the worry that its consumption causes schizophrenia. This serious affliction is a mental disorder that makes it hard to differentiate between what’s real and what’s not, think clearly or have normal emotional responses. This has become one of  the last clinging defenses for marijuana prohibitionists, claiming that marijuana makes you literally go crazy. 

Myth #3 – Marijuana Causes Schizophrenia

The idea that marijuana can be the sole cause of this illness with no other factors involved is a claim made primarily by sensationalists and those who do not fully understand how the illness works. 

“My first seven years of research were devoted to schizophrenia and I can tell you that [the idea that marijuana can cause schizophrenia] is ridiculous.” Dr. Lester Grinspoon

 

Inheriting genes from both parents is a legacy of issues and benefits that none can avoid. Scientists have long known that schizophrenia is inherited genetically. The illness naturally occurs in a small percentage of the general populationgenetics with a predisposition for the disease. It has a higher rate of 10 percent occurrence in those who have a first-degree family member with the ailment, such as a parent, brother or sister. The risk is highest for an identical twin of a person with schizophrenia. He or she has a 40 to 65 percent chance of developing the disorder. 

After reviewing this common scientific knowledge, the reality of the true cause is clearly shown. It is genetically impossible for marijuana use to cause schizophrenia in a person that did not already have the inherit genes necessary to trigger the ailment. Which means that marijuana can not be the cause in and of itself. This by itself debunks the continually stated misunderstood theory that cannabis use alone causes schizophrenia. That being said, the secondary theory is that marijuana is simply the catalyst, causing the illness to trigger in those already predisposed, which is a plausible if not reasonable assumption. 

“While cannabis may have an effect on the age of onset of schizophrenia it is unlikely to be the cause of illness,” said the researchers, who were led by Ashley C. Proal from Harvard Medical School. 

 

It is important to understand that there are many psychological and physical events that can trigger this disease. Being the catalyst or trigger of schizophrenia is not an implication of the dangers of that action or substance. This illness can be triggered by a serious car accident but that does not mean that driving should be made illegal. Heavy alcohol or tobacco use has been known to be a trigger, as well as many others. Even serious emotional trauma can awaken the dormant gene. Whatever the catalyst, the gene itself is already present in a person who might one day suffer its effects and can not alone be attributed to any outside influence.

“We looked at the evidence, and I think we must have gone through about two thousand papers, and [marijuana] doesn’t cause schizophrenia, maybe there are some individuals with schizophrenia in which the illness is brought on perhaps a little earlier because they smoke cannabis.”  Prof. David Nutt – “The Culture High”

There is an undeniable correlation between those who use cannabis and those with schizophrenia, however, a Harvard Medical study as well as many others, show that those with the gene for schizophrenia have a genetic predisposition for drug use. Seeing as how marijuana is the most common drug of choice and roughly 60% of the U.S. has smoked smoking-silouettemarijuana at some point in their lives, it becomes an easy statistic to show that the vast majority of those with schizophrenia are also marijuana smokers. One could show a direct correlation between marijuana smokers and just about anything due to the rising percentage of those who have smoked marijuana in this country. Using that same logic, one could show a direct correlation between cannabis use and the flu. There would no doubt be a large percentage of people who had previously gotten the flu, and had also smoked marijuana, simply due to the prevalence of marijuana use today. This however, does not mean that marijuana use causes the flu. This is one way that polls and statistics can be quite misleading

The fact is that schizophrenia has a prevalence of about 1% the world around. If in fact cannabis was the direct cause or even the triggering component, there would be a corresponding rise in the occurrence of the illness along with the rise of cannabis use. Since the sixties, cannabis has rapidly increased in use and has seen a dramatic increase with the recently growing legalization movement. Yet the prevalence of the disease remains at 1%. This more so than any other graph, poll or statistic shows how the increase in marijuana use over the last fifty years has had literally zero effect on the country’s occurrence of schizophrenia. In other words, myth – debunked.

Myth #1 – Marijuana is More Harmful Than Alcohol, Tobacco and Prescription Drugs
Myth #2 – Marijuana is Addictive
Myth #3 – Marijuana Causes Schizophrenia 
Myth #4 – Marijuana Has no Proven Medical Benefits
Myth #5 – Marijuana Use Leads to Harder Drugs – “Gateway Theory”
Myth #6 – Marijuana Causes Memory Loss and a General Reduction in Logic
Myth #7 – Marijuana Contains Over 400 Chemicals
Myth #8 – Marijuana Has Yet to be Subjected to Adequate Scientific Study
Myth #9 – The Marijuana Movement is Just an Excuse for People to get High
Myth #10 – Opposition to Marijuana Legalization is Driven Entirely by Cautious Prudence

Sourceshttp://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/guide/schizophrenia-causeshttp://psychcentral.com/news/2013/12/10/harvard-marijuana-doesnt-cause-schizophrenia/63148.htmlhttp://schizophrenia.com/szfacts.htm#http://www.theculturehigh.com/

Ryan Cristián
Ryan Cristián
"Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see." - John Lennon Driven by a desire for accuracy, chef and independent news stalwart Ryan Cristián has a passion for the Truth. As a recent recipient of the Serena Shim Award For Uncompromising Integrity In Journalism, he understands that Americans want their news to be transparent, devoid of the opulence frothed out by today's corporate media. A cultured and insightful man with a worldly sense, Ryan's unjaded approach offers common sense to the individual racked by the ambiguous news cycle - a vicious and manipulative merry-go-round that keeps trenchant minds at a manageable distance from the truth. Avid writer & editor by day, Truth seeker by night, Ryan's reality defines what it means to be current.
https://www.thelastamericanvagabond.com/category/ryan-cristian/

2 Replies to “Ten Myths About Marijuana That No One Should Believe Part 3: Marijuana Causes Schizophrenia

  1. Today the medical community has no interest in understanding the root causes for genetic illnesses, especially mental illness (MI). By understanding the root causes, we empower our understanding, allowing us to make intelligent choices. MI has many forms and regardless of its form, all are responsible for the loss of intelligence and for some the loss of conscience. This loss of conscience I will give more time below. The loss of intelligence can be from a minimum to a maximum. Many who are afflicted are highly functional in their daily activities.
    Today humanity is at the depth of an abyss and to rescue humanity from all the afflictions, in my opinion, I believe it’s not possible. Except by Divine intervention.
    The human nervous system consists of two parts, senses and intellect and united in synthesis forms the being. In the evolution of the human species, the intellect instead of Evolving it has devolved.
    Today we see that the genetic defects mental and physical can be passed on from one generations to another. These defects can be discussed at a later time.

    To truly understand the distorted psychological environment that each and everyone of us is confronted on a daily basis, one needs to have some scientific understanding of MI.
    The problem with what was just mentioned is that only a few will understand while the rest have no idea of what is being said.

    As of now, greed has not been classified as a MI. However greed is indeed a MI and it can be defined as such: An intellectual distortion accompanied by the loss of conscience. The word conscience in a capitalistic system is no where to be found. A person with a conscience is a person that can be considered a model for humanity. On the other hand a person with no conscience has no understanding of the destruction left behind from its wake. The analogy is that of two race cars entered in a race. One of the two is equipped with brakes (conscience), while the other has no brakes. The car with the brakes can avoid danger. While the other, poses a danger to its self as well as to others, including the innocent.
    In a capitalistic system in which ignorance and greed have secured a seat on a throne, I don’t think that dethroning the two will be an easy task.
    Especially when the mass of the population tends to side with ignorance.

    Regarding Mental Illness:

    Here I’m not going to explain the role that the brain plays in regards to the physical world and that of the intellect.
    However I will give an introduction to the root causes for MI. Should this may be acceptable, we can always pick up where we left off.

    The onset of MI can be attributed to the capillaries. The purpose of the capillaries is to carry the construction material for the formation of a normal brain. In the event that the capillaries have not reached the normal extension, the sound structures necessary for a normal brain will not take place. It is for this reason that the onset of MI is likely to occur to a person just entering adulthood.
    Here we are dealing with information and I would have loved to explain the task of not only of the structures of the brain but also the systems in which the flow of information is synchronized.
    Obviously there is a great deal more to add, however for now I will stop here.

    Vito Pizzolato

  2. There is NO PROOF that ‘schizophrenia’ has a genetic component.

    It’s TRAUMA…trauma causes “mental illness”…

    Bio Bio Bio versions of ’causes’ just sells more poisonous ‘medications’ that big pharma pushes for their huge bottom line.

    The largest industry that lobbies.

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