Debunking the Myth of Cannabis Contributing to Mental Illness

(Originally posted on October 5, 2011 at 12:55 am)

[The following excerpts are from "Debunking the Myth of a Link Between Marijuana and Mental Illness" by Paul Armentano, Deputy Director, NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws).]

"...less than 24-hours after the shooting [of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and 18 others,] former George W. Bush speech-writer David Frum posed the question, 'Did pot trigger the Giffords shooting?' to which the longtime conservative commentator answers, 'Increasingly, experts seem to be saying "yes."'

...one month later... the mainstream media highlighted a report in 'The Archives of General Psychiatry' purporting to have linked marijuana use with psychosis.

...In truth, the supposed new 'study' contained no new findings at all.

...'There are no new data. I want to emphasize that. This is a meta-analysis, which means it (reviews) the studies that were already out there,' SUNY Albany psychology professor Mitcch Earleywine, author of the book Understanding Marijuana; A New Look at the Scientific Evidence, explained.... 'What you're not hearing in the media is that, in fact, this (reported association) is probably early-onset folks self-medicating (with cannabis).'

There are several published reports to back up Earleywine's suspicion. For instance, a 2005 study of 1,500 subjects that appeared in the scientific journal 'Addiction' reported that the development of 'psychotic symptoms in those who had never used cannabis before the onset of (such) symptoms ... predicted future cannabis use.' [A large portion of the study population (with no prior history of cannabis use) began to use cannabis after the onset of psychotic symptoms, in most cases to treat the symptoms of mental illness, since cannabinoids offer mind-calming and mood-elevating properties without being physiologically (biochemically) addictive.]

[The human body is equipped with a vast number of endo-cannabinoid receptors throughout most of its tissues. Endo-cannabinoids are created naturally by our bodies and are a necessary component for the optimal functioning of those tissues. Both endo-cannabinoids (those self-produced within animals) and photo-cannabinoids (those produced by particular plant species) do not act upon the dopamine system of the brain, like most "addictive" drugs do (e.g. caffeine, alcohol, a dozen or so byproducts of tobacco combustion, opiates, methamphetamines, heroine, etc); hence cannabis' very limited "habit-forming" potential. In fact, coffee is more physiologically (biochemically) addictive. From a psychological viewpoint, cannabis use can become a habit, though that should not be surprising since users of cannabis recognize and appreciate that they are getting very effective physical and psychological medicinal benefits, which are far broader in their potential applications to a variety of medical conditions than any standard medication on the market—without the negative side-effects that commonly accompany standard medications.]

Other studies reinforcing Earleywine's 'self-medication' theory include a 2008 study published in the 'International Journal of Mental Health Nursing', which found that schizophrenics typically report using cannabis to reduce anxiety and 'improve their mental state.' Marijuana use has also been associated with clinically objective benefits in some schizophrenics. Recently, a 2010 report in the journal 'Schizophrenia Research' found that schizophrenic patients with a history of cannabis use demonstrate higher levels of cognitive performance compared to nonusers. Researchers in that study concluded, 'The results of the present analysis suggest that (cannabis use) in patients with SZ (schizophrenia) is associated with better performance on measures of processing speed and verbal skills. These data are consistent with prior reports indicating that SZ patients with a history of (cannabis use) have less severe cognitive deficits than SZ patients without comorbid (cannabis use).'

A 2011 meta-analysis published online by the journal 'Schizophrenia Research' also affirmed that schizophrenics with a history of cannabis use demonstrate 'superior neurocognitive performance' compared to non-users. Investigators at the University of Toronto, Institute of Medical Sciences reviewed eight separate studies assessing the impact of marijuana consumption on cognition, executive function, learning, and working memory in schizophrenic subjects. Researchers determined that the results of each of the performance measurements suggested 'superior cognitive functioning in cannabis-using patients as compared to non-using patients.'

...Other clinical literature also casts doubt on Large's claim that marijuana use accelerates mental illness. In a study published last year, a team that included researchers affiliated with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yale University, and the National Institue of Mental Health assessed whether lifetime [cannabis] use was associated with an earlier age of onset of symptoms in schizophrenic patients. They concluded, 'Although cannabis use precedes the onset of illness in most patients, there was no significant association between onset of illness and (cannabis use) that was not accounted for by demographic and clinical variables.'

The researchers also criticized the findings of previously published studies that purported to have uncovered a "pot trigger" for mental illness. 'Previous studies implicating cannabis use disorders in schizophrenia may need to more comprehensively assess the relationship between cannabis use disorders and schizophrenia.'

...authors of a 2009 study published in "Schizophrenia Research" said definitively that increased cannabis use by the public has not been followed by a proportional rise in diagnoses of schizophrenia or psychosis. Investigators at the Keele University Medical School in Britain compared trands in marijuana use and incidences of schizophrenia in the United Kingdom from 1996 to 2005. Researchers reported that the 'incidence and prevalence of schizophrenia and psychoses were either stable or declining' during this period, even though the use of cannabis among the general population was rising.

...'The expected rise in diagnoses of schizophrenia and psychoses did not occur over a 10 year period,' they concluded. 'This study does not therefore support the specific causal link between cannabis use and incidence of psychotic disorders. ...this concurs with other reports....'

[Regardless,] health risks connected with drug use--when scientifically documented--should not be seen as legitimate reasons for criminal prohibition, but instead, as reasons for legal regulation [similar to regulation of alcohol because of its adverse health effects]. ...drug warriors' fear-mongering surrounding the issue of marijuana and mental health does little to advance the cause of tightening prohibition, and provides ample ammunition to wage for its repeal."

[Copyright Notice: The use of these excerpts are protected from copyright censor under the Fair-Use provisions of copyright law (17 U.S.C. § 107), because their use herein is strictly noncommercial and is for educational purposes only.]

{For a personal account of how medicinal use of cannabis alleviated my combat-induced PTSD and anxiety disorders, download the article the publication "NW Leaf" did on me for their January 2012 issue.  [©"NW Leaf" - 2012.  Used with permission.]}