New Marijuana Docs Released From White House

[JustinNed]

Feds: Teen use of pot can lead to dependency, mental illness

WASHINGTON - Depression, teens and marijuana are a dangerous mix that can lead to dependency, mental illness or suicidal thoughts, according to a White House report being released Friday.
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A teen who has been depressed at some point in the past year is more than twice as likely to have used marijuana as teens who have not reported being depressed — 25 percent compared with 12 percent, said the report by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

"Marijuana is a more consequential substance of abuse than our culture has treated it in the last 20 years," said John Walters, director of the office. "This is not just youthful experimentation that they'll get over as we used to think in the past."

Smoking marijuana can lead to more serious problems, Walters said in an interview.

For example, using marijuana increases the risk of developing mental disorders by 40 percent, the report said. And teens who smoke pot at least once a month over a yearlong period are three times more likely to have suicidal thoughts than nonusers, it said.

The report also cited research that showed that teens who smoke marijuana when feeling depressed were more than twice as likely as their peers to abuse or become addicted to pot — 8 percent compared with 3 percent.

Experts who have worked with children say there's nothing harmless about marijuana.

"I've seen many, many kids' lives negatively impacted and taken off track because of marijuana," said Elizabeth Stanley-Salazar, director of adolescent services for Phoenix House treatment centers in California. "It's somewhat Russian roulette. There are so many factors, emotional, psychological, biological. You can't predict the experimentation and how it will impact a kid."

The drug control policy office analyzed about a dozen studies looking at marijuana use, including research by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Overall, marijuana use among teens has decreased 25 percent since 2001, down to about 2.3 million kids who used pot at least once a month, the drug control office said.

While the drop is encouraging, Walters appealed to parents to recognize signs of possible drug use and depression.

"It's not something you look the other way about when your teen starts appearing careless about their grooming, withdrawing from the family, losing interest in daily activities," Walters said. "Find out what's wrong."

Well I think everyone knows to to get children high, either way. More b.s. from the goverment.
"For example, using marijuana increases the risk of developing mental disorders by 40 percent, the report said. And teens who smoke pot at least once a month over a yearlong period are three times more likely to have suicidal thoughts than nonusers, it said."
I got $100 that says that these people with suicidal thoughts are also on pharmacutecals.

 

[ararat]

"I've seen many, many kids' lives negatively impacted and taken off track because of marijuana,"

yeah, guess why.

 

[Forkbender]

Nice how they mix cause and effect to such an extent that if you don't look out you can conclude that marijuana causes depression and suicidal thoughts.

 

[Pariah]

A few things they didn't say:

That depression and mental illnesses tend to appear in adolescents... the same time in life that people start experimenting with how *they* want to live life: drugs, sex, relationships, music, careers - LIFE!!

That those with depression seek a way to help themselves - self-medication.

As JustinNed said: whether other pharmacueticals were in use by the individuals.

This report is only a collection of soundbites and meaningless statistics from biased individuals given expert status by a government with the same agenda.

 

[spice]

Why don't any of these schmucks bring their propaganda here?


I'm waiting.....

 

[poisoninthestain]

stuff like this makes me extremely angry, but i think the world is gradually waking up...however slowly.

this propaganda stuff used to be more rampant just a decade back. things have been getting better, especially with cannabis. for example, in California you can buy medical grade bud from soft-drink vendors on the street if you have a medical marijuana card(as far as i know there are only 2 vendors). IMO that's a giant leap against the side of prohibition...my 15 year old brother had the option of writing a paper about weed for a class. that's also good because it allows for an open discussion about taboo topics early in adolescents(such as cannabis).

sure, there is still A LOT of bullshit propaganda out there...just 60 years ago people were taught that blacks were biological different than whites and that masturbating would make you go blind and grow hair on your palms!

...fast-forward 60 some years and now America is considerably different. the odds of Barack Obama(the first black) becoming president are extremely high. that's a major change. if you were to ask a 70-80 year old man if back then they would've thought a black could become president they would laugh and say it'd be impossible.

that's not to say negative shit is still holding the world back. the netherlands recent ban on psilocybin has been a considerable setback. but positive vs. negative weighed out, i'd say change is on the way.

...all in all, i believe the world has about 25 or so more years for a major leap in progress.

 

[st.bot.32]

Yeah, the fact that we can even have these discussions in public places now is hopeful. At one time the propaganda was so strong that there was no "freedom of speech" when it came to MJ usage. The more people who see that there are millions of mj users who get on with their lives just fine, or even use it for creativity and inspiration, the more hollow the DEA propaganda will be.

When millions of people smoke pot, there are bound to be a few who have problems or are depressed. Correlation does not equal causation except in the eyes of propagandists.

 

[HeartCore]

For fuck sake, when I would be living in the states and smoke marijuana, I would be :

- fucking depressed because of my friends going to jail and having their lives destroyed.
- develop mental disorder after doing some time for my 'crime' as well
- eventually I guess I would be ready to kill myself once I found out that my violentless, use of a freaking herb, just made it impossible for me to get a decent job ever again.

or:

Another open door...

 

[BrainEater]

for me i feel like part of the paranoia i have sometimes intensely while high is indeed created by the fear of gettin busted and of the fuckin ignorant brutality they create with the dumb dogmatic laws ......

or well its not dumb its clever to manipulate ppl by usin their fear of losin freedom or losin respect in society and stuff ...... fuck the law .......................

anyways... spreadin "the truth" in a way that is not the truth anymore in form of their stupid propaganda is raping the truth, but its kind of "the truth" for them so maybe they (or their egos ?? what is it anymore ?? ) think its alright ...

forgive them for they do not know right from wrong.

peace.

 

[Guest]

1

 

[st.bot.32]

Well they are ignorant. They have no knowledge of what cannabis actually does. They've probably never tried it, ignore all scientific and medical research and independent commissions who have recommended legalization, demonize and discount all users, and spew 1930's propaganda. I mean, how often have you actually heard the DEA argue that cannabis "lowers inhibitions" and "impairs judgement" as if it is like getting drunk or something? Like wow, I just smoked a joint, time to go for a drive and get in an accident. I can't recall marijuana ever impairing my judgment as much as alcohol, no matter how high I've ever gotten, even at tripping levels.

There is probably a layer of corruption involved as well, after all the people who benefit most from prohibition, just like in the 1920s-30's are drug lords, corrupt officials, dealers, and the sprawling prison industry, which is the largest in the world.

And yeah I find marijuana quite healing as well. I had a period of depression a few years ago, and was wrongly given strong antidepressants (venlafaxine) which screwed me up.. unlike any "non-subscription" drug I've ever taken. Marijuana cut through the fog and taught me.. how to remember again, after a long cloudy period probably due to that horrible prescription drug.

The only people I've met who have had problems with it are chronic smokers, which is akin to saying alcohol is bad by looking at drunks. Except I'd rather be around a chronic smoker than a drunk, they don't smell as bad, and actually have more of their faculties intact.

 

[Guest]

we are all adults.
they know, probably better than us, the effects of cannabis on human health. we don't know, apart from the published data, what they have researched and experienced.
we are made to think that they are ignorant, and only mean to stop us from expanding our consciousness and, perhaps stop this pathetic "democracy". this is the bait, and not the truth.
if they legalized MJ, what would happen to the cotton fields ?
to expensive crops, that destroy all nutrients ?
what would happen to pharmacies ?

they don't give a fuck about what you care or what you think, and it is the same for them if you expand your consciousness or jump in front of a running train.
do you all think your mind is so important to them ?
this is what they want: we thinking that the psychedelic-thought (whatever that is, but that's another war) is returning and slowly taking over this shithole. this is a hoax, a failure that you certainly help to acheive if you agree with this. psychedelics are known by everyone, but only a minority will embrace them. it has happened ever since - the depths of the thought patterns are only available to a small, small minority of the population. why do we belive in this ? because it makes us feel secure and safe. it is untrue.
the world has the same problems than it had ever since.
do psychedelics help ? personally yes, but don't expect your shroom trip to change the world.

when a beggar comes at you, haven't you said, at least once, that you didn't had any money, even if you had ?
it's the same. they say it impairs judment, and all that bullshit, and you take it for granted. you moan on the argument that is made to cover the reality. look in history books, look on evidence that is everywhere!
crossing your arms and saying that "they are ignorant", "they forbid us from acheiving enlightement" and so many things that i've seen here, it equals, at least for me, when one rants when the sky is clouded: "i cannot see blue skies. damn clouds". you are only seeing it from your point of view...the sky is there, only you don't see it. be patient. be informed and question their explanations. every opinion that i've seen here belives in their ridiculous arguments.
remember this: you and your little belives are as important to them as the little rock near the equator in pluto is for you.
lose that egocentrism, see things as they are. MONEY is all that matters. not belives or ideas. you pay me and i'll do the thinking - that's the motto.

 

[st.bot.32]

we are all adults.
they know, probably better than us, the effects of cannabis on human health. we don't know, apart from the published data, what they have researched and experienced.

There are always those in a position of power who are absolutely as you say. Corruption is always everywhere. But I think there are plenty of officers and DEA workers who genuinely believe they are right, and that they are protecting their country. Plenty of people fall for the propaganda, that's why it exists. It works on a high enough percentage of sheeple. Or they know someone who they claim was "destroyed" by pot or salvia or whatever and they have some kind of moral crusade, personal agenda to shove around on others.

 

[buffachino]

Cannabis is a cash crop to them.
Their dominance stems from this simple fact that it generates easy profit that’s simple to regulate by imposing this propagandist ignorance on people, while many continue to use (and buy) the substance at a higher rate than would be the case if it were a legal and regulated remedy.

Let’s not forget that it would also supersede other pharmaceutical, fuel, plastic and crop industries in a single blow, which would topple the monopoly of these markets by capitalist 'drug' dealers who must keep the world dependant on their inefficient poison for their system to survive.

Its capitalism at work people.
Divide and conquer.

(This is a mere elaboration on Daytrippers post)

 

[Guest]

1

 

[spice]

but you're not.


As soon as you quit beieving change is possible, you may as well hook the carbon monoxide inhaler up and hyperventilate your way to hyperspace.


If you're not changing, and embracing it, then you're dying, and embracing that.


It's easy to give in, thats what they want....

Perseverance is difficult, but Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

[vajrakana]

If you want to help change things in the US, but are uncomfortable about actually speaking out, send NORML an anonymous donation via money order.

Or seek out your PAC of choice that is interested in ending drug prohibition.