Harvard Scientists Studied the Brains of Pot Smokers, and the Results Don't Look

[bonnie]

Harvard Scientists Studied the Brains of Pot Smokers, and the Results Don't Look Good

harvard, scientists, studied, the, brains, of, pot, smokers,, and, the, results, don't, look, good, Harvard Scientists Studied the Brains of Pot Smokers, and the Results Don't Look Good Image Credit: AP

The news: Every day, the push toward national legalization of marijuana seems more and more inevitable. As more and more politicians and noted individuals come out in favor of legalizing or at least decriminalizing different amounts of pot, the mainstream acceptance of the recreational use of the drug seems like a bygone conclusion. But before we can talk about legalization, have we fully understood the health effects of marijuana?

According to a new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers from Harvard and Northwestern studied the brains of 18- to 25-year-olds, half of whom smoked pot recreationally and half of whom didn't. What they found was rather shocking: Even those who only smoked few times a week had significant brain abnormalities in the areas that control emotion and motivation.

"There is this general perspective out there that using marijuana recreationally is not a problem — that it is a safe drug," said Anne Blood, a co-author of the study. "We are seeing that this is not the case."

The science: Similar studies have found a correlation between heavy pot use and brain abnormalities, but this is the first study that has found the same link with recreational users. The 20 people in the "marijuana group" of the study smoked four times a week on average; seven only smoked once a week. Those in the control group did not smoke at all.

"We looked specifically at people who have no adverse impacts from marijuana — no problems with work, school, the law, relationships, no addiction issues," said Hans Breiter, another co-author of the study.

Using three different neuroimaging techniques, researchers then looked at the nucleus accumbens and the amygdala of the participants. These areas are responsible for gauging the benefit or loss of doing certain things, and providing feelings of reward for pleasurable activities such as food, sex and social interactions.

"This is a part of the brain that you absolutely never ever want to touch," said Breiter. "I don't want to say that these are magical parts of the brain — they are all important. But these are fundamental in terms of what people find pleasurable in the world and assessing that against the bad things."

Shockingly, every single person in the marijuana group, including those who only smoked once a week, had noticeable abnormalities, with the nucleus accumbens and the amygdala showing changes in density, volume and shape. Those who smoked more had more significant variations.

What will happen next? The study's co-authors admit that their sample size was small. Their plan now is to conduct a bigger study that not only looks at the brain abnormalities, but also relates them to functional outcomes. That would be a major and important step in this science because, as of now, the research indicates that marijuana use may cause alterations to the brain, but it's unclear what that might actually mean for users and their brains.

But for now, they are standing behind their findings.

"People think a little marijuana shouldn't cause a problem if someone is doing OK with work or school," said Breiter. "Our data directly says this is not so."

[Bravus]

http://reason.com/blog/2014/04/18/study-of-pot-smokers-brains-shows-that-m

[bonnie]

http://reason.com/blog/2014/04/18/study-of-pot-smokers-brains-shows-that-m

Aren't you glad that I saved that one for you to post? There are also a couple of other articles that dispute the findings.

I have never tried it and don't have any desire to do so. Regardless of what your educated opinion may be,it isn't even reasonable to believe that "pot" does not have an effect on the human body.

I have known a few that are very vocal about their regular recreational use. One thing that is very common among those that do is a lack of motivation as opposed to those that don't use it.

Certainly seems to make them mellow. So mellow that in day to day living and achievements their top speed does not exceed neutral.

Of course there are those it affects differently just as smoking does. MY BIL smoked two to three packs a day,my husband is the one with COPD. My BIL died at 79 of other causes unrelated to smoking.

My second cousin was a regular "pot smoker" for years. His demeanor during that time was almost a mirror of what the first article describes.His brother,11 months older never touched it and was a startling contrast.The older brother was only average in his achievements,but the contrast was obvious if you weren't blind

[Tom Wetmore]

Recent Medical News Headlines - "Taking A Deep Breath Shows Evidence of Abnormal Enlargement of Lungs" "Diabetes and Increased Urination - New Study Reveals Increased Water Consumption May Be Connected" "Muscle Use Causal Connection To Increased Muscle Stress, Fatigue and Swelling - Scientific Study Suggests Exercise May Be Harmful"

[bonnie]

Recent Medical News Headlines - "Taking A Deep Breath Shows Evidence of Abnormal Enlargement of Lungs" "Diabetes and Increased Urination - New Study Reveals Increased Water Consumption May Be Connected" "Muscle Use Causal Connection To Increased Muscle Stress, Fatigue and Swelling - Scientific Study Suggests Exercise May Be Harmful"

I can see a lot of our young people using this list to argue to allow them to use pot. Thankfully those we entrusted our sons to at the academy did not treat the use of pot in this manner

You can get as extreme as you like to prove or suggest pot is not harmful.

If my child needed medical care and I were giving a choice of a Dr that regularly smoked the harmless pot,just finished drinking a beer, or smoked a cigarette the choice would not be difficult

Who would I choose as someone providing transportation for my child,the driver that had just smoked pot,just finished drinking a beer, or one that had just smoked a regular cigarette?

[bonnie]

Recent Medical News Headlines - "Taking A Deep Breath Shows Evidence of Abnormal Enlargement of Lungs" "Diabetes and Increased Urination - New Study Reveals Increased Water Consumption May Be Connected" "Muscle Use Causal Connection To Increased Muscle Stress, Fatigue and Swelling - Scientific Study Suggests Exercise May Be Harmful"

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana

What a great recreational substance for our young people. Certainly safer than the extreme of drinking to much water or Taking a deep breath.

Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, which contains the psychoactive (mind-altering) chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as other related compounds. This plant material can also be concentrated in a resin called hashish or a sticky black liquid called hash oil.

Marijuana is the most common illicit drug used in the United States. After a period of decline in the last decade, its use has been increasing among young people since 2007, corresponding to a diminishing perception of the drug’s risks that may be associated with increased public debate over the drug’s legal status. Although the federal government considers marijuana a Schedule I substance (having no medicinal uses and high risk for abuse), two states have legalized marijuana for adult recreational use, and 21 states have passed laws allowing its use as a treatment for certain medical conditions (see “Is Marijuana Medicine?”, below).

How is Marijuana Used?

Marijuana is usually smoked in hand-rolled cigarettes (joints) or in pipes or water pipes (bongs). It is also smoked in blunts—cigars that have been emptied of tobacco and refilled with a mixture of marijuana and tobacco. Marijuana smoke has a pungent and distinctive, usually sweet-and-sour, odor. Marijuana can also be mixed in food or brewed as a tea.

illlustration of chemical structures showing how similar the natural brain chemical anandamide is to marijuana's THCTHC's chemical structure is similar to the brain chemical anandamide. Similarity in structure allows drugs to be recognized by the body and to alter normal brain communication

How Does Marijuana Affect the Brain?

When marijuana is smoked, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to the brain and other organs throughout the body. It is absorbed more slowly when ingested in food or drink.

However it is ingested, THC acts on specific molecular targets on brain cells, called cannabinoid receptors. These receptors are ordinarily activated by chemicals similar to THC that naturally occur in the body (such as anandamide; see picture, above) and are part of a neural communication network called the endocannabinoid system. This system plays an important role in normal brain development and function.

The highest density of cannabinoid receptors is found in parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thinking, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement. Marijuana overactivates the endocannabinoid system, causing the “high” and other effects that users experience. These effects include altered perceptions and mood, impaired coordination, difficulty with thinking and problem solving, and disrupted learning and memory.

Marijuana also affects brain development, and when it is used heavily by young people, its effects on thinking and memory may last a long time or even be permanent. A recent study of marijuana users who began using in adolescence revealed substantially reduced connectivity among brain areas responsible for learning and memory. And a large long-term study in New Zealand showed that people who began smoking marijuana heavily in their teens lost an average of 8 points in IQ between age 13 and age 38. Importantly, the lost cognitive abilities were not fully restored in those who quit smoking marijuana as adults. Those who started smoking marijuana in adulthood did not show significant IQ declines.

What Are the Other Health Effects of Marijuana?

Marijuana use may have a wide range of effects, particularly on cardiopulmonary and mental health.

Marijuana smoke is an irritant to the lungs, and frequent marijuana smokers can have many of the same respiratory problems experienced by tobacco smokers, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent acute chest illness, and a heightened risk of lung infections. One study found that people who smoke marijuana frequently but do not smoke tobacco have more health problems and miss more days of work than those who don’t smoke marijuana, mainly because of respiratory illnesses. It is not yet known whether marijuana smoking contributes to risk for lung cancer.

Is Marijuana Medicine?

Many have called for the legalization of marijuana to treat conditions including pain and nausea caused by HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other conditions, but clinical evidence has not shown that the therapeutic benefits of the marijuana plant outweigh its health risks. To be considered a legitimate medicine by the FDA, a substance must have well-defined and measurable ingredients that are consistent from one unit (such as a pill or injection) to the next. As the marijuana plant contains hundreds of chemical compounds that may have different effects and that vary from plant to plant, and because the plant is typically ingested via smoking, its use as a medicine is difficult to evaluate.

However, THC-based drugs to treat pain and nausea are already FDA approved and prescribed, and scientists continue to investigate the medicinal properties of other chemicals found in the cannabis plant—such as cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid compound that is being studied for its effects at treating pain, pediatric epilepsy, and other disorders. For more information, see DrugFacts - Is Marijuana Medicine?

Marijuana also raises heart rate by 20-100 percent shortly after smoking; this effect can last up to 3 hours. In one study, it was estimated that marijuana users have a 4.8-fold increase in the risk of heart attack in the first hour after smoking the drug. This risk may be greater in older individuals or in those with cardiac vulnerabilities.

A number of studies have linked chronic marijuana use and mental illness. High doses of marijuana can produce a temporary psychotic reaction (involving hallucinations and paranoia) in some users, and using marijuana can worsen the course of illness in patients with schizophrenia. A series of large studies following users across time also showed a link between marijuana use and later development of psychosis. This relationship was influenced by genetic variables as well as the amount of drug used, drug potency, and the age at which it was first taken—those who start young are at increased risk for later problems.

Associations have also been found between marijuana use and other mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts among adolescents, and personality disturbances, including a lack of motivation to engage in typically rewarding activities. More research is still needed to confirm and better understand these linkages.

Marijuana use during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of neurobehavioral problems in babies. Because THC and other compounds in marijuana mimic the body’s own endocannabinoid chemicals, marijuana use by pregnant mothers may alter the developing endocannabinoid system in the brain of the fetus. Consequences for the child may include problems with attention, memory, and problem solving.

Additionally, because it seriously impairs judgment and motor coordination, marijuana contributes to risk of injury or death while driving a car. A recent analysis of data from several studies found that marijuana use more than doubles a driver’s risk of being in an accident. The combination of marijuana and alcohol is worse than either substance alone with respect to driving impairment

Rising Potency

The amount of THC in marijuana samples confiscated by police has been increasing steadily over the past few decades. In 2012, THC concentrations in marijuana averaged close to 15 percent, compared to around 4 percent in the 1980s. For a new user, this may mean exposure to higher concentrations of THC, with a greater chance of an adverse or unpredictable reaction. Increases in potency may account for the rise in emergency department visits involving marijuana use. For frequent users, it may mean a greater risk for addiction if they are exposing themselves to high doses on a regular basis. However, the full range of consequences associated with marijuana's higher potency is not well understood. For example, experienced users may adjust their intake in accordance with the potency or they may be exposing their brains to higher levels overall, or both.

Is Marijuana Addictive?

Contrary to common belief, marijuana is addictive. Estimates from research suggest that about 9 percent of users become addicted to marijuana; this number increases among those who start young (to about 17 percent, or 1 in 6) and among people who use marijuana daily (to 25-50 percent).

Long-term marijuana users trying to quit report withdrawal symptoms including irritability, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, anxiety, and drug craving, all of which can make it difficult to abstain. Behavioral interventions, including cognitive-behavioral therapy and motivational incentives (i.e., providing vouchers for goods or services to patients who remain abstinent) have proven to be effective in treating marijuana addiction. Although no medications are currently available, recent discoveries about the workings of the endocannabinoid system offer promise for the development of medications to ease withdrawal, block the intoxicating effects of marijuana, and prevent relapse.

How Does Marijuana Affect a User’s Life?

Research shows marijuana may cause problems in daily life or make a person's existing problems worse. Heavy marijuana users generally report lower life satisfaction, poorer mental and physical health, more relationship problems, and less academic and career success compared to non-marijuana-using peers. For example, marijuana use is associated with a higher likelihood of dropping out of school. Several studies also associate workers' marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardine

[Gregory Matthews]

Quote:

Many have called for the legalization of marijuana to treat conditions including pain and nausea caused by HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other conditions, but clinical evidence has not shown that the therapeutic benefits of the marijuana plant outweigh its health risks. To be considered a legitimate medicine by the FDA, a substance must have well-defined and measurable ingredients that are consistent from one unit (such as a pill or injection) to the next. As the marijuana plant contains hundreds of chemical compounds that may have different effects and that vary from plant to plant, and because the plant is typically ingested via smoking, its use as a medicine is difficult to evaluate.

The above is being called into question today.

Yes, it is difficult to evaluate, and especially in the United States. Scientific research is being conducted in Europe that cannot easily be done in the U.S. due to the legal situation. There is clear evidence, unfinished, that MJ may (?) be a valid medical treatment for some conditions.

The growth of the legal MJ industry is demonstrating that growers can produce MJ plants with defined characteristics, to include varied levels of THC. So, standardization can be further developed.

As to the other compounds present in the plants, research can factor those in and out.

More research is clearly needed. Science in not yet finished. The evidence is not yet in--to include long-term effects, as has been mentioned.

[fccool]

The problem with such research is problematic correlation of cause and effect, given lack of appropriate constraints in statistical research.

Pot will naturally be present among certain groups of people who already are less satisfied, have less academic and career success, and who are already likely to drop out of school... thus linking pot as the "responsible party" is actually problem with deriving such statistical "links".

The proper way to conduct such research is not in the present subculture, but in a controlled environment where you study two groups of average people, one gets to smoke pot for a year and the other one doesn't. You then compare their success, habits and etc.

I doubt that the difference in their mental and social performance will be statistically different.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/22/marijuana-brain-study_n_5170422.html

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323936404578581672468703556

[bonnie]

The growth of the legal MJ industry is demonstrating that growers can produce MJ plants with defined characteristics, to include varied levels of THC. So, standardization can be further developed.

As to the other compounds present in the plants, research can factor those in and out.

More research is clearly needed. Science in not yet finished. The evidence is not yet in--to include long-term effects, as has been mentioned.

Maybe you need science to tell you that you would not want your child smoking pot. Maybe I am narrow minded and don't put enough faith in research.But not my child and not my house.

[Gregory Matthews]

Quote:

The proper way to conduct such research is not in the present subculture, but in a controlled environment where you study two groups of average people, one gets to smoke pot for a year and the other one doesn't. You then compare their success, habits and etc.

I was speaking specifically about the treatment of medical conditions.

The above is not the manner in which research is conducted related to medical conditions.

[Gregory Matthews]

Quote:

Maybe you need science to tell you that you would not want your child smoking pot. Maybe I am narrow minded and don't put enough faith in research. But not my child and not my house.

Bonnie, it looks to me like you are confused not only of the clinical research that is going on in England and other countries, but what is being learned and what can be expected.

Let me help you: The research being conducted in other countries is not expected to tell me, or anyone else, whether or not a child should be smoking pot at home.

[Tom Wetmore]

Originally Posted By: Tom Wetmore

Recent Medical News Headlines - "Taking A Deep Breath Shows Evidence of Abnormal Enlargement of Lungs" "Diabetes and Increased Urination - New Study Reveals Increased Water Consumption May Be Connected" "Muscle Use Causal Connection To Increased Muscle Stress, Fatigue and Swelling - Scientific Study Suggests Exercise May Be Harmful"

I can see a lot of our young people using this list to argue to allow them to use pot. Thankfully those we entrusted our sons to at the academy did not treat the use of pot in this manner

You can get as extreme as you like to prove or suggest pot is not harmful.

If my child needed medical care and I were giving a choice of a Dr that regularly smoked the harmless pot,just finished drinking a beer, or smoked a cigarette the choice would not be difficult

Who would I choose as someone providing transportation for my child,the driver that had just smoked pot,just finished drinking a beer, or one that had just smoked a regular cigarette?

The wonderful adventures of missing the point...

I think maybe we should implement a new rule. Those who miss the point more than 25% of the time should be banned from posting anything else until they undergo getting the point rehab...

[bonnie]

Bonnie, it looks to me like you are confused not only of the clinical research that is going on in England and other countries, but what is being learned and what can be expected.

Let me help you: The research being conducted in other countries is not expected to tell me, or anyone else, whether or not a child should be smoking pot at home.

No,I don't expect the research to tell me whether or not my child should smoke pot.

Regardless if research cam back and said it was harmless I would say the same.

There isn't any research in the world that can deny the heartache I have seen other parents go thru. Some pot and other drugs,some just regular use of pot.None of it was pretty and I don't think any of those parents would have said,Well,you drink to much water you can die to.

Some never pulled out of it,their child changed drastically.Some did after a very tough struggle.

Research cannot research away the price my cousin paid for heavy pot use.Thankfully he is back on track and disagrees strongly with the idea of "we really need more research" to know it is harmful.

[bonnie]

Bonnie, it looks to me like you are confused not only of the clinical research that is going on in England and other countries, but what is being learned and what can be expected.

Let me help you: The research being conducted in other countries is not expected to tell me, or anyone else, whether or not a child should be smoking pot at home.

Tell me,what your response would be to your son informing you he was smoking pot? That there isn't enough research to really know if harmful long term or not?

Would you shrug it off with,"Well there are other things that can kill you"?

[Tom Wetmore]

Are you aware of the difference between recreational use of marijuana and medical use of it or any of its active ingredients? Are you familiar with any of the current research of its medical use?

Following your "logic" we should outlaw all medical use of pain medication and any other narcotics because there are people who get addicted to them, abuse them and ruin their lives.

And while we are at it, people abuse food at great risk to their health and well-being. Outlaw food.

I believe it is no exaggeration to say that thousands die in car accidents. Let's outlaw cars.

[Gregory Matthews]

A question asked of Bonnie, by Tom:

Quote:

Are you aware of the difference between recreational use of marijuana and medical use of it or any of its active ingredients? Are you familiar with any of the current research of its medical use?

That is the issue between Bonnie and I.

Every one of her responses demonstrates that she does not understand what is being done in the clinical field and does not understand my references to it.

It should be noted that the current European research has gone well beyond that which was done on Marinol, a current THC product that is available by prescription.

[bonnie]

Are you aware of the difference between recreational use of marijuana and medical use of it or any of its active ingredients? Are you familiar with any of the current research of its medical use?

[bonnie]

My brother and I have a medical condition where pot is suggested.

The Dr discussed it's use and why he is opposed. There are several medications if taken on a regular basis that work great,but lacks the high and does not affect brain function as pot. The high according to my Dr is why some really push for pot instead of other medications.It would be as a last resort. So yes,again I did quite a bit of reading on it

[fccool]

Again, you are missing the point.

The article that you referencing is actually exaggerated interpretation of already terrible scientific correlation:

Here's the step by step problems with research as critiqued by someone who knows what they are talking about:

http://liorpachter.wordpress.com/2014/04...-abnormalities/

In short:

1) Sample is too small

2) People sampled are heavy pot users

3) There are no other degrees of freedom explored that may contribute to specific correlation and conclusion.

4) The entirety of data wasn't released, and you get heavily normalized deviation to mask the fact that even in that sample, there's variation in "density" that's not related to use.

The entire thing is just bad science, or as he puts it, the worst paper he has read on the subject.

[fccool]

Given that:

1) No one is arguing that smoking pot is absolutely harmless

2) No one is arguing that children should be smoking pot

3) No one is arguing that people don't abuse pot

What people keep pointing out is:

1) The study is skewed and flawed and is a terrible science that's spun by news media to say what it doesn't say at all

2) Casual smoking of pot is NOT worse than casual drinking

No one is arguing that casual driking is ideal, but there are plenty of things that are not.

You keep coming back to personal anecdotes about people suffering... and I feel you, but it's not the reason to push your agenda via "education". Education actually implies being properly informed, instead of lying to children "for their own good" and making up myths similar to "self-abuse" consequences in the past (causes hairy palms,blindness, and mental problems). Children were taught that too

There's plentiful terrible science and information that's already being pushed with support of personal anecdotes and false correlation of facts.

[Tom Wetmore]

My brother and I have a medical condition where pot is suggested.

The Dr discussed it's use and why he is opposed. There are several medications if taken on a regular basis that work great,but lacks the high and does not affect brain function as pot. The high according to my Dr is why some really push for pot instead of other medications.It would be as a last resort. So yes,again I did quite a bit of reading on it

Actually not entirely true. Some of the beneficial compounds in Marijuana are being isolated and can be used medically without the high. An example is the anti-seizure benefit which is being used with some remarkable success in even children. It reduces and/or controls seizures but with out the high.

But the stigma, ignorance and the fact of its Federal drug classification make it very difficult to conduct research in this country.

[bonnie]

Given that:

1) No one is arguing that smoking pot is absolutely harmless

2) No one is arguing that children should be smoking pot

3) No one is arguing that people don't abuse pot

[bonnie]

Actually not entirely true. Some of the beneficial compounds in Marijuana are being isolated and can be used medically without the high. An example is the anti-seizure benefit which is being used with some remarkable success in even children. It reduces and/or controls seizures but with out the high.

But the stigma, ignorance and the fact of its Federal drug classification make it very difficult to conduct research in this country.

Of course not a 100% true.I am not interested in taking the time to go through several very lengthy conversations with my DR.concerning his reasons and the exceptions to them

Restless Leg Syndrome runs in our family and is a nightmare for those of us trying to find something that works.It's cause is not understood and what works for one does not work for another.Mine is a night time thing,my brother's is 24/7 arms and legs. Many that have this prefer marijuana if they can get it.How many Dr's actually prescribe it,I have no idea but the patients try.

When other means do not work my Dr is not opposed to the use,nor is he ignorant on the topic. Generally there are medications available that give good results

This is not the reason young people want to use pot..Some of the beneficial compounds in Marijuana are being isolated and can be used medically without the high. They use pot specifically to get high

[fccool]

Bonnie,

I'm not quite sure what you are defending here. It seems to me, you are defending the right to tell your kids that pot is bad stuff . I don't see anyone arguing against that here.

So far, all of the criticism is directed towards buga-buga article that exaggerated improperly conducted research to claim that marijuana drastically alters your brain composition even for casual users "casual use". The research doesn't show it, and the article is simply false.

You then come out and say that the article and science doesn't matter, and you have the right to teach kids that marijuana is bad. , which again, no one is here seems to oppose you doing that.

The obvious questions:

1) Do you care whether something is true prior to posting it? Do you care about admitting that it's not when people point it out to you?

2) Do you think that spreading false fear about effects is a good way to go about encouraging kids to abstain from drugs?

[Gregory Matthews]

Bonnie said:

Quote:

I do not believe marijuana is as harmless as some of you seem to imply or say "we really don't know"

You were not specific enough for me to be certain. But, I think that you have not understood what has been said to you.

I did not deal with the harmfulness of MJ, which in my opinion includes issues that you did not mention.

I focused on other aspects of your posts which, in my opinion failed to accurately present what actually is.