http://www.stats.org/record.jsp?type=news&ID=551

Guardian Goes Potty Over Cannabis-Schizophrenia Link February 20 2006
Maia Szalavitz

Guardian/Observer report takes its cues from U.S. drug czar not science

The quality British press doesn’t usually go in for American-style drug
hysteria, but this article from last week’s Guardian/Observer could have
been mistaken for a press release from the U.S. drug czar. It contained
accounts of violent crimes committed by cannabis users and an essay by a
thirteen-year-old about why she hates her brother who is “currently ill
with squitsaphrenia [sic] due to taking drugs (cannabis) from an early
age.”

The misinformation begins with the sub-head, which claims that “a series
of new studies proves the link between cannabis dependency and mental
illness,” implying that marijuana causes mental illness. In fact, the
new research, like the previous data, does not prove that marijuana makes
people mentally ill, but merely finds that people who are mentally ill are
more likely to smoke pot.

The article also mischaracterizes a recent report by the British
government’s Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. The UK recently
“reclassified” cannabis possession as an offense so minor that users
cannot be arrested simply for having small quantities in their possession.
The ACMD was recently asked to determine whether the government should
reconsider that decision, in light of a possible link between marijuana
and mental illness.

The Guardian/Observer piece described the ACMD report as having argued
“against reclassification,” and claimed that it “suggested for the
first time that cannabis may not only cause schizophrenia in those with
pre-existing mental conditions, but could also exacerbate a range of other
mental health problems.”

The ACMD report actually said that marijuana should remain reclassified as
a non-arrestable offense and here are some of its key points:

    The high prevalence of cannabis use, as well as use of other
    controlled substances, among those with schizophrenia or psychotic
    disorders is not understood. It may be cultural or related to peer
    pressure; and it has been postulated that cannabis either helps deal
    with certain aspects of the condition, or that it even ameliorates
    some of the adverse consequences of medication …

    Over the past few years, there has been growing concern as to whether
    cannabis use might precipitate chronic, or enduring, psychotic
    illnesses, including schizophrenia. In view of the ability of cannabis
    to precipitate relapse in individuals with established
    schizophrenia…it is clearly a biologically plausible hypothesis.
    However, research in this area is fraught with problems of both study
    design and interpretation.

    …For individuals, the current evidence suggests, at worst, that
    using cannabis increases the lifetime risk of developing schizophrenia
    by 1%.

    …The most recent data are not, overall, persuasive of a causal
    association between cannabis use and the development of depression,
    bipolar disorder or anxiety.



The Guardian/Observer claims that marijuana-related admissions to hospital
for mental illness in the UK have almost doubled in recent years, citing
490 such admissions in 2001, compared to 710 in 2004 and the same number
in 2005. But what it doesn’t cite is a source for those numbers, nor
does it say how a “cannabis-related” hospital admission is defined.

When doctors go looking for an association, one is often found — so
it’s quite possible that admissions that previously would not have been
classified as “cannabis related” are now being linked with the drug.

Also, annual marijuana use rates by teenagers and young adults actually
fell in the UK during that period — from 28% in 1998 to under 24% in
2005, a fact unmentioned by the newspaper. Nor is there evidence that
marijuana potency suddenly skyrocketed in the 00’s. Claims about
super-strong pot go back much further.

Finally, the article doesn’t mention the most compelling evidence
against a causal link between marijuana and schizophrenia. Schizophrenia
rates have been stable around the world at roughly 1% of the population
for as long as they have been measured. Marijuana use rose in the West
from virtually zero in the early 20th century to 50-60% of the adult
population having tried it at least once in recent decades, with
substantial proportions of the population taking it regularly at some
point in their lives, often during adolescence. Schizophrenia rates
haven’t budged.

-- 
Phil Stovell, South Hampshire, UK

Save Gales Brewery
http://www.savegales.org.uk/

"Phil Stovell"  wrote in message
news:pan.2006.02.20.20.47.51.236031@stovell.org.uk...
> http://www.stats.org/record.jsp?type=news&ID=551
>
> Guardian Goes Potty Over Cannabis-Schizophrenia Link February 20 2006
> Maia Szalavitz
>
> Guardian/Observer report takes its cues from U.S. drug czar not science
>
><snip>
> The Guardian/Observer claims that marijuana-related admissions to hospital
> for mental illness in the UK have almost doubled in recent years, citing
> 490 such admissions in 2001, compared to 710 in 2004 and the same number
> in 2005. But what it doesn't cite is a source for those numbers, nor
> does it say how a "cannabis-related" hospital admission is defined.
>
> When doctors go looking for an association, one is often found - so
> it's quite possible that admissions that previously would not have been
> classified as "cannabis related" are now being linked with the drug.
>
So even with artificially (and I'd suggest cynically) inflated figures it's
bloody obvious to anyone able to comprehend the scale of those numbers that
"cannabis-related" admissions are a complete non-issue.

On Fri, 24 Feb 2006 12:20:41 -0000, "JohnR" 
wrote:

>
>"Phil Stovell"  wrote in message
>news:pan.2006.02.20.20.47.51.236031@stovell.org.uk...
>> http://www.stats.org/record.jsp?type=news&ID=551
>>
>> Guardian Goes Potty Over Cannabis-Schizophrenia Link February 20 2006
>> Maia Szalavitz
>>
>> Guardian/Observer report takes its cues from U.S. drug czar not science
>>
>><snip>
>> The Guardian/Observer claims that marijuana-related admissions to hospital
>> for mental illness in the UK have almost doubled in recent years, citing
>> 490 such admissions in 2001, compared to 710 in 2004 and the same number
>> in 2005. But what it doesn't cite is a source for those numbers, nor
>> does it say how a "cannabis-related" hospital admission is defined.

Under the drug-czar paradigm, "cannabis-related" used to mean that the
patient mentioned he/she uses cannabis, it does not mean that cannabis
caused the problem, nor does it mean that cannabis was detected, nor
does it mean the patient was stoned, nor does it mean that the person
was having a psychotic episode, nor does it mean cannabis is the only
drug they use. Someone who got beaten up while enjoying a spliff would
be counted as would a junkie at death's door if they mentioned dope as
well as heroin.

>> When doctors go looking for an association, one is often found - so
>> it's quite possible that admissions that previously would not have been
>> classified as "cannabis related" are now being linked with the drug.

That's always true. By definition "associations" exist that are purely
chance or, as in this case, heavily influenced by self-selecting data.

The old adage about "lies, damned lies and statistics" is quite unfair
on responsible statisticians. There are lies, damned lies and lies
*about* statistics, which is an entirely different matter.

>So even with artificially (and I'd suggest cynically) inflated figures it's
>bloody obvious to anyone able to comprehend the scale of those numbers that
>"cannabis-related" admissions are a complete non-issue.

A friend warned me about the dangers of the Atkins diet. "Someone's
*d-i-i-i-ed* on it you know"...

Derek Potter wrote:
> 
> On Fri, 24 Feb 2006 12:20:41 -0000, "JohnR" 
> wrote:
> 
> >
> >"Phil Stovell"  wrote in message
> >news:pan.2006.02.20.20.47.51.236031@stovell.org.uk...
> >> http://www.stats.org/record.jsp?type=news&ID=551
> >>
> >> Guardian Goes Potty Over Cannabis-Schizophrenia Link February 20 2006
> >> Maia Szalavitz
> >>
> >> Guardian/Observer report takes its cues from U.S. drug czar not science
> >>
> >><snip>
> >> The Guardian/Observer claims that marijuana-related admissions to hospital
> >> for mental illness in the UK have almost doubled in recent years, citing
> >> 490 such admissions in 2001, compared to 710 in 2004 and the same number
> >> in 2005. But what it doesn't cite is a source for those numbers, nor
> >> does it say how a "cannabis-related" hospital admission is defined.
> 
> Under the drug-czar paradigm, "cannabis-related" used to mean that the
> patient mentioned he/she uses cannabis, it does not mean that cannabis
> caused the problem, nor does it mean that cannabis was detected, nor
> does it mean the patient was stoned, nor does it mean that the person
> was having a psychotic episode, nor does it mean cannabis is the only
> drug they use. Someone who got beaten up while enjoying a spliff would
> be counted as would a junkie at death's door if they mentioned dope as
> well as heroin.
> 
> >> When doctors go looking for an association, one is often found - so
> >> it's quite possible that admissions that previously would not have been
> >> classified as "cannabis related" are now being linked with the drug.
> 
> That's always true. By definition "associations" exist that are purely
> chance or, as in this case, heavily influenced by self-selecting data.
> 
> The old adage about "lies, damned lies and statistics" is quite unfair
> on responsible statisticians. There are lies, damned lies and lies
> *about* statistics, which is an entirely different matter.

there is only one way to defeat the misuse of statisitcs -- put them
into a coherent context:

http://www.briancbennett.com/antidotes/marijuana-mentions.htm

b
-- 
citizen, patriot, stoner

Marijuana: it's nowhere near as scary as they want you to think.
truth: the Anti-drugwar http://www.briancbennett.com

Nothing will ever change if we don't stand up for ourselves:
http://cannabisconsumers.org

"Cops say legalize drugs" ask them why:
http://www.leap.cc