Marijuana is Nothing Like it Used to Be - Says Mom of 19 y/o Who Suicided

A mom whose 19-yr-old died by suicide has a vital message for parents about marijuana today

Annie Reneau

Laura Stack/Facebook

Laura Stack's son Johnny lost his life to suicide three months ago when he was just 19 years old. Though she says the grief of his death is "still fresh," Stack took to Facebook to share something that happened three days before Johnny died, hoping it will help other parents whose kids may be at risk.

She wrote:

"On Sunday, November 17, 2019 around 5:30 PM, he came over for dinner. He lived in our condo a couple miles down the street and would often pop in for a home-cooked meal. This evening, he was a bit agitated but lucid. 'I need to tell you that you were right,' he told me. 'Right about what?' I asked. 'Right about the marijuana and the drugs. You told me weed and drugs would hurt my brain, and it's ruined my mind and my life. You were right all along. I'm sorry, and I love you.' He died by suicide three days later."

Stack explained that Johnny had "dabbed" since he was 15 or 16. "Do you understand the difference between smoking pot (and some edibles) and dabbing high-THC wax, shatter, or butter?" she asked. "Most of my friends look at me blankly when I say these words and say, 'I've never even heard about this.' If you don't know what cannabis extracts are, and you have children, grandchildren, sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews between the ages of 14 and 24, PLEASE keep reading."

"I am NOT talking about those of you who are supporters of legal recreational marijuana for adults over 21 years old—it's your life—do what you want," Stack clarified. "I know some people who take it successfully for specific medical purposes, so please don't write comments in my post about my personal experience. I'm specifically talking about illegal usage by children and young adults under 21, whose adolescent brains are still forming. You may be thinking, 'C'mon, Laura, it's no big deal – it's just pot.' 'Pot's legal, so it must be safe.' Or 'I did pot when I was a kid, too, and look, it didn't hurt me.'

Well, have you recently studied TODAY'S pot, and have you personally seen its effects on your children like I have?"

Stack explained why today's recreational cannabis is so different:

"First, the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a crystalline compound that is the main active ingredient of cannabis that gives the 'high,' is extracted out of the cannabis so that it's nearly pure. THC is the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis. Then a butane torch is used to heat the crystals (similar to beeswax) or oil in a 'rig' (just google it), or a vaping device with a heating element called a dab pen can be used. Forget the 'grass' or 'papers' that were rolled in the 70s and 80s. The pot we grew up with (10% or less THC content) is HUGELY different than today's high-concentrate extracts (often 80% THC content or higher)."

She also explained why young people tend to be affected more by these high THC concentrations, and that the earlier they start the more likely it is that they'll develop a disorder.

"The brain is still developing through a person's 20s, and psychotic disorders typically develop in the late teenage years. During brain formation, heavy cannabis use has been shown to have a negative effect on the formation of neural pathways. It can also lead to heavier drug use. While the vast majority of marijuana smokers never experience CIP, researchers have found that the earlier and heavier someone starts dabbing, the more likely it is that they will develop a disorder at some point (often years later). We must educate our children when they are young (10-12 years old) and use hyper-vigilance in the early teen years, which we found was much easier before the age of 16, when they could drive. We couldn't lock him up or monitor him 24/7. Keep talking and keep trying!!

The harmful combination of a still-forming mind, high-potency THC products, and a high frequency of use = Cannabis-Induced Psychosis. Yes, that's a real diagnosis (or High-THC Abuse – Severe). Repeated CIP incidents can trigger schizophrenia or other mental illness, and even when the cannabis is withdrawn, the psychosis doesn't go away. This is what happened to my beautiful boy. When he died, the toxicology report showed he had ZERO drugs in his system. He wasn't depressed, neglected, drugged, or unloved. He was psychotic, paranoid, and delusional by the time he reached 19, and he refused the anti-psychotic drugs that he now needed, because he thought he wasn't sick (common to schizophrenia)."

It's so easy to think that marijuana use isn't that big of a deal, especially since some states (and Canada) have begun legalizing the drug for recreational use and many people see it as "natural." But the mild, laid-back high many people picture with pot use is not the reality of many of today's marijuana products or methods. Parents need to be aware of the dangers cannabis-derived drugs pose to their children's mental health and educate them as early as possible.

Stack included the following links to articles and studies backing up what she's learned about today's THC products. These are things we all should read and share, as this knowledge and awareness could literally save someone's life.

Potent pot, vulnerable teens trigger concerns in first states to legalize marijuana - The Washington Post

The contribution of cannabis use to variation in the incidence of psychotic disorder - The Lancet Journal

Association of Cannabis Use in Adolescence and Risk of Depression, Anxiety, and Suicidality in Young Adulthood - Journal of the American Medical Association

Dabs, Wax, Vaping Weed, Edibles and the Real Impact of High Potency THC Products: What Parents Need to Know - Resources to Recover

How Marijuana May Damage Teenage Brains in Study Using Genetically Vulnerable Mice - Johns Hopkins

Significant link between cannabis use and onset of mania symptoms – Science Daily

Cannabis-induced psychosis: A Review – Psychiatric Times

Summary of literature on marijuana and psychosis - Moms Strong

Why Canada Should Never Allow THC Gummy Bears Anywhere Near the Country

Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office claims Florida woman targeted kids

with THC gummy bears and brownies

Annie Blanks, Pensacola News Journal 

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office is touting the arrest of a Milton woman who the sheriff claims targeted children with the production of THC-laced gummy bears, brownies and butter. 

SRSO Sheriff Bob Johnson said Thursday that SWAT officers arrested Tracy Farley, 53, at her home at 6700 Highway 87 North after a search warrant turned up drugs and drug-laced items in the home.

Johnson said deputies found gummy bears and brownies laced with THC, a primary component of marijuana, as well as seven pounds of "bud" or potent marijuana; "budder" or a butter-like paste mixed with THC that can be spread on food items; and cocaine.

Johnson said the drug haul was particularly concerning due to the gummy bears and brownies. 

"These two items were specific for children, they're packaged for children," Johnson said. "It's a pack of gummies and if a kid saw them sitting on a desk, he'd pick it up and chew it." 

And to whom is she selling these gummy bears? Not kids, pedophiles! Who else? They get kids high and then abuse them. There is no reason on earth why these things should be allowed anywhere.

Johnson said his agency often gets flak for marijuana arrests, but he said this case demonstrated the necessity of taking a hard stance on illegal drugs. 

"We catch a lot of people on our Facebook page after a marijuana bust saying, 'Why are you messing with marijuana? You need to be going after cocaine,'" Johnson said. "Well, it's because of stuff like this. Just because they're selling marijuana doesn't mean they're not selling something else, and in this case, she's selling those THC-laced gummy bears." 

Johnson said it wasn't clear yet if Farley ever actually sold any of the goods to children, and the investigation is still ongoing. 

Farley was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of paraphernalia, and possession of synthetic cannabinoid with intent to distribute. 

She is being held in the Santa Rosa County Jail on $8,000 bond. 

Santa Rosa Co., Fla

The Mad Rush to Legalize Pot Will Result in a Lot of Canadians Suffering Intolerably

Ottawa isn't putting a cap on the potency

of many cannabis products

New regulations unveiled today don't place upper limits

on THC content

Catharine Tunney · CBC News 

A worker collects cuttings from a marijuana plant at the Canopy Growth Corporation facility in Smiths Falls, Ont., in this Jan. 2018 photo. (Chris Wattie/Reuters)

Health Canada has released its new regulations for the legal recreational marijuana market, but they don't include a clear limit on how much tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — the main psychoactive component in cannabis — can be sold in many products.

As of Oct. 17, Canadians will be permitted to legally buy fresh or dried cannabis, cannabis oil, plants and seeds, and to possess up to 30 grams of dried cannabis or its equivalent in public.

​Government officials, speaking on background, updated reporters on the regulations for producing and marketing those products during a conference call Wednesday morning.

The regulations, which will be officially published July 11, say THC cannot be added to a dried product and place limits on the net weight of dried cannabis products, but do not impose a cap on the potency of dried cannabis.

The officials said the lack of a threshold fits into the goal of the government's bill.

"There are significant varieties of cannabis, some with high levels of THC. This is consistent with the medical regulations that exist today. There is not a hard cap on the potency of dried cannabis," one official said.

"(It's) a means to move to a regulated, diverse marketplace that can compete with the illegal marketplace and successfully achieve the government's objectives."

It's a means of ensuring many Canadian teenagers will contract Schizophrenia or other psychosis. The high potency THC in cannabis is accomplished by replacing 'cannabidiol' with THC. Cannabidiol helps protect the human brain from some of the damaging aspects of THC, psychosis, for instance.

In breeding cannabidiol out of pot and replacing it with higher levels of THC, pot becomes exponentially more dangerous than ever. That's why in the Netherlands, a government committee has recommended declaring pot with levels of THC higher than 15% - a hard drug. 

However, there are strict potency rules for cannabis products other than dried marijuana. For example, cannabis products intended to be "administered orally, rectally, vaginally or topically" must not exceed a maximum yield quantity of 10 milligrams of THC.

Cannabis products "intended to be used in the human eye" will be banned.

As the official legalization date looms, some have questioned whether there will be enough product to serve the new legal recreational market.

Federal licences will be required to cultivate and process recreational cannabis, but they won't be processed until after legalization comes into effect.

Still, officials say they're pretty confident they'll have enough legal marijuana to meet the demand when legalization kicks in this fall.

Provincial governments are responsible for determining how and where recreational cannabis is sold. In some provinces — including Ontario, Quebec and most of Atlantic Canada — the stores will be run by the provincial governments. Elsewhere, the private sector will take the lead.

When asked about supply, officials speaking on background said they're pretty confident there will be enough cannabis for opening day.

According to the regulations, licence applications will be assessed on merit and a record of previous drug-related offences, including trafficking, won't automatically disqualify an applicant. So having a criminal background won't necessarily prevent Canadians from getting into the industry.

In March, Health Canada unveiled its proposals for the packaging and regulation of recreational cannabis.

The regulations released Wednesday confirm that cannabis products will have to be sold in plain packaging, with strict guidelines on logos, colours and branding, and must include health warnings.

The packaging also would have to indicate how much of the primary active compounds in cannabis — THC and cannabidiol (CBD) — are in a particular product.

Limits for micro growers

The rules outline how the federal government would regulate small cultivators and processors.

A micro-cultivator — someone growing pot on a small, boutique-like scale — will be restricted to a "plant canopy area" of no more than 200 square meters.

The regulations also impose rules on security and state where growers can set up shop. For example, a producer can't grow and harvest plants outside if the operation is adjacent to a school, a public playground, a daycare facility or any other public place frequented mainly by people under 18 years of age.

I would like to see some mention of the protection of children from 2nd hand pot smoke, and from consuming edibles. I don't see any mention of small children in this or any other article by the government on marijuana. Children are voiceless - those responsible for them must be twice as vigilant and protective. I don't see any research in this field at all.

Marketplace Tests Today's Marijuana and Finds It Very Dangerous for Under 25s

What's in your pot? Marketplace tests today's weed

As Ottawa prepares to legalize recreational marijuana, Marketplace investigation shows how weed has changed

By Tyana Grundig and David Common, CBC News 

    Marijuana is still illegal in Canada, but there’s been a proliferation of shops that allow people to

    walk in off the street and buy the product for medical or recreational purpose

    (Ron Ward/Canadian Press)

Marijuana legalization is looming in Canada, but what's in today's weed — and what isn't — may surprise you.

CBC's Marketplace looked into the marijuana market ahead of the legalization of recreational pot, which is expected to be introduced through legislation in spring 2017 and to take effect in 2018.

When producers visited seven Toronto dispensaries and collected 12 of the most popular marijuana strains, laboratory test results showed average THC levels of around 20 per cent. THC is the active ingredient that provides pot's high.

Some strains reached as high at 30 per cent THC, much higher than pot in the 1970s, when levels in Canada hovered between two to eight per cent, according to Jonathan Page, an adjunct professor of botany at the University of British Columbia.

Study after study points to the attributes of combining THC and CBD. The science isn't settled, but  research suggests CBD can mitigate some of the negative effects that can happen with high-THC weed, including anxiety, paranoia, and psychosis.

CBD is also the focus of much research on possible medicinal benefits in treating everything from childhood epilepsy to schizophrenia and arthritis.

Dr. Steven Laviolette says teenagers are particularly at risk when it comes to marijuana use, especially when it comes to high-THC pot. (Marketplace/CBC)

Dr. Steven Laviolette, a neuroscientist and one of Canada's top researchers into the effects of marijuana on the brain, says the lab findings are cause for alarm.

"There's basically nothing to put a brake on the psychological and neurophysical effects," he says of the findings.

Laviolette, who is based out of Western University in London, Ont., has spent 12 years researching the effect of marijuana chemicals on the brains and behaviours of adolescent rats. He found that when the teenage rat brain is exposed to high THC levels, it can produce paranoia, or even schizophrenia-like symptoms in the animals. CBD, however, can reverse schizophrenia-like symptoms, according to his research.

Buying pot on the spot

The Toronto-area dispensaries whose products Marketplace tested were chosen at random, but each of the selected shops allowed customers to buy marijuana on the spot.

Several locations had the veneer of medical dispensaries, with many requiring customers to fill out medical history forms. One location described itself as a recreational dispensary and only required proof of age to enter. Like all the other dispensaries Marketplace visited, the minimum age at that shop was 19.

Marijuana dispensaries in Canada are operating illegally, but are widespread.

Marketplace bought whichever strains came recommended as popular by store staff or other customers.

The samples were sent to an accredited lab to test for THC and CBD levels.

Half of the samples (six strains) came labelled with their THC content — ranging from 13 to 23 per cent. One sample included a CBD percentage, listed at one per cent.

Testing showed that many of the labels were not accurate; only two of the labelled samples fell within one percentage point of what was listed. And many of the samples contained more THC than listed.

For example, one sample said it contained 13 per cent THC, but testing showed it contained 18 per cent. Another sample contained only half of what was promised. Of the unlabelled samples, THC content ranged between 15 and 30 per cent.

None of the samples contained a detectable level of CBD

Will 'high-potency' products be regulated?

Dr. Mark Ware, an associate professor of family medicine and anesthesia at McGill University who is serving as vice-chair of the federal task force on the legalization and regulation of marijuana,  says there's some suggestion that cannabis has been bred to boost THC levels and push down CBD levels.

Some suggestion? Hello?

Northwoods Ministries: Does Pot make you Crazy?
'Skunk-Like Cannabis' Increases Risk of Psychosis by 3 to 5 Times
More Research on the Dangerous Effects of Marijuana on the Brain
Northwoods Ministries: Pot, Schizophrenia, and The Truth
Northwoods Ministries: Playing Russian Roulette with Your Sanity

CBD, he notes, "hasn't been of interest to the recreational market or growers because it doesn't cause that euphoric potential.

Ware, who thinks more research is needed on the interaction between THC and CBD, says in a "perfect world" buyers would have access to a "sort of fingerprint of every cannabis molecule, every cannabis product."

"Just like the list of ingredients that you have in a good product."

When asked whether he thinks CBD should be in all marijuana, he says he's interested to see how "CBD and THC levels play out in a recreational, non-medical framework." But he says it's "way too early to recommend" to make it a requirement, citing the need for a better understanding of cannabidiol.

Then it is way too early to legalize marijuana.

Health Canada told Marketplace in an email that the task force has been asked to advise on whether there should be limits on THC potency, or on "high-potency" marijuana products.

The task force has yet to release its recommendations.

"But we've talked about regulating the ingredients of the product so that people know what's in it, regulating the potency, regulating the quality," says Ware, who also directs clinical research at a pain management unit at McGill in Montreal.

How to decide who is old enough to buy?

Also on the legalization task force's agenda? The minimum age to buy legal marijuana, which is expected to be between 19 and 25.

Most scientists now agree that critical brain development continues to age 25.

Setting the age at 25 might send a message to some teens that there is a problem with developing brains and pot. Setting it at 18 or 19 is just confirmation in the teenage mind that there is nothing wrong with it. Of course, most teens will ignore the warning, but the few who are bright enough to listen might just save their own sanity.

Laviolette says there will surely be quibbles about what the exact minimum age should be, but he cautions that teenagers are particularly vulnerable.

Ware, the task force member, agrees that marijuana can be harmful to the developing brain, and argues that legislation can help.

"Regulation includes education," he says, and will offer both young people — and adults— a better understanding of what's known about marijuana use, and what science is still trying to sort out.

Education - like that's going to help teens make better decisions as to what pot products to use. Most teens will go for whatever makes them the highest without regard for whether or not there is an increased risk of sheer madness. Teens are gamblers and risks are part of the fun. 

Why would we expect teens to make good decisions about pot when we have dozens of adults shooting themselves up on the streets of Vancouver with cocaine laced with fentanyl or car-fentanyl and overdosing to the point where they need emergency treatment within minutes to keep them alive? Pop musician Prince died from a fentanyl overdose. When it comes to drugs, education and common sense have no part.

Fentanyl
Between January and September, at least 332 overdose deaths in Vancouver were linked to fentanyl, according to the British Columbia Coroners Service. That’s a 196 per cent increase from the same period in 2015 –- and emergency response crews fear the problem is getting worse.

On Thursday, fire hall No. 2 received 15 calls for overdoses within a three-hour period.

There are volunteer groups administering naloxone, an antidote for fentanyl overdosing, and there are temporary 'safe injection sites' popping up in east Vancouver because the permanent sites are all full to overflowing. This is more than just a drug problem, it's a serious, even catastrophic societal problem, and I'm hard pressed to see how the government is doing anything but making it worse.

Watch the full Marketplace investigation into marijuana

Smoking Strong Cannabis ‘Can Lead to Brain Damage,’ Study Finds

© Steve Dipaola / Reuters

Smoking extremely strong cannabis can lead to “significant” brain damage, a King’s College London study suggests.

The study, published in the journal Psychological Medicine, found that “skunk” cannabis damages the corpus callosum, a bundle of neural fibers that allows communication between the brain’s left and right hemispheres.

The two sides of the brain have very different functions. For instance the right hemisphere controls the left side of the body and the left hemisphere controls the right side of the body. While the Bible says, "do not let the left hand know what the right hand is doing", it is speaking metaphorically. In reality, coordination between the two sides of the body is highly recommended. And there are many other reasons the two sides of the brain should be communicating.

In Holland, where marijuana is legally sold in cafes, skunk has been reclassified as a hard drug and is therefore illegal.

The illegal drug contains high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical responsible for the high users receive.

"It has long been known that people with a psychotic illness such as schizophrenia are far more likely to smoke both cannabis and tobacco,” Marjorie Wallace, the chief executive of the mental health charity SANE, said.

She added that scientists believe there is a direct link between cannabis and the levels of dopamine, which is the (the chemical messenger in the brain which is related to psychotic experience).

Regular use of the substance can lead to more harm, according to the research.

Frequently smoking the drug could trigger mental health issues, hallucinations and slow down brain activity.

Researchers examined 56 patients who reported having had a psychotic episode and 43 healthy volunteers.

The average age of healthier participants was 27 while the average age of psychotic patients was 29.

Previous studies highlighted much higher incidents of psychosis among teenagers smoking pot than adults. This study, while not determining incidents of psychosis does indicate that it does occur in adults, as well as the damage to white matter.

Lead researcher Dr Paola Dazzan, from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London, said: “We found that frequent use of high potency cannabis significantly affects the structure of white matter fibers in the brain, whether you have psychosis or not.

“This reflects a sliding scale where the more cannabis you smoke and the higher the potency, the worse the damage will be.”

Co-author Dr Tiago Reis Marques said: “This white matter damage was significantly greater among heavy users of high potency cannabis than in occasional or low potency users, and was also independent of the presence of a psychotic disorder.”

Legalizing pot

Commenting on the findings, freelance journalist Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett said legalizing the drug would give users “far greater control and choice” over the strength of what they smoked.

More than two million people in Britain smoked cannabis last year. A private analysis by the Treasury found that legalizing cannabis would raise tax revenues worth hundreds of millions of pounds and result in huge savings for the criminal justice system.

In August, government ministers debated a petition signed by 200,000 people calling for the legalization of cannabis. Its prohibition was upheld, however.

K2 Synthetic Pot: The Drug That Will Mess Up Your Life

As Canada moves to legalize marijuana, a cheap copycat is proving fatal in U.S.

By Matt Kwong, CBC News 

Synthetic marijuana or K2 herbal-chemical mixes contain plant material that is sprayed with toxic chemicals. It has been sold in convenience stores in the New York area as well as some head shops in parts of northern Alberta. (Hmmm, let me guess, Fort McMurray?)

At Lexington Avenue and 125th Street West, the corner about which Lou Reed sang of scoring heroin in 1960s New York, dealers today croon about a new cheap high: K2.

Stay there long enough and you'll hear them, says Fabe, a panhandler in East Harlem who says he once bought a K2 joint from a pedlar for $3.

"They come by and they'll be like, 'Yo, you got that K2? You got K2?'" he says, imitating the pitchmen he encounters almost daily selling joints and $10 baggies of the "synthetic marijuana."

Yomar Dortalatin, 37, in the red checkered shirt, and Fabe,
46, a homeless man in East Harlem, with his back to the
camera, say they have tried K2, but decided it was not
for them after 'bugging out' on it. (Matt Kwong/CBC)

It's a familiar drug to Canadians in parts of northern Alberta as well. Oil workers have reportedly lit up the herbal narcotic for years in order to mimic the mind-altering effects of weed, without having to worry about failing urine tests designed to detect cannabis.

The chemical-herbal mixes are designed to reproduce the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

"I was addicted from that very first toke," Carmen Caldwell, a K2 addict and former oil-patch supervisor, told CBC Radio's The Current in October, speaking from Edmonton. "I could get high and still piss clean."

Unlike marijuana, K2 can cause seizures, vomiting, violent mood swings and organ damage. Due to manufacturers' ever-changing chemical recipes, its Canadian legal status remains hazy. The lethal drug, which resembles potpourri, involves psychoactive chemicals produced in China and sprayed on dried plant material.

As Canada braces for a shift toward legalizing marijuana after a change in government to the Liberal Party, New York City is toughening laws against synthetics and releasing PSA ads targeting youths who may be attracted to the product's flavours and colourful packaging.

K2 continues to be marketed as "legal weed" or "smokeable herbal incense" in shops. It goes by other names on the street — Spice, Zinger, Crazy Clown, Yucatan Fire, Skunk, Moon Rocks.

K2 is labelled with many other names, including Spice, Zinger, Crazy Clown, Yucatan Fire, Skunk and Moon Rocks. In 2013, police alleged this artificial pot product called IZMS was sold in Hamilton, Ont., and landed a man in hospital. (CBC)

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio calls it "poison." In October the city agreed to outlaw its sale and production, a move Canadian law enforcement may be watching closely as they try to crack down on the drug's use in Alberta.

Following alarming rates of overdoses, which U.S. attorney Preet Bharara declared a "public health crisis," de Blasio signed three bills to criminalize the sale of synthetic pot.

Selling or producing K2 was previously only considered a health code violation in New York state, punishable with a $250 fine. Under the new laws, offenders can be sentenced to a year in jail and fined up to $50,000. Shops could also be shut down.

Canada is monitoring the spread of synthetic cannabis use, according to the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, but "clusters of harm" have arisen in Alberta.

Two St. Albert teens were hospitalized in 2013 after overdosing on synthetics. In 2011, Calgary police raided seven stores selling the chemical-herbal mixes.

The problem has not been as intense as it is in the U.S., says Matthew Young, a senior researcher and policy analyst with the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse in Ottawa.

But regulation is tricky because the chemical makeup changes frequently.

"There are over 130 of these compounds and there are new ones appearing at a fairly rapid rate," Young said. "When people say it's 'legal,' people automatically assume it's gone through some kind of quality control. But some of these compounds aren't covered by existing legislation because how do you control something that is yet to exist?"

New York's legislation is not intended to punish users, but the merchants who are selling to addicts and turning homeless people into zombies.

"You know who's smoking because they're bugging out," said Yomar Dortalatin, who sleeps on the streets. "They take a pull. They bug out. They fall down."

Following de Blasio's announcement, the colourful $10 foil packages quickly disappeared from the shelves of bodegas and convenience stores in East Harlem.

"I've seen it cut down dramatically within the last month or so. My friend died two days ago smoking that shit. He took a few pulls, fell asleep and died," said Dave Waller, who was soliciting for spare change near the track for the 4-5-6 train.

"You see guys hallucinating, kicking cars while high on that shit. I saw a guy walking up, his head up, just spitting, and it would come down, hit his face, and he'd keep spitting."

The potent, deadly cannabinoid sent 2,300 people to emergency rooms in New York state in August and September alone.

'It will mess up your life'

Young said Canada does not have reliable records on synthetics overdoses, but Health Canada issued a warning in August 2013 advising people not to purchase the products, which the agency acknowledged are "available for sale at some convenience stores, specialty tobacco stores and head shops."

The Centers for Disease Control logged 3,572 calls across the U.S. related to synthetics in the first five months of this year, up 229 per cent from the same period last year. In April there was a spike of 15 deaths.

Overdoses are especially high in New York state and New Jersey, where 22-year-old recovering K2 addict Zack Ellis lives.

"Each batch is different. Different chemicals, different products, different labels," he said from a rooming house in Dover, N.J. "Different flavours, too. I get mine as mango."

Ellis began smoking K2 around 2011, after he left the Jamesburg juvenile jail and wanted alternatives to weed so he could pass mandated urine tests. He quickly became addicted, and decided to seek treatment when he woke up in a hospital in July.

"I had took like three or four pulls, started getting dizzy and passed out on the concrete; cracked my nose," he said. "I realized if I keep doing this, I'm going to end up dead."

Ellis, who suffers from PTSD and bipolar disorder, now has a mental-health counsellor and has cut his K2 consumption to about two joints a week, down from as many as 11 a day.

He confesses that although K2 is sometimes all he thinks about all day, "I'm glad to see they're banning it."

"It will mess up your life. It messed up mine," he said. "I just hope I can stop."

'Skunk-Like Cannabis' Increases Risk of Psychosis by 3 to 5 Times

Former skunk user Liaquat Zaman: "It brought me to a very dark place in my life"

Smoking potent cannabis was linked to 24% of new psychosis cases analysed in a study by King's College London.

The research suggests the risk of psychosis is three times higher for users of potent "skunk-like" cannabis than for non-users.

The study of 780 people was carried out by KCL's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience.

A Home Office spokesman said the report underlines the reasons why cannabis is illegal.

Scientists found the risk of psychosis was five times higher for those who use it every day compared with non-users.

They also concluded the use of hash, a milder form of the drug, was not associated with increased risk of psychosis.

Psychosis refers to delusions or hallucinations that can be present in certain psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Risk increased 'threefold'
"Compared with those who had never tried cannabis, users of high potency skunk-like cannabis had a threefold increase in risk of psychosis,' said Dr Marta Di Forti, lead author on the research.

She added: "The results show that psychosis risk in cannabis users depends on both the frequency of use and cannabis potency."

Dr Di Forti told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the availability of skunk-like cannabis was becoming more widespread.

'I was a wreck'
Cath from Berkshire, who asked to remain anonymous, believes smoking skunk caused her to experience mental health problems.

"I dabbled with a friends' group in my early 20s, and went from someone who had never experienced any mental health issues whatsoever, to an absolute wreck.

"I was terrified of leaving the house, and I became petrified of death, of the mysteries of the universe, and of being alone. You name it, I was terrified of it.

"It took about six years to feel normal again and now, almost 20 years later, I have absolutely no doubt that my issues were triggered by casually and naively smoking this so called 'soft' drug.

"For years I have shuddered as campaigners have sought to declassify or promote the product as I understand first-hand the hidden yet, until now, unspoken dangers of this awful drug."

"In London, it's very difficult to find anything else," Dr Di Forti said.

"There were lots of reports from police across the UK saying we have become a great producer of skunk. And not only do we use it locally but we export, so this is a Made in England product."

Someone suffering from psychosis would often be "extremely paranoid and become very suspicious" about the people around them, she added.

She has called for "a clear public message" to cannabis users, comparable to medical advice on alcohol and tobacco.

GPs should be encouraged to ask how often and what type of cannabis patients use, she added,

A Home Office spokesman said the findings backed up the government's approach: "Drugs such as cannabis are illegal because scientific and medical evidence demonstrates they are harmful.

"This report serves to emphasise how they can destroy lives and communities."

'Without risk'
Skunk contains more THC - the main psychoactive ingredient - than other types of cannabis.

Unlike skunk, hashish - cannabis resin - contains substantial quantities of another chemical called cannabidiol or CBD and research suggests this can act as an antidote to the THC, counteracting psychotic side effects.

Sir Robin Murray, professor of psychiatric research at King's, commented: "This paper suggests that we could prevent almost one quarter of cases of psychosis if no-one smoked high potency cannabis.

"This could save young patients a lot of suffering and the NHS a lot of money."

The research was carried out over several years, comparing 410 patients aged 18-65 who reported a first episode of psychosis at a south London psychiatric hospital with 370 healthy participants within the same age range from the same area of London.

It will be published later this week in the Lancet Psychiatry.

Rosanna O'Connor, director of alcohol, drugs and tobacco at Public Health England, responded: "No drug use is without risk as this report demonstrates.

"Anyone having problems with drug use should seek help from their local specialist drug services. It is important to remember that treatment for all types of drug problems, including cannabis, are readily available and very effective".

Cannabis user Robert, from Hertfordshire experienced a "temporary psychosis" after taking home-grown cannabis in his 20s.

"It was utterly terrifying, and the worst night of my life," he told the BBC News website.

"As someone affected by this issue it is hard watching mainstream media, particularly comedy films, portraying cannabis as a harmless life-enhancing substance with limited ill-effects - it's simply not true."

Another person who contacted the BBC website felt that legalising cannabis would allow varieties to be regulated.

Phil, from Cambridgeshire, said: "Speaking as a 'toker' for past 25 years, super skunk is the term they should be using.

"The cause of all this is the illegality. If things were more open and informed, people could buy 'saner' variety seeds."

Yes, people 'could' buy 'saner' seeds, but would they? I doubt it very much. If there was a demand for less potent marijuana, it would dominate the market, but it doesn't. Users want the maximum impact from the drug.

Skunk, has been reclassified as a hard-drug in Holland where pot is legal.

See, Playing Russian Roulette with Your Sanity, for more info and several more links.

Effects of Marijuana Sales in Colorado Serious Cause for Concern

(CNN) -- This week, Washington state opened recreational marijuana stores for the first time. And these stores don't just carry your father's kind of weed. In addition to highly potent cigarettes -- which are much stronger than those some people might remember from Woodstock -- stores will also soon sell super-strength, pot-infused cookies, candies, sodas, vapor and wax concentrates.

Time will tell what the effects will be, but the state is not the first place to implement such a policy. Colorado started to sell marijuana six months ago. When President Barack Obama stopped by a Denver bar on Tuesday night, it comes as no surprise that someone offered him weed.

Colorado's experience with pot legalization can hardly be called a success. In fact, it should be considered a warning for the residents of Washington.

Special-interest "Big Tobacco"-like groups and businesses have ensured that marijuana is widely promoted, advertised and commercialized in Colorado. As a result, calls to poison centers have skyrocketed, incidents involving kids going to school with marijuana candy and vaporizers seem more common, and explosions involving butane hash oil extraction have risen. Employers are reporting more workplace incidents involving marijuana use, and deaths have been attributed to ingesting marijuana cookies and food items.

So much for the old notion that "pot doesn't kill."

Marijuana companies, like their predecessors in the tobacco industry, are determined to keep lining their pockets.

Indeed, legalization has come down to one thing: money. And it's not money for the government -- Colorado has only raised a third of the amount of tax revenue they have projected -- it's money for this new industry and its shareholders.

Open Colorado newspapers and magazines on any given day and you will find pages of marijuana advertisements, coupons and cartoons promoting greater and greater highs. The marijuana industry is making attractive a wide selection of marijuana-related products such as candies, sodas, ice cream and cartoon-themed paraphernalia and vaporizers, which are undoubtedly appealing to children and teens.

As Al Bronstein, medical director of the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center recently said, "We're seeing hallucinations, they become sick to their stomachs, they throw up, they become dizzy and very anxious." Bronstein reported that in 2013, there were 126 calls concerning adverse reactions to marijuana. From January to April this year, the center receive 65 calls.

And, since Colorado expanded marijuana stores for medical users, peer-reviewed research has found a major upsurge in stoned driving-related deaths (that is not surprising since marijuana intoxication doubles the risk of a car crash).

It is little wonder that every major public health association, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Society of Addiction Medicine oppose the legalization of marijuana.

The scientific verdict is that marijuana can be addictive and dangerous.

Like a deli that stinks

Despite denials by special interest groups and marijuana businesses, the drug's addictiveness is not debatable: 1 in 6 kids who ever try marijuana will become addicted to the drug, according to the National Institutes of Health. Many baby boomers have a hard time understanding this simply because today's marijuana can be so much stronger than the marijuana of the past.

In fact, more than 450,000 incidents of emergency room admissions related to marijuana occur every year, and heavy marijuana use in adolescence is connected to an 8-point reduction of IQ later in life, irrespective of alcohol use.

As if our national mental illness crisis needed more fuel, marijuana users also have a six times higher risk of schizophrenia and are significantly more likely to development other psychotic illnesses. It is no wonder that health groups such as the National Alliance of Mental Illness are increasingly concerned about marijuana use and legalization.

That does not mean we need to arrest our way out of a marijuana problem.

We should reform criminal justice practices and emphasize prevention, early intervention and treatment when necessary. But we do not need to legalize -- and thus commercialize and advertise -- marijuana to implement these reforms.

The only people better off under legalization are the big companies that stand to profit from sales of marijuana. And we can be sure they will get even richer while public health and safety suffers.

The New York Times
Law enforcement officers in Colorado and neighboring states, emergency room doctors and legalization opponents increasingly are highlighting a series of recent problems as cautionary lessons for other states flirting with loosening marijuana laws.

There is the Denver man who, hours after buying a package of marijuana-infused Karma Kandy from one of Colorado’s new recreational marijuana shops, began raving about the end of the world and then pulled a handgun from the family safe and killed his wife, the authorities say. Some hospital officials say they are treating growing numbers of children and adults sickened by potent doses of edible marijuana. Sheriffs in neighboring states complain about stoned drivers streaming out of Colorado and through their towns.


“I think, by any measure, the experience of Colorado has not been a good one unless you’re in the marijuana business,” said Kevin A. Sabet, executive director of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, which opposes legalization. “We’ve seen lives damaged. We’ve seen deaths directly attributed to marijuana legalization. We’ve seen marijuana slipping through Colorado’s borders. We’ve seen marijuana getting into the hands of kids.”

Marijuana Linked to Death of Colorado Exchange Student

An exchange student fell to his death after ingesting marijuana in Colorado - the first death linked to the drug since it was legalised in the US state.

Levy Thamba, 19, plummeted from the balcony of a Denver hotel on 11 March after eating a cannabis-laced cookie.

A post-mortem examination found marijuana intoxication was a factor in the Wyoming student's death.

Colorado became the first US state to legalise recreational use of the drug in January.

So, pot has been legalized for just three months and one death has been attributed to it already. Unfortunately, we don't know how many deaths were attributed to alcohol in the same period, but regardless, we can no longer say that pot is harmless.

Mr Thamba, a native of the Republic of Congo, had reportedly begun taking classes at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming, the same month.

Currently, 20 US states as well as Washington, DC allow for the sale of medical marijuana, while Washington state is set to introduce legal sales later this year.

Recently, US President Barack Obama said marijuana was no more dangerous than alcohol, while cautioning both were bad decisions.

Nonetheless, he has instructed the Department of Justice to halt prosecutions of banks that do business with cannabis firms.

Pot Smoking Teens Suffer Brain Damage Well Into Adulthood

Teenagers who regularly smoke cannabis suffer long lasting brain damage and are in much greater danger of developing schizophrenia. 

American researchers say the drug is particularly dangerous for a group of people who have a genetic susceptibility to the mental health disorder - and it could be the trigger for it. 

Asaf Keller, of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said the results highlight the dangers of teenagers smoking cannabis during their formative years. 

The study, published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, exposed young mice to the active ingredient in marijuana for 20 days.

It found that their brain activity was impaired, with the damage continuing into adulthood.



The past 20 years has seen major controversy about the long-term effects of marijuana, with experts divided over its long-term effects on teenagers.

• Mental health toll of skunk cannabis: Number of users admitted to hospital after smoking drug soars 50% in three years

Previous research has shown that children who started using marijuana before the age of 16 are at greater risk of permanent brain damage, and have a significantly higher incidence of psychiatric disorders.

‘Adolescence is the critical period during which marijuana use can be damaging,’ said the study's lead author, Sylvina Mullins Raver, a PhD candidate at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

‘We wanted to identify the biological underpinnings and determine whether there is a real, permanent health risk to marijuana use.’

The scientists began by examining cortical oscillations in mice. Cortical oscillations are patterns of the activity of neurons in the brain and are believed to underlie the brain's various functions. 

These oscillations are very abnormal in schizophrenia and in other psychiatric disorders. 

The scientists exposed young mice to very low doses of the active ingredient in marijuana for 20 days, and then allowed them to return to their siblings and develop normally.

‘In the adult mice exposed to marijuana ingredients in adolescence, we found that cortical oscillations were grossly altered, and they exhibited impaired cognitive abilities,’ said Raver.

‘We also found impaired cognitive behavioural performance in those mice. The striking finding is that, even though the mice were exposed to very low drug doses, and only for a brief period during adolescence, their brain abnormalities persisted into adulthood.’


The scientists repeated the experiment, this time giving marijuana to adult mice that had never been exposed to the drug before.

Their cortical oscillations and ability to perform cognitive tasks remained normal, indicating that it was only drug exposure during the critical teenage years that impaired brain activity. This does not mean that cannabis use is not damaging to adult brains - see CANNABIS DESTROYS YOUR GET-UP-AND-GO just below. I also believe that my observation of cessation of maturity growth in adults is still valid.

‘We found that the frontal cortex is much more affected by the drugs during adolescence,’ said Keller. ‘This is the area of the brain controls executive functions such as planning and impulse control. It is also the area most affected in schizophrenia.’

Keller now wants to know whether the effects can be reversed. ‘We are hoping we will learn more about schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders, which are complicated conditions,’ he said.

‘These cognitive symptoms are not affected by medication, but they might be affected by controlling these cortical oscillations.’

CANNABIS DESTROYS YOUR GET-UP-AND-GO
 A separate study by Imperial College London last month revealed that long-term use of cannabis destroys dopamine, the feel-good chemical in the brain that inspires a spirit of get-up-and-go.

Previous research has suggested taking marijuana can lead to individuals becoming withdrawn, lethargic and apathetic.

The cannabis users in the study published in Biological Psychiatry had all experienced psychotic-like symptoms while smoking the drug such as strange sensations or having feelings of paranoia.

The researchers expected their dopamine production might be higher since this has been linked with psychosis - but instead found the opposite.

The cannabis users had their first experience with the drug between the ages of 12 and 18 and the researchers believe the drug could be the cause of the difference in dopamine levels.

'Cannabis is an illegal drug and there is mounting evidence the idea of it being a harmless herb is not true,’ said Dr Michael Bloomfield, of Imperial College London.

'When people stop taking cannabis it seems the brain can slowly go back to producing pretty normal levels of dopamine.

'Cannabis has effects on the brain and it’s important people can make an informed decision.'

As governments race to reduce or eliminate laws against smoking pot, thereby legitimizing it as harmless, evidence mounts of the incredible danger of marijuana to teens. Please make your adolescent children and grandchildren aware that pot can literally destroy their lives. I know, I've seen it, it's horrible!

Pot, Schizophrenia, and The Truth

Since posting 'Does Pot Make You Crazy?" last month, I have had some interesting comments about it. The post lists a number of Psychiatric doctors, leaders in their respective countries, who claim that high potency pot has contributed to a dramatic increase in the incidence of schizophrenia, especially, but not exclusively, among young teens. 

Many readers reject the opinions of these learned and experienced scientists in favour of their own opinion, which they deem to be much superior, regardless of their education or lack of it. I have come to the opinion that these people are users and no amount of 'proof' would convince them that there is any problem with their habit.

There was an old Christian teacher, one time, who declared, "morality dictates theology". In other words, we construct our image of God and His requirements according to what will allow us to continue with the habits that we enjoy. This is certainly true for some but others diligently seek the truth and eventually find it, even though it comes at some cost.

Pot smokers have a similar standing. They construct the truth to meet their own desires disregarding scientific fact or reality. Paul Simon wrote in his wonderful song, 'The Boxer', "Still a man he hears what he wants to hear, and disregards the rest". This selective hearing has nothing to do with the truth and everything to do with the 'will'. 

Our will overpowers our common sense, our ability to hear the truth, and rejects anything that comes with a cost. I'm not talking money here, I'm talking having to give up something - sacrifice. You can only really know the truth when you are willing to sacrifice whatever it is that gets in the way of it. You don't actually have to sacrifice it to know the truth, but you have to be willing to sacrifice it.

Once you know the truth, it is up to you whether you want to continue with your habit. You can play Russian Roulette with your sanity if you so choose, but don't pretend that there is no risk involved - that gun has a bullet in it!

11 Students Suspended for a Semester after Smoking Pot on School Trip

The Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada school district says it's planning a policy review after 11 students who admitted to smoking marijuana on a school trip were suspended for the semester.

On Monday morning, 12 students from Sardis Secondary were called to the principal's office to discuss the allegations of drug use, which apparently took place last month during an overnight soccer trip to Surrey.

Eleven of those students admitted to smoking pot, as well as breaking curfew, and were consequently kicked out of school for the entire semester.

The parent of one of the suspended students, however, felt the punishment went too far.

Derek Middleton met with school officials and eventually had his son's suspension overturned, though the teen must now complete community service and participate in a course that explore the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

"To me, with today's system — even in the justice system — restorative justice is a better system. I think that plan can also be in the school in a situation like this," Middleton said.

Evelyn Novak, superintendent of the Chilliwack school district, said a review is necessary following harsh criticisms from parents who felt the punishment was too extreme.  But she said a policy change is not necessarily assured. No wonder their kids were smoking pot.

"When we talk review, we're not necessarily going to change our regulation or policy. But we are trying to look at making sure we do reflect our community and that we do listen to parents," she said.

British Columbia's lower Fraser Valley

The 10 students removed from Sardis Secondary will finish out the semester at another school in the Chilliwack district.

The review is planned for early next year.

The punishment seemed, at first, to be severe until you read that the students can finish the semester at another school. So the only real punishment is having to go to a different school. If they all go to the same school, they are not even separated from their friends. It appears the new school is the one who is being punished more than the miscreants.

But, more importantly, the effect of marijuana on young teens is just starting to come to light. High potency pot is believed by many experts in psychiatry to be responsible for irreversible insanity in one out of six kids under 16. The number decreases with age but even adult users are vulnerable to schizophrenia, paranoia, hallucinations, and the inability to discern reality from fantasy. See the science behind this.

Does Pot make you Crazy?

At a time when there is considerable lobbying to legalize possession of pot, (indeed, it has already happened in Washington state and Uruguay is voting on it next week), significant amounts of research show a strong link between cannabis use and psychosis, ie schizophrenia, paranoia, hallucinations, etc.

From Australia
A new report from John McGrath, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Queensland, Australia, suggests young adults more vulnerable to psychosis start smoking marijuana at a younger age, an event that could trigger a non-affective psychotic disorder, such as schizophrenia. - See more at:
http://www.livescience.com/6135-marijuana-linked-psychosis.html#sthash.2gXQBZVP.dpuf

 The Downside of High (CBC Nature of Things documentary with Dr David Suzuki)

Teenagers who start smoking marijuana before the age of sixteen are four times more likely to become schizophrenic.

For all young adults, smoking marijuana nearly doubles the risk of developing recurring psychosis, paranoia and hallucinations - the hallmarks of schizophrenia.


Today's super-potent pot may be a big part of the problem. Modern growing techniques have dramatically increased the amount of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana - ramping up the threat to the developing teenage brain.

Marijuana and mental illness 30 sec trailer
http://www.cbc.ca/player/Nature+of+Things+Promos/ID/1385846605/

But there's an intriguing twist to the story: in the process of cultivating more potent strains of pot, growers have also been breeding out a little-known ingredient called cannabidiol that seems to buffer the effects of THC. So today's high-octane pot actually contains a double-whammy - more psychosis-producing THC, and less of the protective CBD or cannabidiol. See the full documentary:
http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/natureofthings/2010/downsideofhigh/


Research from the UK (reported in the Telegraph)

The number of cannabis users suffering serious mental or behaviour disorders has increased by half in just four years.
In 2008, leading psychiatrists warned people who smoked super strength were 18 times more likely to suffer a psychotic episode.
“Skunk (super strength pot), which accounts for about 80 per cent of the UK market has an average THC (a psychoactive ingredient) content of 16.2 per cent and ranges up to 46 per cent.
“Old fashioned 60 to 70s cannabis had around 1-2 per cent THC. “
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/10116830/Mental-health-issues-linked-to-cannabis-increase-by-half-in-four-years.html


Research from the UK (reported in the Daily Mail)

Cannabis is a threat to mental health.
Cannabis use is now the biggest single cause of serious mental disorders in the UK, a leading expert warned yesterday.

Up to 80 per cent of new patients at many units have a history of smoking the drug, said consultant psychiatrist Professor Robin Murray.

The stark message comes just three weeks before the Government officially downgrades cannabis to Class C, putting it on the same level as growth hormones and prescription painkillers.

Doctors fear the change will wrongly lead young people to believe the drug is harmless and that more people will try it as they are unlikely to be prosecuted.

Professor Murray, head of psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, said the vast majority of psychotic patients - those who lose contact with reality and are unable to function in their daily lives - have used cannabis.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-205447/Cannabis-causes-mental-illness.html#ixzz2ZBTIWEs7

He added: "Since then, there have been at least four studies that show the use of cannabis, particularly in young people, can significantly increase the likelihood of the onset of psychosis."

Professor Murray himself led a study last year which showed that cannabis users are seven times more at risk of developing mental illness than the population in general.

Experts believe the figures reflect the fact that cannabis typically contains ten times as much tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the crucial ingredient which induces the feeling of being "high" - today as it did in the 1960s and 1970s.

Pot and Cancer
Cannabis also causes cancer and lung disease and doctors say it could be responsible for 30,000 deaths a year in the UK.


The Netherlands (reported by BBC)
The famous cannabis-selling coffee shops of the Netherlands are facing new tighter restrictions.
The Dutch government is reclassifying high-strength cannabis to put it in the same category as hard drugs.

It says the amount of the main active chemical in the drug, THC, has gone up, making it far more potent than a generation ago.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15225270


Livescience.com

Marijuana users sometimes report that pot enhances their desire for sex. But a new review of research on marijuana and sexual health suggests that male smokers could be courting sexual dysfunction. Rany Shamloul, a physician with appointments at the University of Ottawa and Queen's University in Canada as well as the University of Cairo, said "It's a strong message to our younger generations and younger men.”
See more at: http://www.livescience.com/12825-marijuana-men-sexual-function.html#sthash.caagytyZ.dpuf


From Brown University
A variety of physical risk factors can contribute to erectile dysfunction. Factors that may be present for younger men include:
Substance abuse - Chronic use of alcohol, marijuana or other drugs can cause erectile dysfunction and decreased sexual drive.
http://brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/mens_health/erectile_dysfunction.php


Northwoods Ministries 

Aside from erectile dysfunction, male marijuana users have a decreased capacity to father children.

Many of the statistics quoted above are likely to increase, perhaps dramatically, as super strength pot was becoming more and more popular while some of these studies were in progress.

My personal observations of people who smoke pot regularly is that they simply stop maturing. If they started smoking pot at 15 years of age and continued for 25 years, at 40 they would still act, talk and even dress like they did when they were 15. Even their taste in music would not change. And those observations were mostly made before super strength pot became popular.

This may not be true of everyone, but I have seen it frequently enough to know that it is often the case. Look at the people you know who smoke pot. Do you know anyone like that? Do you know any young people who have suddenly become psychotic? I'll bet you do.