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Now marijuana could be used to TREAT and PREVENT schizophrenia, as the Government faces increasing pressure to legalise cannabis for medicinal use

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found this a minute ago ...
  • A compound in marijuana could soon be tested on young Australians to treat psychosis and schizophrenia
  • Researchers suggest CBD could have fewer side effects than other drugs
  • Pressure mounts of governments in Australia to legalise marijuana for medicinal purposes
  • Hope to commence a new trial soon
  • Survey of more than 3,000 Australians found 65.9% support legalising cannabis for medicinal purposes

By Amy Ziniak for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 07:59 EST, 27 August 2014 | Updated: 10:34 EST, 27 August 2014

Medicinal marijuana continues to be a contentious debate, but now a compound found in Marijuana could soon be tested on young Australians to prevent and treat psychosis

European researchers have suggested it could treat schizophrenia and be much more effective than other drugs by having fewer side effects.

It comes as pressure continues to mount on state and federal governments in Australia to legalise the drug for medicinal purposes.

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Indian hemp / Cannabis plant (pictured) growing on plantation for medicinal purposes or as drug. A compound in this plant could soon be tested on young Australians to prevent and treat psychosis and schizophrenia

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A plastic bag of skunk cannabis. Will marijuana be able to treat and prevent pyschosis and schizophrenia?

Leading psychiatrist and mental health advocate Patrick McGorry told The Age, that one part of the drug was showing promise as an anti-psychotic medicine.

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Australian of the Year, Professor Patrick McGorry (pictured) says one part of marijuana is showing promise as an anti-psychotic medicine

The director of Orygen Youth Health Research Centre and 2010 Australian of the year said while tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in cannabis was widely thought to be dangerous and increase the risk of psychosis in about 10 per cent to 20 per cent of people, another component - cannabidiol (CBD) - appeared to relieve psychosis, depression and anxiety.

McGorry's team are hoping to trial pharmaceutical CBD in young people showing signs of early psychosis to see how it compared to other antipsychotic medications, which often cause undesirable side effects.

'There's been a lot more concern in recent times about antipsychotic medication. Obviously it's really effective, but the longer term side effects are worrying people, especially weight gain and metabolic problems,' Professor McGorry told The Age.

'People are willing to try more experimental treatments that have got some promise and cannabidiol is definitely one of those.'

There's hope to commence a new trial soon with an application already in for government funding.

McGorry does believe the plant possesses both bad and good qualities, saying they should not be confused.

'We're definitely not saying smoke dope to treat psychosis,' he said. He suggests if a trial were to be set up it would only involve the compound CBD.

Cannabis expert, Jan Copeland has given her support to more studies of CBD being used for people with early stage psychosis.

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Marijuana cannabis plant leaves Annapurna Region Nepal. A compound found in Marijuana could soon be tested on young Australians to prevent and treat psychosis

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Cannabis expert Jan Copeland (pictured) has given her support to more studies of CBD being used for people with early stage psychosis

The director of the University of NSW's National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre described CBD as a 'very interesting part of the complex cannabis chemistry' that does not get people stoned, but rather appears to balance the effects of THC, which makes some people anxious.

She also told The Age, 'there was a small, but growing number of studies suggesting CBD relieved psychosis, anxiety and insomnia, and that her team was trialling it in about 10 people withdrawing from cannabis use to see if it helped them through the process.'

But the search for CBD in street cannabis hasn't been encouraged.

'It has high levels of THC, around 15 per cent now, but almost no CBD, so it's definitely not the same thing as smoking cannabis,' she said.

In July, market researchers, Reach tel, conducted a survey of more than 3,000 Australia's asking them the question : Do you support the legislation of cannabis for medicinal purposes?

The majority would support the move at 65.9 percent, 14.4 percent said they would oppose the legislation and 19.7 percent were undecided on the issue.

1409143914388_wps_10_E3NTYF_Hand_with_pe

The chemical formula of CBD, a compound in marijuana which could help to prevent psychosis and

schizophrenia.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2735555/Now-marijuana-used-TREAT-PREVENT-schizophrenia.html

Edited by ☽Ţ ҉ĥϋηϠ₡яღ☯ॐ€ðяئॐ♡Pϟiℓℴϟℴ
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Thank the gods!
This makes me so happy to know.
I would do just about anything to get onto this trial.

Edited by AndyAmine.
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Great news atop a very recent study demonstrating possible effective treatment for the onset of Alzhiemers!!

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Seems suss to me. I watched someone have a schizophrenic episode from smoking half a joint of bush. She spent 3months in a psych ward. Its well known to cause episodes in ppl with a family history of schizophrenia. How on earth it can cause and cure mental illness is beond me. Dont get me wrong im all for legalisation but mostly because i believe ppl should be allowed to do literally anything they want so long as it doent cause harm or loss to another.

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Seems suss to me. I watched someone have a schizophrenic episode from smoking half a joint of bush. She spent 3months in a psych ward. Its well known to cause episodes in ppl with a family history of schizophrenia. How on earth it can cause and cure mental illness is beond me. Dont get me wrong im all for legalisation but mostly because i believe ppl should be allowed to do literally anything they want so long as it doent cause harm or loss to another.

I once saw someone drink a 750ml of Beam and jump off a train, only to walk into a Maccas and smash someones full tray of food off the table and berate the diner. The link between alcohol use and violence/psychosis is well known.

I hear mythical 'weed psychosis' stories all the time, and although I'm quite sure of the reality of what you've described, the fact is schizophrenia affects around 1% of the population, which has remained steady despite increase in cannabis use.

Whenever anyone states something is well known about cannabis, I have to say I call "BULLSHIT!", because unless you're unlike the other 90% of the population, you accept what you hear as fact and don't have any research or studies to back it up; or if you do they are biased and flawed. Check this article I wrote for more info, particularly about Jan and the NCPIC, which is essentially an institutionalised and state sanctioned propaganda portal.

http://www.responsiblechoice.com.au/cannabis/cannabis-does-not-cause-psychosis/

There is SOOO much we don't know about how cannabis works with our endogenous cannabinoid system because of prohibition limiting access for legitimate research.

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^^I agree, Its easy to make conclusions from things we observe but we rarely know the full picture or many external factors which may be at play.

Edited by rigger

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You missed the part about a family history of schitzophrenia. (Which was the most important part) i dont believe it causes schitzophrenia but it can certainly be a trigger. I have witnessed 2 psychotic snaps from ppl smoking weed. Never seen anything like it from any other substance. The one i mentioned above she hada few drags then started screaming and didnt stop till she was sedated then spent 3months sedated in a psych ward otherwise she screamed. There was NO doubt about what caused it.

Edited by cactuscarl

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Im not trying to discredit what your saying at all Carl. Im talking about from a study perspective to draw a definitive conclusion various measures need to be accounted for. Researchers and studies need to eliminate so many possibilities generally the conclusions are incomplete. I understand you know what caused the examples you give but it needs to be proven how/what/why was the trigger so we can understand it fully.

If they could identify a core difference in people who have negative or positive reactions it would be of advantage to everyone.

Edited by rigger

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Seems suss to me. I watched someone have a schizophrenic episode from smoking half a joint of bush. She spent 3months in a psych ward. Its well known to cause episodes in ppl with a family history of schizophrenia. How on earth it can cause and cure mental illness is beond me. Dont get me wrong im all for legalisation but mostly because i believe ppl should be allowed to do literally anything they want so long as it doent cause harm or loss to another.

I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but maybe try actually reading the article (as apposed to just the headline) before going off on some rant about how cannabis is the cause of every psychotic episode known to man.

The article clearly and specifically states it's not cannabis that has shown promise as a treatment for schizophrenia, but rather a compound found in the cannabis plant, 'cannabidoil'.

On another note, It just blows my mind how they act like this is some new scientific breakthrough. I've known CBD had anti-psychotic properties ever since I had an internet connection. I'd be a rich man if I had a dollar for every time someone tried to make me look like some nut job conspiracy theorist just for pointing the fact out.

Edited by Subaeruginosin
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The reason i brought it up is because i think its incredible dangerous to suggest to a person that has schizophrenia or a family history of if that pot may help. I didnt go on a rant and i didnt suggest it causes any mental illness. I was refering to one mental illness and said it it known to be a trigger for a person who may have a chemical imbalance. I read the artical and seen they were talking about cbd i still think its a valid point to make since i have seen someone who was fine take a few drags and have a complete menal brake down never to be the same again.

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After re-reading my earlier post I just want to say you have my apologies Carl. I sometimes forget that the internet is not occurring somewhere in my mind, and that people actually read what I say.

By that I mean I don't consider so much how what I type will affect the reader as I would if I was saying it aloud to them. In my view it was wrong speech that I could've said differently to the same effect. No negative vibes sent your way regardless of my words.

That said, there is massive evidence to support the efficacy of cannabis when taken to address a variety mental illness, here is a bit for schizophrenia.

http://www.responsiblechoice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/cannabis-and-patients.pdf

Who would've ever thought that smoking a joint or punching a bong in the morning might mean your Crohn's Disease just doesn't kick in for the day and you don't shit blood? If you had've asked me even 5 years ago I would've been dubious to say the least. I might've even said that I had some experiences with weed personally that strongly indicated the opposite, but I was wrong.

Perhaps it's not effective in 100% of cases, I don't know for sure because I haven't looked into it enough, but even if it was 10%, that's fucking good medicine, with minute contraindications and virtually no physical side effects, and a zero mortality record.

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