Health Effects of Marijuana and Cannabis-Derived Products | Hacker News Reader

Health Effects of Marijuana and Cannabis-Derived Products

www8.nationalacademies.org

47 pointsmudil34 comments

> The evidence reviewed by the committee suggests that with greater frequency of cannabis use, there is an increased likelihood of developing problem cannabis use.

So they are saying that if you smoke more, then you could possibly smoke more.

I was expecting to see a lot more bad news in the report, surprisingly mild adverse effects in general, especially conpared to smoking, alcohol, overeating, etc.

Something anecdotally we have all known for decades.

It would be interesting to see the discussed effects in comparison with the effects of let's say increased sugar consumption for example.

Some time ago, a study was done to investigate basically the effect of the munchies on blood sugars. The study was years ago IIRC. Ironically, the MJ smoking (or was it eating?) crowd had better controlled blood sugars. The suggestion was that something about the MJ controlled sugar spikes making the users less prone to the diabetes.

I'll try to find the study.

Edit: Here's reference to the study I recalled... http://healthland.time.com/2013/05/21/marijuana-the-next-dia...

Just wanted to jump in here and say I remember that study, specifically...

I found it here, for ya, along w/ an editorial of the study.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2013.03.002

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2013.04.003

Although I don't know, I would assume that some of the 10,000 scientific abstracts reviewed were funded by NIDA, which does not fund any study on cannabis that does not show harm.

So are you saying that they retract funding if the study shows harm? Because funding needs to be given before the conclusions of the study are available.

> The University of Mississippi grows and harvests cannabis for studies funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, yet because NIDA's congressionally mandated mission is to research the harmful effects of controlled substances and stop drug abuse, the institute isn't interested in helping establish marijuana as a medicine.

http://www.popsci.com.au/science/why-its-so-hard-for-scienti...

Grants like this are basically negotiated, between the PI (principle investigator, who carries out the work) and the PM (program manager who provides the funding). They already know each other and talk about what kind of research is going to be done. I've tracked NIDA-funded MJ studies for at least a decade, and it's pretty clear they're vetting for scientists who publish conclusions consistent with the mission of their agency.

I'm sure a sufficiently motivated scientist could get funding, publish something that disproved the NIDA (it's not hard), and then they would probably not get their funding renewed; it's basically career suicide unless you have other sources of funding.

Actually, funding is usually given after the scientist shows some preliminary data suggesting the study will be "successful".

Direct link to download the full 395 Page Report (without paying $78)

The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research => https://download.nap.edu/cart/download.cgi?record_id=24625

Didn't work for me.

Why is tobacco demonized and marijuana commercialized?

It might have something to do with this...

>Regarding the link between marijuana and cancer, the committee found evidence that suggests smoking cannabis does not increase the risk for cancers often associated with tobacco use – such as lung and head and neck cancers. The committee also found limited evidence that cannabis use is associated with one sub-type of testicular cancer and insufficient evidence that cannabis use by a mother or father during pregnancy leads to a greater risk of cancers in the child.

Report shows that cannabis is not safe either. Increased mental disorders, possible link to coronary artery disease, bronchitis, etc

Nothing is safe, >Acetaminophen overdose is actually the leading cause for calls to Poison Control Centers across the US—more than 100,000 instances per year—and, each year, is responsible for: More than 56,000 emergency room visits. 2,600 hospitalizations. An estimated 458 deaths due to acute liver failure.

Yes, there may be an extremely small correlation with marijuana use and a few mental disorders, but the studies themselves are rather lacking in materiality. I personally know three schizophrenics two from the same family and another friend, all had the disease manifest well before any drug use.

Your possible and et ceteras are quite weak, especially considering the other possible factors for those diseases and the lack of any hard findings. Funny how tylenol and twinkies lead to more detrimental health effects while showing very little benefit to society

It is possible that schizophrenics and similar disorders naturally gravitate to cannabis to lessen their symptoms.

if the schizophrenia is latent prior to consumption, then by definition there can't be no effect. OTOH, if the choice to use drugs is induced or fueled by a mental disorder, that doesn't count in its favour in my book.

How empathetic of you. So any substance which eases crushing symptoms of a mental disorder is a crutch to you? Glad you're Ok.

No, it means that an apparent perception of easing symptons might just as well be another symptom. I don't think the claim you defended is verified, and OTOH cannabis use is linked to activating (or what's the word) latent schizophrenia, so it seems unreasonable to expect it could aliviate the condition.

A crutch? Wouldn't that be rather positive?

edit: mobile typos

> an apparent perception of easing symptons might just as well be another symptom

Placebo effects are not exclusive to those with mental illness

It shows it's not safe, but it's harm is well within acceptable limits. Frankly, you'd have a hard time finding a natural product which was, on balance, as safe as cannabis when smoked.

Because mass produced tobacco products are conclusively correlated with an increased risk of developing cancers and cannabis is not.

surely is, too

the report stated pretty definitively there is no evidence showing that MJ leads to lung cancer, or other cancers in a statistically significant way, with the exception of a single type of prostate cancer which is easily cured.

assuming that you aren't trolling with this....

> Why is tobacco demonized

Because Tobacco smoke is made up of more than 7,000 chemicals, including over 70 known to cause cancer (carcinogens).

Source: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/tobaccocancer/carc...

How many chemicals make up marijuana smoke? Are any of them carcinogenic?

Do keep in mind that smoking is probably the most harmful of the many common ways marijuana is consumed. Vaporizing or eating cannabis renders zero carcinogenic chemicals from smoke.

For sure. Also smoking is the most obnoxious and invasive to the people around you.

Did you read the article?

Yup. It doesn't address the question of how many chemicals are in cannabis smoke, and how many of those are cancer-causing. That's a distinct question from "does smoking cannabis cause cancer." Aspartame is a carcinogen but Diet Coke does not cause cancer.

http://img2-3.timeinc.net/people/i/2015/news/150209/michael-...

Because that's exactly what should happen.

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