By Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter TUESDAY, Aug. 4, 2015
(HealthDay News) --
Regular marijuana use doesn't appear to put
teens at increased risk for depression, lung
cancer or other physical and mental health
problems later in life, contends a new study that challenges previous research.
"What we found was a little surprising," lead
researcher Jordan Bechtold, a psychology
research fellow at the University of Pittsburgh
Medical Center, said in a news release from the American Psychological Association. "There were no differences in any of the mental or physical health outcomes that we measured regardless of the amount or frequency of marijuana used during adolescence," Bechtold explained.
The study included more than 400 males in
Pittsburgh who were followed from age 14 to 36. Fifty-four percent were black, 42 percent were white and 4 percent were from other racial/ethnic groups.
The participants were divided into four groups
based on their marijuana use: low or non-users
(46 percent); early regular users (22 percent);
those who only smoked marijuana when they
were teens (11 percent); and those who started using marijuana later in their teens and continued using the drug (21 percent). Early regular users had much higher marijuana use.
The study found their use rapidly increased
during their teens to a peak of more than 200
days per year on average by the time they were 22 years old.
After that, their marijuana use fell slightly, the study authors said. Because only males were included in the study, the researchers could not draw any conclusions about women and marijuana use.
"We wanted to help inform the debate about
legalization of marijuana, but it's a very
complicated issue and one study should not be
taken in isolation," Bechtold said.
Some previous studies have suggested that
teens who use marijuana are at increased risk
for cancer, delusions, hallucinations and other
psychotic symptoms, asthma and other
respiratory problems later in life, but this study
found no such links.
Bechtold and colleagues also found no
association between teen marijuana use and
depression, anxiety, allergies, headaches or
high blood pressure later in life.
The study was published online Aug. 3 in the
journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.
***Opinion***
Says to me go ahead and fire up, if that's what you're inclined to do. I've been conducting somewhat of a survey for the better part of 40 some what years. I'll have to get back to you with the final results. The jury is still out....
(HealthDay News) --
Regular marijuana use doesn't appear to put
teens at increased risk for depression, lung
cancer or other physical and mental health
problems later in life, contends a new study that challenges previous research.
"What we found was a little surprising," lead
researcher Jordan Bechtold, a psychology
research fellow at the University of Pittsburgh
Medical Center, said in a news release from the American Psychological Association. "There were no differences in any of the mental or physical health outcomes that we measured regardless of the amount or frequency of marijuana used during adolescence," Bechtold explained.
The study included more than 400 males in
Pittsburgh who were followed from age 14 to 36. Fifty-four percent were black, 42 percent were white and 4 percent were from other racial/ethnic groups.
The participants were divided into four groups
based on their marijuana use: low or non-users
(46 percent); early regular users (22 percent);
those who only smoked marijuana when they
were teens (11 percent); and those who started using marijuana later in their teens and continued using the drug (21 percent). Early regular users had much higher marijuana use.
The study found their use rapidly increased
during their teens to a peak of more than 200
days per year on average by the time they were 22 years old.
After that, their marijuana use fell slightly, the study authors said. Because only males were included in the study, the researchers could not draw any conclusions about women and marijuana use.
"We wanted to help inform the debate about
legalization of marijuana, but it's a very
complicated issue and one study should not be
taken in isolation," Bechtold said.
Some previous studies have suggested that
teens who use marijuana are at increased risk
for cancer, delusions, hallucinations and other
psychotic symptoms, asthma and other
respiratory problems later in life, but this study
found no such links.
Bechtold and colleagues also found no
association between teen marijuana use and
depression, anxiety, allergies, headaches or
high blood pressure later in life.
The study was published online Aug. 3 in the
journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.
***Opinion***
Says to me go ahead and fire up, if that's what you're inclined to do. I've been conducting somewhat of a survey for the better part of 40 some what years. I'll have to get back to you with the final results. The jury is still out....
Semper Fidelis
![[Image: SyAa0qj.png]](https://i.imgur.com/SyAa0qj.png)
USMC
USMC
Nemo me impune lacessit
It is Well with My Soul