Australian Study Claims Marijuana Use Shrinks the brain
By Myrrdin
@Myrrdin (3599)
Canada
June 10, 2008 8:35am CST
Recently a study from the Australian medical research group ORYGEN claimed to demonstrate that heavy marijuana use causes the brain to shrink. WebMD reports on this here http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20080602/marijuana-use-may-shrink-the-brain
I, of course, have to take issue with these claims. As with many studies about marijuana in the past the study completely ignores causality. They claim that marijuana caused the brain shrinkage, but have no data supporting this supposition. They ignore the possibility that people with shrunken hippocampus and amygdala may just be drawn to heavy marijuana use.
They also ignore that the sample group is much to small to be of any scientific use, although they admit the group is small and state outright that the reason for this is that they had trouble finding anyone that used as much marijuana as they were looking for. In this admission it is evident that the sample group is far from indicative of normal use. I mean these people were smoking 5 joints every day for the past 20 years, that's sparking up every 3-4 hours constantly. These people were NEVER sober in the past 20 years. Its not surprising they had trouble with memory tests, I am surprised they even remembered to come in for the study at all.
http://420-now.blogspot.com/2008/06/australian-study-indicates-link-between.html
3 people like this
2 responses
@AnnieOakley1 (5596)
• Canada
10 Jun 08
I also take issue with these claims. They haven't enough real evidence to state such nonsense.
And I beleive that it was difficult to find enough CHRONIC USERS that smoke constantly every day for years and years, because there truly aren't really very many out there. They are a minority as it just isn't really addictive. Some people, however, cannot or will not function without a crutch of some sort or hate their life so much that they will just stay stoned on whatever is most easily available to avoid the daily stresses of life.
1 person likes this
@AnnieOakley1 (5596)
• Canada
10 Jun 08
Yeah, the CHRONIC smokers usually smoke really big joints because it is cumulative. They have to keep smoking larger quantities to get the desired result.
Us occasional users, don't have that problem. Pinners are the best, not so much coughing.
I found cellulose papers, too and they put themselves out and don't burn so fast, so less waste, too. The best yet.
But I'm going to get a vaporizer to reduce the tars further. Even though I'm pretty sure that the minimal amount that I use, isn't that harmful.
2 people like this
@CanadaGal (4304)
• Canada
10 Jun 08
OOooohhh... if you get that vaporizer prior to your visit out this way, may I ask that you bring it with you?
1 person likes this
@AnnieOakley1 (5596)
• Canada
11 Jun 08
You're funny myklj.
I can just picture Chevy Chase saying that, too. With conviction. 
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