Young people who smoke cannabis

[KeepItSteel]

'The researchers were unable to prove cannabis use was definitively causing depression.
Instead, they could only say it looked to be a strong link.'

That statement itself could be used to pull apart its own argument.

The BBC rarely comments on the positive side effects of cannabis use, but are forever quick to post the scaremongering. As with most things in life, it's important to consider moderate use. If one consumes excess of nearly anything there are usually always repercussions.
BBC will have you believe that if you play violent computer games as a youngster that you'll become a gun toting lunatic - so far, I haven't murdered someone, but heck, makes a good headline doesn't it?

Let's just ignore the fact that hundreds of thousands, probably millions of users are successfully treating symptoms of depression with medicated cannabis use.

I'm not saying it's a perfect remedy, but I will defend its benefits. I think the recent interest by big pharma suggests the positives will end up far outweighing any negatives.

 

[CassidyAce]

Re:

The study in the BBC story shows correlation but not causation. I've no idea whether the Beeb has an anti-cannabis agenda, though. I get the impression there's broad agreement here: all drugs have nasty side effects in the wrong quantities; many can have beneficial effects if used intelligently. Common sense has already been legalised but isn't used in sufficient quantities. Etc.

Zetecmk2: I wish I had the musical talent to play a fourteen minute version of Freebird!

 

[mattr]

Re: Re:

I've no idea whether the Beeb has an anti-cannabis agenda, though.

Every branch of government has an anti-drug agenda. And woe betide anyone who speaks out. Even if you know what you are talking about.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... ser-sacked

 

[KeepItSteel]

There's a documentary about to drop called Weed The People, which looks like will raise the profile of medicinal benefits (cancer killing being a focused I believe).

 

[highlandsflyer]

Re:

The key is moderation. I wonder how many of these depressed kids do something other than smoke. We always used to go somewhere or do something and the stimulants, whatever they were, were not the primary focus. The people I know who tend to fall into depression do very little other than stare into tvs, or nowadays the Utube. Who wouldn't get depressed? Kids, especially Stateside, have it all handed to them, and very little reason to use their initiative.

 

[Peachy!]

Re: Re:

The key is moderation. I wonder how many of these depressed kids do something other than smoke. We always used to go somewhere or do something and the stimulants, whatever they were, were not the primary focus. The people I know who tend to fall into depression do very little other than stare into tvs, or nowadays the Utube. Who wouldn't get depressed? Kids, especially Stateside, have it all handed to them, and very little reason to use their initiative.

Yup, totally agree. my kids are pretty chilled out and easy going & of course love TV, U-Tube, X-Box etc, but I’ve made it a mission to fill their time with stuff (Guitar, Archery, Art, Rugby, Netball, cycling and of course bike building)
Either are likely to go art school like I did, and will no doubt be exposed to every available drug just as I was. I don’t know if it will all go wrong... who does?
But it won’t be because they’re bored.....

 

[pete_mcc]

Re:

Problem I see is that the recent research was based on 25 year historic evidence when cannabis was, in the main, illegal. While it was illegal we were happy with any old shit, any strength, whatever our dealers could get.

Now that its being decriminalised in some countries it’s a whole load more regulated and pure. But cannabis companies are fighting to differentiate themselves in a crowded market to attract customers and share, and the best way to differentiate is strength and potency.
Over the next few years, the strength is going to get higher and higher, especially with tobacco companies pumping billions into the trade.
Having that level of commercialisation will ensure latest techniques in hybridisation and genetic modification will take a once natural product as far away from that start point as is possible. It’s not now and it never will be the ‘natural’ product it once was.
What’s doing to be interesting is what the research shows over the next 25 years.

That said, the fact that people have to self-medicate with street drugs shows how bad mental healthcare is in some countries.

 

[KeepItSteel]

I agree with your thought process, but evidence is also showing that many(most) of the superstrong strain claims are largely based on bunkem. Very few reach anything like the claimed levels of THC, and we are also beginning to understand that THC alone is not the prime factor in determining 'strength', rather, it's the compound structure in its entirety that denotes a specific strains effects. There are also large movements towards securing any remaining landrace strains (of which many are still being discovered in isolated regions) in order to preserve the 'origjnal' genetics.

In the end I don't think the bastard-hybridisation of current strains will be an issue - if folks are granted the right to grow their own for example, they will be able to select a strain line that works best for their medical needs and clone it, potentially ad finitum.

Plus, if there is a market for original/1960s style weed, then it will be catered for by legitimate breeders.

I don't know if there is a ceiling on how strong the plant can be bred - it will be interesting to see measured strengths in 10/20/30+ years.

 

[pete_mcc]

The worry is that you are not an average user, nor are those users treating conditions where cannabis is recognised as a genuine treatment.
I will totally agree that those with physical disabilities like MS or epilepsy will look to titrate to a level that controls their condition but they are a minority.

Your average cannabis users are teens and young adults. These are not refined users, nor ones with the experience or intelligence to use sensibly. Kids want strong, companies will offer strong.

Use alcohol as an analogue.
In prohibition people would drink shitty bathtub gin, and that’s where we are in the U.K. at the moment. Your average user takes whatever they can get as dealers doesn’t offer a wide range.

Over the past 100 years alcohol has got cheaper and far, far stronger as brewing techniques improved.
Yes there is a movement towards real ales and vintage drinks but those are niche movements.
Teens and young adults don’t elect to drink traditional mead based drinks or vintage wines, they go for frosty jack cider, tenants super or thunderbird 20/20. The idea is not to enjoy the nuances of the experience but to get f*cked and this counts double for those self-medicating mental illnesses or escaping social deprevation. And this is where alcohol companies created ever stronger drinks and even ones solely focused on kids-alcopops.

Companies looking to steal this burgeoning market will look to secure the average user by pandering to their desires and will look to hook them through strength.
There is a great example with the new vape market in the US where the market leader JUUL has done so by using a solution that contains three time the nicotine content of others. It is now worth Billions. This is exactly the approach that new cannabis companies will take.

 

[KeepItSteel]

It's hard to disagree, but to add to this, when I was at school and dabbled with ciggies, 80% of us went for Marlboro lights or equivalent, 19% went for B&H, and one or two went for 'Death' cigarettes - marketing as super strong and with a skull and crossbones logo.

Same for drink, we of course started at cider down the park, but lager was the norm, Stella if you were a geezer, fosters if you were a southerner.. Not many of us drank spirits until into our 20s, and I have only known a couple of alcoholics personally.

My point being, the temptations are always there and sure, kids will push the boundaries - but aren't we better off with a regulated model so we can at least have the choice to choose wisely?