obviously
the majority of people who smoke weed aren't going to go nuts. It's not certain whether or not there has to be a proclivity there, but it is medically proven that cannabis can trigger psychosis in previously healthy people. And it just ain't worth the risk.
(jennymnemonic, Sun 19 Sep 2010, 17:58, 2 replies)

.
But if its a trigger then there has to be something to 'set off'. If I'm an alcoholic and I eat a trifle with sherry in it, and it triggers an alcoholic episode, then would the trifle be the cause of my alcoholism?
( browser still relating boring anecdotes into a void on, Sun 19 Sep 2010, 19:01, closed)

No, it would be the cause of your trifoholism
You'd be a trifoholic :D
(Professor Kenny Martin Hmm? What?, Sun 19 Sep 2010, 19:29, closed)

.
I'd be taken into custardy.
( browser still relating boring anecdotes into a void on, Sun 19 Sep 2010, 19:47, closed)

trigger as in
something to cause the illness in the first place, not as in similar to a strobe light for epilepsy (ie that it stimulates an awakening of an underlying condition.)

I know my post may have been somewhat preachy, but the BMJ is on my side on this one.
(jennymnemonic, Sun 19 Sep 2010, 19:50, closed)

It really isn't that clear cut
unfortunately.


www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15763748


Certainly if it was *that* much of a problem, then it would be much easier to show causation.
(ham.sandwich, Sun 19 Sep 2010, 20:36, closed)

Extremely preachy
But losing a close friend like so, I can understand.

I was really into it, but then I saw how much it was hurting the person I loved. That is what I said, but really, I just got annoyed at being given the silent treatment for 2 days.
(lemonadegame, Sun 19 Sep 2010, 23:44, closed)

Define healthy
"The UK Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) reviewed the evidence in depth and concluded (2002, p. 8) “... no clear causal link [between prevalence of cannabis consumption and schizophrenia] has been demonstrated.”"

That relates to not-already-vulnerable people, however. It's suggested that heavy cannabis use in those with a family history of mental illness can indeed precipitate the onset of psychosis.
(tty, Sun 19 Sep 2010, 20:55, closed)

Also, there are many other factors besides genetics that can influence schizophrenia - not least the behaviour of the people in the sufferer's daily life.
It's such a complex issue that in general you cannot reasonably stand up and say "yes, this person's condition has been caused by [X] and [X] alone."
( The Mock TurtIe ™ --- Thinks you are a cunt, on, Sun 19 Sep 2010, 21:22, closed)