Frequent teen marijuana use linked to issues later in life

Frequent teen marijuana use linked to issues later in life

Today I thought I'd show you guys the latest study from the anti-marijuana camp.

Teens who use marijuana daily before age 17 are more than 60% less likely to get their high school diploma than those who've never used pot, according to a new study published Tuesday in the journal The Lancet Psychiatry.

The study, done by researchers in Australia and New Zealand, is a meta-analysis of three previous long-running studies that included nearly 4,000 participants.

Researchers looked at links between frequent cannabis use and seven developmental outcomes up until the age of 30. They looked specifically at whether the teens completed high school, got a college degree, were dependent on marijuana, had attempted suicide, were diagnosed with depression, used other illegal drugs and/or relied on welfare to support themselves.

The study found daily adolescent users were 18 times more likely to become dependent on marijuana, seven times more likely to attempt suicide, and eight times more likely to use other illegal drugs in the future.

Interesting enough. But a key tactic when reading disinformation articles is to make sure you read the WHOLE article, because disinformation articles like to hide inconvenient facts at the bottom of the article hoping that people don't read them. Let's look further.

Mason Tvert, communications director with the Marijuana Policy Project, said the study doesn't show using marijuana causes any of these problems; it just underscores a link between individuals who use marijuana and those who experience these types of problems.
"The article expressly states that there remains no evidence that using marijuana causes depression, suicide or dropping out of school," he said. "It simply shows that teens who are prone to developing these problems are more likely to have used marijuana."

Wait so it's possible that these kids are seeking out marijuana to self-medicate their problems away and not that marijuana creates them? Of course the study neglects to mention that. Gotta run with the correlation equals causation angle to demonize the plant, just like carrying an umbrella causes rain storms right? (credit to cold_in_Michigan from the article's comment section for that analogy)

NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow says she was not surprised by the study's conclusions.

"This analysis is consistent with findings that show heavy marijuana users generally report lower life satisfaction, poorer mental and physical health, more relationship problems, and less academic and career success compared to non-marijuana-using peers," Volkow said. "The risk of addiction is also higher when use initiates as a teen. It is important that we continue to discourage young people from using marijuana."

The director of the National Institute for Drug Addiction agrees with the study results? Why is THAT not surprising?

Here's another gem from the article:

"The results provide very strong evidence for a more direct relationship between adolescence cannabis use and later harm," said lead author Edmund Silins with the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University of New South Wales, Australia. "The findings are particularly timely given the growing movement to decriminalize or legalize cannabis because this has raised the possibility the drug might become more accessible to young people."

Yes eerily so, almost like it was commissioned to find that EXACT result despite no correlating data. This is literally the paragraph before this one.

Researchers also found that while a causal link to depression and welfare dependence was unlikely, heavy marijuana use increased the odds. Evidence was not sufficient, according to the study authors, to support a causal link between marijuana use and suicide.

Interestingly enough the cnn article linked to a study on diabetes for its source, so I had to go dig up another article on this piece to find the real study. Which is below.

Young adult sequelae of adolescent cannabis use: an integrative analysis

Here's the study's official findings and interpretation:

Findings
We recorded clear and consistent associations and dose-response relations between the frequency of adolescent cannabis use and all adverse young adult outcomes. After covariate adjustment, compared with individuals who had never used cannabis, those who were daily users before age 17 years had clear reductions in the odds of high-school completion (adjusted odds ratio 0·37, 95% CI 0·20—0·66) and degree attainment (0·38, 0·22—0·66), and substantially increased odds of later cannabis dependence (17·95, 9·44—34·12), use of other illicit drugs (7·80, 4·46—13·63), and suicide attempt (6·83, 2·04—22·90).

Interpretation
Adverse sequelae of adolescent cannabis use are wide ranging and extend into young adulthood. Prevention or delay of cannabis use in adolescence is likely to have broad health and social benefits. Efforts to reform cannabis legislation should be carefully assessed to ensure they reduce adolescent cannabis use and prevent potentially adverse developmental effects.

In other words, it's still pretty inconclusive, but they suggest not to let teenagers take marijuana. It's funny how that got turned around by our faithful MSM into marijuana being a direct link to not graduating high school.

Poppycock...

That's all the dinosaurs have left.

Lies mixed with misinformation.

Nobody in their right mind would give a kid any drug.

Good Catch S&F

I was one of the 40% who looked at the other 60 with disdain for trying to make the rest of us look stupid.
I grew up a little more rebellious than most, in that time period I was less of a kid then others, grew up really young.
So i'm not recommending that path.

Let's say I don't think it's the pot that prevents them from graduating or pursuing enough study to pass classes,
it would be whatever vice that found it's way to them. Or their attitudes in general.

Pot is merely the most convenient scapegoat for most. Or the vice that found its way to them first.

"The findings are particularly timely given the growing movement to decriminalize or legalize cannabis because this has raised the possibility the drug might become more accessible to young people."

As opposed to liquor, which as I witnessed was the most easily accessible and destructible.
Kids would find a homeless person and give them a dollar to buy them liquor. Pretty much every day.

Then they would do stupid things. Endless amounts of stupid things. And conflict with other people doing pretty much the same thing. Repeat ad nauseum.

a reply to: whyamIhere

Well many people give children drugs while not caring for the side effects, but those are stamped for approval by big brother pharmaceutical companies. But the light link between brain damage and marijuana among children is cause to hate the plant. Personally, I don't even care if there isn't an age minimum on marijuana. We give children FAR worse crap manufactured by pharmaceutical companies, so what's the difference?

The study found daily adolescent users were 18 times more likely to become dependent on marijuana, seven times more likely to attempt suicide, and eight times more likely to use other illegal drugs in the future.

Now replace the word Marijuana with Alcohol (the real gateway drug) and you have the real truth.

Marijuana makes you depressed? In what alternate universe is the author referring to?

a reply to: Krazysh0t

I don't do any drugs, legal or illegal. It's just not for me. I don't even smoke. However, I don't have a problem with those who do. But pretending that weed can't become a problem are only fooling themselves.

Not everyone is the same, and I've seen some friends who have become true "stoners". Lost their jobs and living on welfare because all they want to do is toke.

On the flip side of that, a good friend of mine is doing great in his life financially and is high almost every time we meet. I think it boils down to what kind of person you are, much like alcohol. If you can handle it, more power to you. If you can't, you're gonna have a bad time.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Sure. SWIM said "It's not the types of drugs people do, it's the type of people who use drugs"

good thing im not longer a teen then

The depression, suacide, lack of higher education angle that they seem to be pushing doesn't really mention the excessive fines, stigma, and ruin that comes with being caught with any amount of the plant during adolescence. The plant doesn't cause these things, the prohibition and punishment is at the root of all associated whoes here.

These studies get more laughable every time.

Boba

It doesn't help. It basically keeps people emotionally stagnating. Whatever issues there were prior, will remain. Whatever issues come along the way, will stay, and you'll start piling them up over the years. Dependence on any drug doesn't allow for emotional growth.

You have an error in the OP. You said there isn't any evidence for correlation. This is false. The statistics show correlation. They don't prove causation. That's different. Might want to change that.

It basically goes both ways on things like this, and that's why finding a single arrow of causation isn't the best approach.

originally posted by: pl3bscheese
You have an error in the OP. You said there isn't any evidence for correlation. This is false. The statistics show correlation. They don't prove causation. That's different. Might want to change that.

That's what I said. My entire point was that the study showed correlation but the article is jumping to the conclusion that correlation equals causation which isn't the case.

Reminder: don't discuss personal usage guys.

I think your first statement was correct. The type of person and their individual circumstances that led them to chronic use before the age of 17 is more the issue than the chronic use. Of course those that concentrate on their studies without the urge to smoke up will have a better chance at graduating.

originally posted by: Bobaganoosh
The depression, suacide, lack of higher education angle that they seem to be pushing doesn't really mention the excessive fines, stigma, and ruin that comes with being caught with any amount of the plant during adolescence. The plant doesn't cause these things, the prohibition and punishment is at the root of all associated whoes here.

These studies get more laughable every time.

Boba

yes the most dangerous part of having it is getting caught with it. imagine that.

a reply to: MALBOSIA

Yea this is a blatant attempt to perpetuate the fallacy that marijuana causes people to become slackers.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

All we have is anecdotal observations in this study which is worth less than diddly. This is pseudo-science promoting an agenda.

This analysis is consistent with findings that show heavy marijuana users generally report lower life satisfaction, poorer mental and physical health, more relationship problems, and less academic and career success compared to non-marijuana-using peers,

I would say people with poor mental/ physical health with no relationships generally have lower life satisfaction with or without marijuana. These a-holes keep putting the cart before the horse. Also academic and career success usually comes at a different price.