cannabis •

Marijuana Use Can Lead to Earlier Death

April 26, 2016 By Jennifer Licata

A new study suggests that those who use cannabis in their teenage years are more likely to die before turning 60.

A new study suggests that those who use marijuana in their teenage years are more likely to die before turning 60.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – A recent study has shown that teenagers who use marijuana heavily are likely to die before reaching the age of 60. The research was conducted by scientists from the Stockholm Karolinska Institutet.

In order to reach this conclusion, the team of researchers analyzed over 45,000 men who went through military training in 1969 and 1970. Therefore, the study took place over the course of an astounding 42 years, time during which four thousand men met their ends. The participants were followed until 2011 through the National Cause of Death Register.

The results published in the American Journal of Psychiatry show that the individuals who used marijuana heavily during their teenage years had a forty percent higher rate of dying before turning sixty than those who avoided it. By heavy use, the scientists meant teenagers who used the drug more than fifty times.

Furthermore, the team also found that the risk of dying from an accident or suicide was directly linked to the level of use of marijuana during teenage years. According to Scott Krakower, addiction expert, cannabis users tend to have poorer health. Other studies have suggested that marijuana use can lead to heart problems and lung cancer.

As Krakower has pointed out, this happens because those who use the drug usually have poorer diets and some of them are also tobacco smokers. It comes quite easy to switch between the two smoking plants.

Dr. Kevin Hill, member of the Council on Addiction Psychiatry of the American Psychiatric Association, has emphasized the fact that limits are always important, in this case, the dose of marijuana. The heavy use of cannabis is associated with cognitive problems and poor psychological health, which can further lead to poor health and food choices.

Another study conducted by Terrie Moffitt and Avshalom Caspi from the Duke University and Magdalena Cerda from the University of California has shown similar results. According to Cerda,

“Our study found that regular cannabis users experienced downward social mobility and more financial problems such as troubles with debt and cash flow than those who did not report such persistent use. Regular long-term users also had more antisocial behaviors at work, such as stealing money or lying to get a job, and experienced more relationship problems, such as intimate partner violence and controlling abuse.”

The study shows once more that all is acceptable with moderation, but passing over some boundaries might have more drastic consequences than most of us realize.

Image Source: Public Domain Pictures

Sleep Deprivation can leave you with the Munchies

March 5, 2016 By Angelina Stapp

Sleep deprivation and junk food can have the same effect as pot.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – A new study found a strong link between sleep issues, overeating and weight gain. According to this study, sleep deprivation can leave you with the munchies, triggering the same cannabinoid receptors in your brain as marijuana.

Now, we all know that feeling we get if we didn’t sleep enough or if we have trouble falling asleep. It’s just a case of insomnia; better stay on top of it until it goes away. And what’s the best way to get rid of any bad dreams and insomnia? How about a warm glass of milk accompanied by some Cheetos and crackers and maybe some nachos with a little bit of sauce.

Well, it seems that our midnight food-related escapades have something to do with our weight problems. And it all boils down one simple equation: trouble falling asleep? Then one more hour of staying awake costs you approximately 15 calories which you can get from basically anything. But an empty bag of chips means that you’ve eaten more calories than you can burn off.

Now, on to the sciency part. The team of scientists who has conducted this sleep-related study wanted to see if there is any link between sleep quality and food quality.

And so, the team of researchers invited 14 volunteers to participate in a sleep study. All the volunteers had ages between 18 and 30 years, and none of them had previous sleep-related issues.

The members were split into two groups: the first group was allowed to get a good night’s sleep (circa 8-8.5 hours) while the other group sleep deprived (interrupted sleep, approximately 4.5 hours).

This treatment continued for the next four nights. After the sleep was over, the participants received two meals and had unrestricted access to either healthy snacks or junk food.

Keep in mind that the scientists were continuously monitoring the level of endocannabinoids in their blood. At the end of the study, the researchers found out that once the ban on snack was over, the participants who were kept awake ate twice as many unhealthy snacks than those who had a good night’s sleep.

Moreover, upon taking a closer look at the level of endocannabinoids, the team has discovered that snacks consumed due to sleep issues open up the same receptors as marijuana or cannabis.

Although the research project was small, it managed to demonstrate the importance of a good night’s sleep, especially if someone already has weigh-related issues.

In conclusion, sleep deprivation can leave you with the munchies and the munchies can nix your dream of wearing that new bathing suit this summer.

Photo credits:pexels

Marijuana does not Cause Mood Swings and Depression

February 20, 2016 By Clayton Meason

The latest studies have shown that there is no direct link between marijuana, mood swings and depression.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – Although the topic is still under a lot of debate, it would seem that more and more studies emerge in order to refute the latest fad in marijuana-bashing theories according to which pot users can experience mood swings, depression and even schizophrenia. Marijuana does not cause mood swings and depression according to the latest research conducted by a team of psychiatrists.

Like any other substance used for a long time, marijuana can also cause dependence. But this is not what the study was meant to debunk. In fact, the team of psychiatrists in charge of this project wanted to prove once and for all that marijuana does not cause depression, anxiety, mood swings or schizophrenia.

In order to achieve their goal, the medical researchers used the health data collected by the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Approximately 35.000 adults participated in this national survey.

The next step was to determine the prevalence of marijuana users during 2001 and 2002, a parameter which they later cross-referenced with the number of mental cases registered between 2004 and 2005.

Naturally, the team had to take precautions in order to ensure that the results aren’t botched. After taking into account all possible factors such as medical history, family history and socio-demographic factors. In the end, the team has discovered that there is nothing linking marijuana use to mood swings or depression.

However, the team declared that we shouldn’t take the study’s results for granted. Although they were unable to discover a direct connection between marijuana use and mental disorders, they did find something not entirely unexpected.

According to Mark Olfson, the lead author of the study, recurrent use of marijuana can, in time, lead to the use of other substances such as alcohol, tobacco or more potent drugs. In an official email, the lead author concluded that this discovery raises another concern regarding alcohol. He stated that if cannabis abuse or dependence can cause the patient to turn his attention towards other substances, so can alcohol.

A team of scientists from the Columbia University declared that marijuana does not cause mood swings or depression. The study did not manage to address previous theories regarding the link between marijuana abuse and schizophrenia.

But, according to Keith Humphreys, from Stanford University, who was not involved in the study, the facts in the latter case are still vague and under a lot of heavy debate.

Does marijuana cause mood swings, depression or anxiety? Certainly not, according to the study performed by the Columbia University. However, the study does voice a concern in the area of addiction and misuse.

Photo credits:www.pixabay.com

Chronic Marijuana Use can Impede Cognitive Functions

February 2, 2016 By Clayton Meason

A new study point out that chronic marijuana users can experience cognitive issues when they enter their 40s or 50s.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT – It is nothing new under the sun that the idea of legalizing marijuana sparks debates. Everybody comes in to throw their two cents in. Some are in favor of legalizing the recreational drug while others believe that his step could be harmful. A recent study has revealed that chronic marijuana use can impede cognitive functions, such as long-term memory and verbal skills.

Although some states have legalized medicinal marijuana, the debate regarding legalizing the drug for recreational use is still out there. Naturally, more and more studies sprout out of the blue in order to prove that marijuana, along with other recreational drugs are bad for us and for our health (we keep hearing Mackey’s voice here).

One of this studies was performed by a team of medical scientists from University of Lausanne, in Switzerland. According to Doctor Reto Auer, the cognitive skills of a chronic marijuana user begin to decrease as the dose increases. Moreover, it would seem the study stresses out the fact this memory decline becomes acuter as the consumer makes his grand entrance into the middle age.

Although the study failed to point out that chronic exposure is, we can safely assume that you won’t be at risk of cognitive decline if you’ve tried puffing from a joint one or twice.

Now, on to the facts. The doctor and his team of medical researchers declared that they did not expect to find such a strong bond between marijuana usage and cognitive degeneration. According to their findings, chronic users who are not in their 40s or 50s may experience long-term memory issues.

The team also pointed out that for every 5 additional years of smoking pot, a patient has a high chance of developing memory-related issues. In order to test out their theory, the team of scientists enrolled a couple of volunteers. The results showed that patients who used to be chronic consumers have a 50 percent chance of memorizing one less word from a list containing 15 words.

A team of scientists from Switzerland discovered that chronic marijuana use can impede cognitive functions. Moreover, according to their statements, the result remained the same even after they took into account other factors such as smoking, drinking or poor diets.

In the end, Doctor Auer said that this study should not be taken for granted because it does not actually prove that marijuana usage can, in fact, lead to long-term memory issues. He also states that although the study failed to show concrete results, it should be taken into consideration when talking about the legalization of marijuana.

Photo credits:www.pixabay.com

Video of a Man Blowing Pot Smoke from Car Becomes Viral

January 15, 2016 By Angelina Stapp

The video depicts a man puffing pot smoke out of his car.

BEACON TRANCRIPT – You know you that you landed on the wrong side of YouTube when a clip receives more view and likes than it should. The video of a man blowing pot smoke from becomes viral among fellow YouTubers.

Posted on the 12^th of January, the 14-second long clip has already bagged 995.551 views and received over 6000 likes. If you’re perhaps wondering what the clip all about is, then bear with us for a while.

Being stuck in traffic can be a nuisance sometimes, especially when your local radio station seems keen of recycling the same 10 songs. So, a couple of buds decided that time will fly by much faster if they indulged themselves in a little session of traffic R&R. And what could be more enticing in this perspective than sharing a joint with friends and puffing the smoke out of the car.

And with a title like “give us another one”, the video clip is sure to turn a few gets and get people wondering about the even.

Following the comment section, there is actually one dude who recognizes his car in the clip and burst out into laughter. Of course, his comeback was appreciated and he received no less than 654 likes for his witty comment.

The YouTubers statement also received several hate comments, including one from a reticent user that questioned his ability to correctly recollect the event.

But maybe the most viral comment, beside the one posted by the dude with an epiphany, comes from another YouTube user that lashes out at those who choose to consume vaporized marijuana. We are unable to reproduce the user’s speech, nor his name, but it would seem that his standing has managed to spark quite a debate regarding the issue of smoking versus vaporizing.

The video of a man blowing pot smoke from the car becomes viral, and people are beginning to wonder what’s best for our health: smoking or vaporizing?

According to an article posted on a lifestyle site, vaping pot is considered to be more healthy and effective than smoking it. The author of the article declared that vaporizing cannabis affects your lungs to a lesser degree due to the fact that you inhale 5 percent of the smoke coming from the device.

On another note, the author said that by vaping cannabis you will experience the effects much faster than by smoking it. The author also takes into account another factor when it rules out smoking in favor of vaping, such as financial issues, the fact that vaping is more discreet than smoking and that vaping can actually get you even higher than smoking.

Without further ado, here is the viral video of the dude who’s puffing pot smoke out of his car in mid-traffic.

Photo credits:www.wikipedia.org

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