We must protect our teens from dangers of cannabis

maamom

Did anyone else come across this in the Sindo on Sunday last. I've read a lot of shoddy journalism but this sort of crap really pees me off. Absolute nobodies writing about something they have absolutely no knowledge about.

I think Emer O'Kelly may have gone "mentally soft" already. God knows what she would be writing if she did smoke some cannabis.

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/we-must-protect-our-teens-from-dangers-of-cannabis-30585181.html

Some quotes from the article:

"research found that young people who smoke cannabis daily in their teen years are 18 times more likely to become dependent on the drug than those who have never smoked it. They are also eight times more likely to use other illicit drugs than those who never smoked cannabis."

"But the most startling and disturbing finding was that daily users of cannabis in the teen years are seven times more likely to take their own lives than others in their peer group, with the risks increasing according to the level of dosage."

Firstly this study is dealing with daily use. In other words chronic use. Take any substance daily and it is not going to be good for you. If you took alcohol as an example I'm sure results would be similar if not worse.

Secondly is it so hard for what I presume is an educated person like Emer to put 2+2 together and not get 10. Has it ever occurred to her that someone, a young person, who smokes cannabis daily probably has serious underlying issues at home, may already be depressed and may already be suicidal before smoking any cannabis.

That's without getting into the issue of the fact it is illegal making it more accessible for young people.

Shoddy journalism and shoddy journalists, when will the scaremongering stop.

Lenin Skynard

Ah the classic "Won't somebody please think of the children" argument. It really works a treat in this country.

DLMA23

ZZZzzz

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I am balls deep in boredom

kneemos

maamom wrote: »

Did anyone else come across this in the Sindo on Sunday last. I've read a lot of shoddy journalism but this sort of crap really pees me off. Absolute nobodies writing about something they have absolutely no knowledge about.

I think Emer O'Kelly may have gone "mentally soft" already. God knows what she would be writing if she did smoke some cannabis.

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/we-must-protect-our-teens-from-dangers-of-cannabis-30585181.html

Some quotes from the article:

"research found that young people who smoke cannabis daily in their teen years are 18 times more likely to become dependent on the drug than those who have never smoked it. They are also eight times more likely to use other illicit drugs than those who never smoked cannabis."

"But the most startling and disturbing finding was that daily users of cannabis in the teen years are seven times more likely to take their own lives than others in their peer group, with the risks increasing according to the level of dosage."

Firstly this study is dealing with daily use. In other words chronic use. Take any substance daily and it is not going to be good for you. If you took alcohol as an example I'm sure results would be similar if not worse.

Secondly is it so hard for what I presume is an educated person like Emer to put 2+2 together and not get 10. Has it ever occurred to her that someone, a young person, who smokes cannabis daily probably has serious underlying issues at home, may already be depressed and may already be suicidal before smoking any cannabis.

That's without getting into the issue of the fact it is illegal making it more accessible for young people.

Shoddy journalism and shoddy journalists, when will the scaremongering stop.

She said "daily,"there in the first line of the quote.

crazygeryy

LexieOnRale wrote: »

I am balls deep in boredom

Id love to be balls deep in something. Lucky sob.

Bipolar Joe

I once had a Marijuana Cigarette, then my legs fell off and I give blow jobs to Taiwanese business men to support my habit. Not even once, you guys.

AnonoBoy

We must protect our teens from dangers of cannibals.


That's an article that I would bother to read.

maamom

kneemos wrote: »

She said "daily,"there in the first line of the quote.

Yes indeed she did and she is still shocked and horrified. :rolleyes:

Just so other posters are aware I know cannabis has been discussed numerous times. This was more about the quality of journalism in this country.

AnonoBoy

young people who smoke cannabis daily in their teen years are 18 times more likely to become dependent on the drug than those who have never smoked it

So she's saying that someone who has smoked the drug is more likely to become addicted to it than someone who has never smoked it?

HOLY SH*T - why has this research been buried for so long?

caolfx

I think they should be more worried about alcohol to be honest.

gesler

everyone should get high,

thomas anderson.

I'm high write know

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I was going to write this post but then I got high

Drakares

AnonoBoy wrote: »

So she's saying that someone who has smoked the drug is more likely to become addicted to it than someone who has never smoked it?

HOLY SH*T - why has this research been buried for so long?

Yeah what the feck is that for reporting.... Like saying "Guy who eats cake 18 times more likely to get addicted than he who has never eaten cake."

How the feck can you get addicted to something if you have never tried it?

Rag paper. PS: I don't smoke.

ScumLord

More alarming points for this article.

The Lancet research found that young people who smoke cannabis daily in their teen years are 18 times more likely to become dependent on the drug than those who have never smoked it.

Saying more likely implies to me that even people that never smoke cannabis could end up dependant on cannabis.

But the most startling and disturbing finding was that daily users of cannabis in the teen years are seven times more likely to take their own lives than others in their peer group, with the risks increasing according to the level of dosage.

So the more cannabis you smoke the more likely you are to commit suicide. Obviously ending up at some point where you get so stoned you're completely unable to stop yourself from committing suicide.

Teenagers who smoke cannabis regularly before the age of 17 are 60 times less likely to finish school than those who don't.

...Smoke cannabis regularly?

What follows after these statements is some deductive reasoning that would make Sherlock vomit into his hat and murder Watson just to stop the noise in his head.

rubadub

SuperOito wrote: »

I think they should be more worried about alcohol to be honest.

+1. Most people would agree that if alcohol was discovered today it would be made illegal.

So I would hope people who are opposed to other recreational drugs being relegalised would view the current legality of alcohol as an odd loophole and would abstain themselves -to set a good example and to "denormalise" the drug. So young people do not just similarly shrug their shoulders and say "its legal and ingrained in society, it would be very difficult to make it illegal" -yes, making it illegal would be very hard, abstaining would not. It would be hard to make laws against farting in lifts, you don't just go farting in lifts since it happens to be legal, just because alcohol is legal doesn't mean you have to drink it, esp. if you are totally against other drugs being made legal.

smash

The study was carried out by researchers in Australia and New Zealand by an academic team who followed nearly four thousand participants. All the participants had begun using cannabis before the age of 17 and they were monitored to the age of 30.

There's no denying that it's a pretty comprehensive study!

BeerWolf

There was an exact same thread of this last week...

gesler

BeerWolf wrote: »

There was an exact same thread of this last week...

Cannabis thread are bit like prostitutes, been around since the beginning of boards, every week, same for and against.

Fratton Fred

Cannabis meh, completely harmless compared to the scum that sell it, that's who kids need protection from.

ScumLord

BeerWolf wrote: »

There was an exact same thread of this last week...

That was just when the story came out. Now that the Irish media have come out of their horrified shock coma (it takes about a week) they're beginning their misinformed rants where they completely exaggerate the facts and drive everyone into a blind panic about how the world is falling apart today because someone said something somewhere.

BlibBlab

Do people here defending cannabis actually have kids? I don't and am all for fixing our current problem with legislation, but I'd imagine actually having kids could change your view of what is safe and what isn't

Barely There

Anyone who doesn't believe cannabis use affects short-term memory, should examine the number of AH threads that get started on the subject with such regularity.

ScumLord

BlibBlab wrote: »

Do people here defending cannabis actually have kids? I don't and am all for fixing our current problem with legislation, but I'd imagine actually having kids could change your view of what is safe and what isn't

Of course it does, most people become afraid of their own shadow when they have kids. But they have to realise the world doesn't revolve around their fears for their children. Just because an adult wants the right to use cannabis doesn't mean their children are going to be force feed heroin in school.

maamom

ScumLord wrote: »

That was just when the story came out. Now that the Irish media have come out of their horrified shock coma (it takes about a week) they're beginning their misinformed rants where they completely exaggerate the facts and drive everyone into a blind panic about how the world is falling apart today because someone said something somewhere.

My point exactly.

It is unbelievable that any excuse for a journalist can spout this nonsense on a national forum and the problem is there are people that will believe it because they trust that journalists and people in certain positions know what they are talking about.

God knows if my mother had read that on Sunday and then I'd told her I'd smoked a few joints in my time I'd probably be kicked out and be sitting in some form of rehab right now.

maamom

Barely There wrote: »

Anyone who doesn't believe cannabis use affects short-term memory, should examine the number of AH threads that get started on the subject with such regularity.

While I did chuckle, I have already stressed that I wanted to use this article as an example of journalism standards or lack of.

The media is full of cackling biddys with very little and some with no clue what they are talking about.

ScumLord

maamom wrote: »

My point exactly.

It is unbelievable that any excuse for a journalist can spout this nonsense on a national forum and the problem is there are people that will believe it because they trust that journalists and people in certain positions know what they are talking about.

I don't see how anyone can have any faith in journalists anymore. Maybe it's just through familiarity but the modern media can't give an unbiased account of the news anymore, they always sensationalize everything to the point they might as well be lying.

We don't get news anymore, we get gossip.

Billy86

kneemos wrote: »

She said "daily,"there in the first line of the quote.

That is true, but they really could have done a better job in that case, then titling the article "We must protect our teens from dangers of cannabis: New research that links cannabis with depression and suicide in teens is nothing short of alarming"

Billy86

LexieOnRale wrote: »

I was going to write this post but then I got high

I was going to report you to the mods, but then I got high.

I think it should be legal but I don't think she far off with her general argument.. But too much scare mongering to take it seriously.

Some people are fine with it, others get lazy. And it is a gateway drug.. I know it was very easy for me to move onto bigger and better things since "they're all illegal so they must be the same".

biko

doant takey drugg mkay kids?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHzdsFiBbFc

Kev_2012

It shouldn't be legalized but yes decriminalized, but having said that, when people smoke it, they do so every bloody day in my experience. At least drinking is once a week usually unless you're a pisshead.

I'm living in Vancouver, where it is illegal but the cops don't even care for about a year and a half and people never shut up going on about it and smoking it and it like trying to have conversations with 2 year olds at times.

ScumLord

Kev_2012 wrote: »

It shouldn't be legalized but yes decriminalized,

But then you're basically legitimising the illegal trade. I don't see how it would do anything but put more money in the pockets of criminals. Legalising it means the government can control production like they do with any food source, monitor sales, set limits and fund treatment for the people that do end up having a problem.

Knasher

I think this might be the single most shoddy piece of science reporting I've ever read. I'd probably criticise it more, except I had a look at the summary for the paper on the lancet, and it actually reads like a good deal of the fault lies with the researchers. (assuming of course that the summary is written by the researchers and not by somebody in the university press department who doesn't understand the difference between correlation and causation).

All I'll say is they are pretty smart to not include a comment section on that particular article.

gesler

Knasher wrote: »

I think this might be the single most shoddy piece of science reporting I've ever read..

Doesn't suit your agenda?

nelly17

gesler wrote: »

Doesn't suit your agenda?

TBH - thats generally how it goes on the whole weed debate - no matter what side your on, some report will be pulled up out from somewhere, someone will talk about the medicinal properties and pull another reort out of their ass

Much arguing will ensue we will have another thread in 3 weeks.

Honestly people should try a toke if they like it and its for them then so be it. If not the **** off and leave those who do like it alone.

That way at least its an informed opion based on someones own experience and not some bull**** biased report on one side or the other.

I'll see yez in a couple of weeks.

Davarus Walrus

I'd be more inclined to take credence with the findings found in a peer-reviewed medical journal such as the Lancet than I would with the biased perspective of some stoner whose brain has turned half to mush.

gesler

nelly17 wrote: »

TBH - thats generally how it goes on the whole weed debate - no matter what side your on, some report will be pulled up out from somewhere, someone will talk about the medicinal properties and pull another reort out of their ass

Much arguing will ensue we will have another thread in 3 weeks.

Honestly people should try a toke if they like it and its for them then so be it. If not the **** off and leave those who do like it alone.

That way at least its an informed opion based on someones own experience and not some bull**** biased report on one side or the other.

I'll see yez in a couple of weeks.

My point exactly, I wouldn't have any inclination to deny a smoker his choice of drug and find the whole criminalizing of it to be backward but rubbishing a medical journal's piece requires a better standard of reply than that,

Kev_2012

ScumLord wrote: »

But then you're basically legitimising the illegal trade. I don't see how it would do anything but put more money in the pockets of criminals. Legalising it means the government can control production like they do with any food source, monitor sales, set limits and fund treatment for the people that do end up having a problem.

Well no, that's not what I meant. If some young fella is caught with 10 euros worth of weed then it shouldn't be considered a major crime, just a misdemeanour, something that won't end up affect them in future life, maybe a small fine or something, but the criminals still need to be stopped for trafficking with intent to supply.