I guess Mr. Garrison was right after all...

Sorry, I should elaborate. Pot use greatly increases the likelihood of developing schizophrenia.

quote:

Originally posted by AUTiger89:
It's also causal for schizophrenia.

As always in these threads, “A man hears what he wants to hear, and disregards the rest.”

But as a serious question, if we’re not users ourselves, why should we care? Although he wasn’t the only one to make the claim, I most clearly recall a smoker acquaintance from Netherlands saying that smokers actually placed less burden on the health care system and other programs like Social Security because they died earlier on average than nonsmokers.

I’ve never made any effort to research the question, partially because I’d be skeptical of the truthfulness of claims on either side, but what say the forum experts?
Are the rest of us better off when some members of society commit slow suicide by unhealthy life practices?

Added: I asked Microsoft Copilot (an AI source) the question about smokers and got a somewhat weasel-worded response that basically boiled down to, “We shouldn’t reduce costs by having people die sooner,” and was therefore what I expected.

quote:

Originally posted by AUTiger89:
It's also causal for schizophrenia.

I've seen it first hand. It's a very sad thing to see a very capable person become a schizophrenic.

Yes, I realize it doesn't happen to most users. But it does happen. I think it has a lot to do with age at which heavy use begins, and how it's dosed. Using a blow torch to purify it gives an extreme dose. I think it's called 'dabbing'.

Cambridge study conclusions:

Young males might be particularly susceptible to the effects of cannabis on schizophrenia.

Association between cannabis use disorder and schizophrenia stronger in young males than in females

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 May 2023

https://www.cambridge.org/core...41CB8529A326C3641A68

Gummies have an outcome similar to those that smoke cigarettes? That doesn’t add up. Not to mention THC gummies are a recently popular practice. How would there be any real data on this. Not a cannabis guy personally but this sounds sus.

If truly interested in why the study claims that eating THC consumables is bad for the heart, here is an actual article that can be read in a few minutes:

https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2025...juana-bad-your-heart

It’s long been accepted that smoking increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes because of its effects on blood vessels that aren’t directly impacted like smoking affects the lungs. As another example, if I ingest a dose of potassium cyanide, it will affect more than my stomach and intestines.

I'd like to weigh in here on the real side effects/benefits of thc, but I just don't feel like it right now.
Maybe I'll get around to it later.

The study simply indicates that a group of 55 people had an elevated risk of heart disease. This doesn't establish causation. It's a very small study to start making associations, but that's what people do by nature.

We can challenge the findings of a study for whatever reasons we wish, or no reason whatsoever, but being able to make associations between or among the issues being studied is the reason for conducting such studies. So yes, that’s what people do.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
We can challenge the findings of a study for whatever reasons we wish, or no reason whatsoever, but being able to make associations between or among the issues being studied is the reason for conducting such studies. So yes, that’s what people do.

Yeah, that's what I said. No causation, but plenty of opinions. It's a useless study.. too small.

I don't know about the gummies, but inhaling noxious gases into your lungs is obviously bad. That's just common sense.

I do agree with everyone saying inhaling smoke is likely bad for you. I don't care about the underlying issues, just know that these studies are nearly always misleading at this size. This particular one was funded by The California Department of Cannabis Control, The National Institute on Drug Abuse, and other organizations.

See, I’m confused by the “causing schizophrenia,” thing.

The synthetic cannaboids are definitely linked to significant brain damage - especially of adolescent brains.

Most likely, THC also significantly impairs adolescent brains - TMK any form of intoxication damages adolescent brains.

But, AFAIK, schizophrenia has a known cause, related to parasites spread by cats.

quote:

Originally posted by Aglifter:
But, AFAIK, schizophrenia has a known cause, related to parasites spread by cats.

I had never heard of that before, so I asked Grok about it...

"The idea that schizophrenia might be linked to cat parasites, specifically Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan parasite found in cat feces, has been studied extensively, but no definitive causal relationship has been established. Here’s a clear overview based on current scientific understanding:
What is Toxoplasma gondii?: T. gondii is a parasite that can infect humans through contact with contaminated cat feces, undercooked meat, or contaminated water. It’s estimated to infect about 30–50% of the global population, often without symptoms in healthy individuals. Cats are the primary host, as the parasite reproduces in their intestines.

Research on Schizophrenia and T. gondii: Studies have found an association between T. gondii infection and an increased risk of schizophrenia, but correlation does not equal causation. Key points include:
Seroprevalence: People with schizophrenia have higher rates of T. gondii antibodies (indicating past infection) compared to the general population. A 2012 meta-analysis in Schizophrenia Bulletin found a 2.7 times higher odds of T. gondii infection in individuals with schizophrenia.

Brain Effects: T. gondii can form cysts in the brain, potentially affecting neurotransmitters like dopamine, which is implicated in schizophrenia. It may also cause inflammation or alter brain structure in areas like the prefrontal cortex or amygdala, which are linked to schizophrenia symptoms.

Behavioral Studies in Animals: Rodents infected with T. gondii show altered behavior, such as reduced fear of predators, possibly due to changes in brain chemistry. This has led to hypotheses about similar effects in humans, but direct evidence is limited.

Limitations and Uncertainty:
No Direct Causation: While associations exist, no study has proven that T. gondii directly causes schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a complex disorder with multiple contributing factors, including genetics (e.g., specific gene variants like COMT), environmental stressors, and neurodevelopmental issues.

Confounding Factors: Other risk factors, like urban living or socioeconomic conditions, may increase both T. gondii exposure and schizophrenia risk, complicating the link.

Mixed Evidence: Some studies show no significant connection, and the prevalence of T. gondii varies widely by region, yet schizophrenia rates remain relatively consistent globally (about 1% of the population).

Current Consensus: The National Institute of Mental Health and other health authorities state that schizophrenia’s causes are multifactorial, involving genetic predisposition, brain chemistry imbalances, and environmental triggers. T. gondii is considered a potential risk factor or contributor in some cases, but not a primary cause. For example, a 2019 study in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity suggested T. gondii might exacerbate symptoms in genetically susceptible individuals rather than initiate the disorder.

Practical Implications: While cat ownership increases the risk of T. gondii exposure, proper hygiene (e.g., washing hands after cleaning litter boxes, avoiding raw meat) significantly reduces infection risk. Pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals are advised to take extra precautions due to other risks from toxoplasmosis, but there’s no recommendation to avoid cats solely to prevent schizophrenia.

In summary, T. gondii from cat parasites is associated with a higher risk of schizophrenia in some studies, but it’s not a confirmed cause. Schizophrenia’s etiology is complex, and T. gondii may act as one of many environmental factors in susceptible individuals."