The Dutch are really clamping down on weed

[TheAnimus]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15225270

The famous cannabis-selling coffee shops of the Netherlands are facing new tighter restrictions.

The Dutch government is reclassifying high-strength cannabis to put it in the same category as hard drugs.

Now this is intresting, I would like to know the drivers for doing this as I'm sure its going to cost a lot of the cafes a lot of money. Also in all the time I've spent with drug users I've never heard of someone having issues due to "strong skunk", and a quick google couldn't shed any light. I know Ben of BadScience has also written about this strange fear.

Also the flights I just booked for next week have NOTHING to do with this announcement, nothing at all....

[Hoonigan]

I've been to Amsterdam twice this year, so this to me is very bad news. The weed you can get in Amsterdam is unbelievable.

What difference does the THC content make? Does a higher THC level make the "side effects" of cannabis worse? Such as paranoia and schizophrenia.

[wasabi]

Undoubtledly just the usual thin end of the wedge measures from the Dutch old-fogey brigade. They rarely outright ban something - just chisel away at rights.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Some people are going to get pissed at this!!

[peterb]

http://www.ukcia.org/research/Pharm/index.php

Interesting are the reported effects on driving and aircraft piloting, and the relatively long half life before the drug and its metabolites are excreted from the body.

[scaryjim]

What difference does the THC content make? Does a higher THC level make the "side effects" of cannabis worse? Such as paranoia and schizophrenia.

I believe they do, yes. The only reason I can see for wanting higher THC content is if you've taken so much previously that you've developed a resistance to the effects of THC, which can't be a good thing, really...

[Tumble]

Some people are going to get pissed at this!!

yeah, only because it's harder to get stoned....

[aidanjt]

What difference does the THC content make? Does a higher THC level make the "side effects" of cannabis worse? Such as paranoia and schizophrenia.

No. There's never been a scientific research paper which links THC as a cause of mental illness. At best more concentrated THC levels means stronger pharmacological reactions, i.e., more stoned.

[Hoonigan]

No. There's never been a scientific research paper which links THC as a cause of mental illness. At best more concentrated THC levels means stronger pharmacological reactions, i.e., more stoned.

Speaking from personal experiences, and from being good friends with a lot of weed smokers, cannabis definitely causes paranoia, or at least has a lot to do with causing it. I don't think any scientific study in the world could disprove that.

EDIT: Woop, 100th post

[TheAnimus]

Speaking from personal experiences, and from being good friends with a lot of weed smokers, cannabis definitely causes paranoia, or at least has a lot to do with causing it. I don't think any scientific study in the world could disprove that.

EDIT: Woop, 100th post

Ah but is that simply whilst your high. Alcohol often causes anger, violence etc. But it normally just stops when the person sobers up, and even then its only some people who get violent when drinking.

[0iD]

No. There's never been a scientific research paper which links THC as a cause of mental illness. At best more concentrated THC levels means stronger pharmacological reactions, i.e., more stoned.

There's never been any unbiased in-depth research into the effects on people's mental wellbeing. I think due to the current illegality & other emotive issues there's just not going to be a definitive study done any time soon. I can only speak from experience & that is a good majority of individuals I see on acute inpatient settings & in crisis in the community are on or have smoked weed.

Now I'm not saying weed is to blame, far from it, in certain circumstances it can be a great aid to the ill. What I think is that if you have a predisposition for mental ill health, then it has a potential to expedite, accelerate & exaggerate symptoms.

[aidanjt]

Speaking from personal experiences, and from being good friends with a lot of weed smokers, cannabis definitely causes paranoia, or at least has a lot to do with causing it. I don't think any scientific study in the world could disprove that.

Meerkat peeking up at anything that alarms you 'paranoia', or ZOMGTHEYREOUTTOGETME!!!11! paranoia?

[peterb]

Ah but is that simply whilst your high. Alcohol often causes anger, violence etc. But it normally just stops when the person sobers up, and even then its only some people who get violent when drinking.

Except that it can take much longer for THC and its metabolites to be excreted from the body than alcohol.

No. There's never been a scientific research paper which links THC as a cause of mental illness. At best more concentrated THC levels means stronger pharmacological reactions, i.e., more stoned.

http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealt.../cannabis.aspx

There is growing evidence that people with serious mental illness, including depression and psychosis, are more likely to use cannabis or have used it for long periods of time in the past. Regular use of the drug has appeared to double the risk of developing a psychotic episode or long-term schizophrenia. However, does cannabis cause depression and schizophrenia or do people with these disorders use it as a medication?

Over the past few years, research has strongly suggested that there is a clear link between early cannabis use and later mental health problems in those with a genetic vulnerability - and that there is a particular issue with the use of cannabis by adolescents.

[Hoonigan]

Meerkat peeking up at anything that alarms you 'paranoia', or ZOMGTHEYREOUTTOGETME!!!11! paranoia?

Just within my group of friends, I can see people at both ends of the scale.

I know someone that doesn't come out of his house anymore, he gets everything delivered and will do anything to stay within his own 4 walls; this could be due to the fact that he smokes a LOT of weed every day, or that he owes people a lot of money for the drug that he's addicted to.

I'm pretty sure we could argue away at this all day, but all I'm saying is that from my personal experience, cannabis most definitely does cause some mental problems for certain people. I was just intrigued to know if a higher THC content is more or less "dangerous".

I know that cannabis can never be lethal (within realistic circumstances) so there must be some reasoning behind the decision to ban high strength "Skunks".

[TheAnimus]

Now I'm not saying weed is to blame, far from it, in certain circumstances it can be a great aid to the ill. What I think is that if you have a predisposition for mental ill health, then it has a potential to expedite, accelerate & exaggerate symptoms.

In much the same way alcohol can provide an escape for those who are, I don't want to say weak, or predisposed, but have something, which allows them to become entranced.

In much the same way that opium isn't a problem for so many people, but for some it really is.

[aidanjt]

http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealt.../cannabis.aspx

The article contains all the language to indicate that the 'evidence' is anecdotal statistical studies. Correlation does not equal causation, after all. Although these standards of 'evidence' is commonplace in psychiatry, sadly.