Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 28, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba A2 Winnipeg free press monday August 28, 2006 connection to mental illness pot May Lead to schizophrenia by Joanne Laucius a pair of articles in the Canadian journal of psychiatry has resurrected the Reefer madness argument about marijuana and its links to mental illness. Cannabis use can trigger schizophrenia in people already vulnerable to the mental illness ? and this fact should shape marijuana policy argue two psychiatric epidemiologists in this months journal. The link Between marijuana use and schizophrenia is generally accepted in the psychiatric Community. The problem is that the vulnerable population ? mostly teenagers ? Gener ally in to eager to absorb the message. Australian epidemiologists Louisa Degenhardt and Wayne Hall reviewed eight International studies of teens and Young adults that examined the link Between marijuana use and schizophrenia. They concluded that using marijuana can precipitate schizophrenia in users who have a personal or family history of schizophrenia. One 15-year study of 50,000 Young people in Sweden for example found that those who had tried marijuana by the time they were 18 were 2.4 times More Likely to receive a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The swedish researchers concluded that 13 per cent of schizophrenia cases could be averted if All cannabis use was prevented. Another study of almost 5,000 subjects in the Netherlands replicated the findings and also found that marijuana users were More Likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia during the study a three year follow up period. Other studies suggested that subjects who used marijuana in their Early teens were More Likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia by their mid-20s. In a companion article Hall and Degenhardt argue that the evidence has policy implications. Young people should be warned of the marijuana schizophrenia link ? most schizophrenics Are diagnosed by their late teens about the same time teens Are experimenting with cannabis. The link has been used to argue in favour of decriminalizing marijuana in some australian states. However Only one per cent of the population will be diagnosed with schizophrenia in their lifetimes. Hall a researcher at the University of new South Wales in Australia said its a Tricky argument to make when by the numbers marijuana will adversely affect so few people. But he Points out that schizophrenia has a High personal and eco nomic Cost. Although its unlikely that a vulnerable person will develop the illness after puffing on a single joint Hall said some stud ies suggest that marijuana smokers Are two or three times More Likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia. In Australia ? where marijuana use is heavy among teens ? its not uncommon for 20 to 30 per cent of new episodes of schizophrenia to be among patients who use marijuana daily or almost daily. There Are a lot of other reasons to discourage Young peo ple from using cannabis said Hall who believes that Young people should know about the link and also be on the Lookout for schizophrenic symptoms that show up among their friends who smoke marijuana. He also argued that penalties for growing pot should depend on the Potency of the product. Authorities cracking Down on Field grown crops have inadvertently pushed grow ers indoors and these crops Are More potent he said. Wende Wood a psychiatric pharmacist at the Toronto based Centre for addiction and mental health said people who want to smoke marijuana should wait until they Are at least 25 ? the human brain had developed fully by that time and if schizophrenia is present it has usually already become apparent. ? can West news service province Man Dies tubing the safety of one of cottage country a Favourite pastimes is being questioned after a tubing Accident claimed the life of a Brandon Man. / a6 Canada ready for school the 170 students who will attend Southeast collegiate in Winnipeg next month Are preparing to leave their first nations reserves across Manitoba for the boarding school and a Chance at a High school education most can to get at Home. / a8 world Hurricane lashes Haiti Ernesto the first Hurricane of the Atlantic season lashed Haiti a South coast with heavy rain yesterday threatening to set off deadly mudslides in the Hemi spheres poorest country As it swirled toward Cuba and a Cross ing into the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida. / a9 War a Surprise Hezbollah Leader Sheik has deaths Anderson lower Bev 66. Blanchette Bernard husband top news a3,7 of Claudette. Province a4,5,6 Boone Charles Rene Charli Canada a8 64, husband Simone. World a9,12 Bourgeault William j., 81. Letters to the editor a10 Cabales Rodrigo 91. View from the West a11 Curtis Mary. City b1,2,3,4 business family notices sports classified Jumble weather entertainment to ask Rhona Horoscope movies comics diversions. Columnists Bartley Kives Colleen Simard Gwynne Dyer Tom Ford Hamona Harnett Hollohan Lyle 44. B5,7,8 Janzen Metta. B6 Johnston l. Alma 85, widow c1 of Ken. C8 c10 Jonasson Miles Gage 9 Days. C12 Kotschorek Berthold 91, d1 widower of Simone. D4 Larkin Myrtle Rosabelle 92. D5 Macsween Daniel 45, Hus-d3 band of Elizabeth. D3 Mclellan Nee Rolland ,d6 Linda Joyce 59.d7 Russell Stanley merchent 88. Szczepanski Nee Kozlowski Cecelia 81. b1 Taylor Nee sabistona11 Melvina 77, of Selkirk widow of a11 Edgar. A11 Van de Laar Mary 86. D3. Classified death notices b6 ing said in a to interview aired yesterday that he would not have ordered the capture of two israeli soldiers if he had known it would Lead to such a War. / a12 City still in prison despite having his name raised at a judicial inquiry into the wrongful conviction of James Driskell convicted murderer Robert Sanderson remains in prison where it is unclear whether he will Ever get a new trial. / b1 beef with Bank the son of a Winnipeg War vet eran is outraged at the Cibic for what he describes As the apparent ease with which a former employee was allegedly allowed to use investments As her own Piggy Bank. / b1 statue vandalized a styrofoam policeman outside Portage place has been repeatedly vandalized while he stands guard on his beat. The two metre tall sculpture made by a univer sity of Manitoba student was put on display in july in a downtown Biz Effort to beautify the area. / b3 lotteries in the event of a discrepancy Between this list and the offi Cial winning numbers the latter shall prevail. Pick 3 winning number yesterday was 150. Extra winning number yesterday for $250,000 was 4411449. Lotto 6/49 winning numbers saturday were 1, 9, 10, 24, 32, 35. Bonus num Ber was 39. The Jackpot of $4,227,997 was not won. 1 win ners in the 5 out of 6 Bonus number category won $305,571 each. 111 winners in the 5 out of 6 category win $2,274.10 each. 6,915 winners in the 4 out of 6 category win $69.10 each. 132,238 winners in the 3 out of 6 category win $10 each. 76,675 winners in the 2 out of 6 plus Bonus number win $5 each. Wednesdays Jackpot is estimated at $9,000,000. Western 6/49 winning numbers saturday were 2, 5, 16, 23, 29, 45. Bonus num Ber was 30. The Jackpot of $1,000,000 was not won. There were no winners in the 5 out of 6 Bonus number category for $50,000. 25 winners in the 5 out of 6 category win $500 each. 1,050 winners in the 4 out of 6 category win $50 each. 16,511 winners in the 3 out of 6 category win $10 each. Extra winning number saturday for $250,000 was 6830525. How to reach us Winnipeg free press 1355 Mountain Avenue Winnipeg Manitoba r2x 3b6 switchboard 697-7000 privacy policy & questions of privacy Reader service City delivery 697-7001 advertising classified Mon Fri 697-7100 obituaries 7 Days 697-7384 display 697-7122 editorial newsroom 697-7230 newsroom fax 697-7412 photo desk 697-7304 sports desk 697-7285 entertainment 697-7546 business news 697-7264 Reader feedback 697-7293 City desk letters to the editor . Photo reprints to order reprints 697-7063 to subscribe Call 697-7001 outside Canada Post sales agreement no. 0563595 1-800-542-8900 recycled newsprint is used in the production of this newspaper. Please Recycle ;