“Psychology: Don't leave your health in the weeds • Lifestyle (www.HometownAnnapolis.com[[[SHIFTIN ...” plus 1 more |
| Posted: 14 Aug 2010 08:52 PM PDT I hate to be a "buzz kill" to all the enthusiasts pushing for the legalization of marijuana, but legitimate studies are showing that pot can cause much more damage to the brain than had been realized in the past. Of even more concern is that the research is showing this is especially true for growing, adolescent brains. These findings come at a time where some states, California and Oregon most notably, are in the throes of semilegalization through the facade of "medical marijuana." It is common knowledge that if an adult wants to use marijuana in these states, he simply needs to visit one of the many "clinics" that now prescribe it. For the fee of a visit and with the report of an unpleasant symptom, a prescription is readily provided. Many believe this is the first meaningful step toward legalization of the potent plant for the general population. Of irony here is that marijuana is being "prescribed" to improve health, but research is showing that it does anything but that. Marijuana use has been debated back and forth for nearly half a century, with both proponents and opponents taking a fairly galvanized, rigid stance. It would seem that some marijuana proponents believe that it is the greatest thing since Doritos were invented. They have been touting its use as a source of personal happiness and pleasure that will ultimately solve many of the world's problems. Opponents of marijuana use have sometimes taken the other extreme, characterizing pot as the root of many of our society's ills. This exaggeration of an immediate and dramatic negative impact of marijuana use has led to some loss of credibility with youth, since many of them report that they actually feel it enhances their lives in the short run. More moderate opponents point out that the negative effects are powerful but more gradual, and that the ingestion of marijuana smoke into the body is simply unhealthy, even without considering the possibility of psychological addiction. This debate and the push for legalization make the recent findings of a McGill University Health Centre study all the more important. The study, which was recently published in Neurobiology of Disease, shows that regular consumption of marijuana by teens can cause depression and anxiety and have an irreversible long-term effect on brain functioning. It concludes that, "cannabis damages young brains more than originally thought." The study took place in Canada, where teenagers are among the largest marijuana consumers in the world. It is believed that teens use more pot in Canada partly because Canadian society is more lackadaisical about it in general, and partly because publicized efforts are under way to completely decriminalize possession and legalize growing it for personal use. The goal of the study was to find out what actually happens in the brains of teenagers when they use pot and whether they may be more susceptible to its neurological effects than adults. The study concentrated on the apparent action of cannabis on two important compounds in the brain: serotonin and norepinephrine, which are involved in neurological functions such as mood control and anxiety. The study found that teenagers who are exposed to cannabis have decreased serotonin transmission, which can eventually lead to mood disorders. There is also evidence of increased norepinephrine transmission, which can create greater long-term susceptibility to challenges and stress. While previous studies have shown how marijuana consumption can negatively affect behavior in teenagers, this study defines the neurological mechanism that appears to be at the root of the problem. The findings are also important because it is estimated that one-third of teen cannabis users are actually smoking to try to relieve depression and anxiety rather than just for fun and recreation. Little do they know that outside of the temporary relief they may feel when they are high, using pot for self-medication is actually making their problems much worse. Another recent study also found that long-term marijuana users have structural abnormalities in their brain within the hippocampus and amygdala. These structures are important in many ways, but are well known to be involved in memory processing and emotional regulation. This may explain some of the common side effects of marijuana use, including short-term learning and memory problems as well as difficulty regulating emotions. For the most part, society has been appropriately cautious about the many possible ramifications of legalizing another psychoactive substance. As we have learned throughout history, large acts by government - even those with good intentions - can often have powerful, unintended, negative consequences for citizens. But it also seems that, after years of debate, some opponents of legalizing marijuana are simply growing weary of the struggle, especially as baby boomers with personal pot experience are now occupying positions of power and seem to favor it. This means that now more than ever, it is important that our decisions be based on factual information, not emotionally laden opinion. Looking at the objective scientific evidence, marijuana appears to be harmful to human beings and particularly damaging to young people. In that context, let's hope that we, as a society, don't get too caught up "in the moment" and let future generations down. We must continue to protect our children from harmful chemicals while encouraging parents to be healthy, sober and involved. --- Dr. Scott E. Smith is a licensed clinical psychologist with Spectrum Behavioral Health in Annapolis and Arnold. For services or ideas regarding this column, call 410-757-2077 or write to 1509 Ritchie Highway, Suite F, Arnold, MD 21012. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Psychometric scholar from Warren presented with lifetime achievement award Posted: 15 Aug 2010 02:18 PM PDT WARREN TWP. – J. Douglas Carroll, 71, Board of Governors professor of management and psychology at Rutgers Business School, Newark, was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 75th anniversary conference of the Psychometric Society, held in July at The University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. Carroll, and his wife, Sylvia, have lived in Warren Township since 1979. Their sons, Gregory and Stephen, are both graduates of Watchung Hills Regional High School. The Psychometric Society is an international nonprofit professional organization devoted to the advancement of quantitative measurement practices in psychology, education, and the social sciences. The society publishes the journal, Psychometrika, which contains articles on the development of quantitative models of psychological phenomena, as well as statistical methods and mathematical techniques for the evaluation of psychological and educational data. Prior to working at Rutgers, Carroll had spent 25 years working at Bell Labs. One colleague estimated that a quarter of all the submissions to Psychometrika during the seventies and eighties came from Carroll's work.Carroll earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics and psychology at age 19 at the University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla., in mathematics. He met his wife when they were both students at Florida. She earned a bachelor's degree in nursing. He earned a fellowship to attend Princeton University, where he earned his master's and doctoral degrees with major areas in mathematical-experimental psychology and psychometrics, with a minor in mathematics. Carroll was an instructor and research assistant at Yale University while he completed his doctoral degree at Princeton. When he completed his doctorate, he started at Bell Labs. He also has served on faculty as an assistant professor or adjunct professor at a number of universities, including at New York University, Baruch College of the City University of New York (CUNY), the University of California at Irvine and at San Diego, and the University of Pennsylvania. The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of recordernewspapers.com. We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site. RecorderNewspapers.com requires readers to register with an e-mail address to leave comments. Registered users: This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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