In article  Blah  writes:

>Why not argue with the Royal College of Psychiatrists?
>
>http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfo/problems/alcoholanddrugs/cannabis.aspx
>
>Schizophrenia
>
>Three major studies followed large numbers of people over several years, 
>and showed that those people who use cannabis have a higher than average 
>risk of developing schizophrenia. If you start smoking it before the age 
>of 15, you are 4 times more likely to develop a psychotic disorder by 
>the time you are 26. They found no evidence of self-medication. It 
>seemed that, the more cannabis someone used, the more likely they were 
>to develop symptoms.

If this study is true, then why does the rate of devolopment of schizophrenia
remain constant during changes in the rate of cannabis use?

If this study were true, schizophrenia rates should fluctuate with cannabis
use rates -- but they don't.

-Pete Zakel
 (phz@seeheader.nospam)

"I never fail to convince an audience that the best thing they could do
 was to go away."

Noticed at Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:04:02 -0800: Pete nospam Zakel informed us:

> If this study were true, schizophrenia rates should fluctuate with
> cannabis use rates -- but they don't.

I have seen a claim that the rates do fluctuate, it's here:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article6732177.ece

"As cannabis use rises so, too, does psychosis."

I tried to add this comment, but it didn't make it to the website:

"As cannabis use rises so, too, does psychosis" Kathy, you must have
missed "Assessing the impact of cannabis use on trends in diagnosed
schizophrenia in the United Kingdom from 1996 to 2005." published in
Schizophrenia Research 26/06/2009, which concluded: "In conclusion, this
study did not find any evidence of increasing schizophrenia or psychoses
in the general population from 1996 to 2005." Pubmed citation:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19560900


I also added a question to her blog, here:

http://www.cps.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=204:facts-and-myths-portuguese-drugs-policy-and-legalisation-&catid=23:prisons-and-addiction&Itemid=42

It's at the bottom:

Kathy,

In your letter to The Times 30/07/09, you say: "As cannabis use rises so,
too, does psychosis."

I have been looking for statistics that show this, as it would be almost
certain proof that cannabis causes psychosis. However, I have been unable
to do so.

I have found "Assessing the impact of cannabis use on trends in diagnosed
schizophrenia in the United Kingdom from 1996 to 2005." (PubMed:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19560900 ), "Between 1996 and 2005 the
incidence and prevalence of schizophrenia and psychoses were either stable
or declining. [...] In conclusion, this study did not find any evidence of
increasing schizophrenia or psychoses in the general population from 1996
to 2005."

Which seems to contradict your statement.

Where did your statistics come from, please?


I've received no reply. She's had another rant here:

http://www.cps.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=219&Itemid=42

Which also includes a message by David Raynes. I don't have time to read
this now, perhaps some others here would like to.

It might be worth pointing out Raynes' pedigree from here:

http://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2008/03/24/talking-about-cannabis-the-scientology-link/

-- 
John Watson
London