Tag Archives: National Institute on Drug Abuse

Something To Consider In The Discussion On Legalizing Marijuana

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On Tuesday, The Epoch Times posted an article about the consequences of regular use of marijuana.

The article reports:

Unlike alcohol or caffeine, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound found in cannabis, doesn’t clear from the bloodstream in a few hours; it accumulates in fat and organs, where it can continue influencing inflammation and immunity long after the high fades.

With today’s high-potency products and increasingly frequent recreational use, researchers are discovering that the body’s relationship with cannabis has fundamentally changed—and the long-term effects of accumulation are only beginning to come into focus.

THC behaves unlike most substances the body encounters. While many drugs are processed and eliminated within hours, THC takes a different path. After inhalation or ingestion, THC enters the bloodstream quickly and is distributed to the organs.

“Regular cannabis use leads to accumulation of lipophilic substances in fat stores and highly vascularized organs such as the brain and liver,” Dr. Ella Fedonenko, an internal medicine physician, told The Epoch Times. “These substances are released back into the bloodstream very slowly, even when standard screening tests are negative.”

In other words, standard drug tests measure THC metabolites in blood or urine, not what remains stored in tissues. A negative test doesn’t mean the substance—or its effects—are gone.

A widely cited review by Marilyn Huestis, who has a doctorate in toxicology and is a former chief of chemistry and drug metabolism at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, found that THC spreads quickly into tissues throughout the body rather than staying in the bloodstream, where it can be detected and measured.

The article notes that in the past the THC level of marijuana was considerably lower than it is at present.

The article notes:

With short-term or occasional use, cannabis can have a calming effect on the immune system, which is why its compounds have been studied for pain and related conditions. Inflammation is meant to turn on, do its job, and then turn off.

However, with regular exposure to stored THC, that process may not work as smoothly. When something repeatedly interferes with that process, the immune system can remain partially activated rather than fully resolving.

The article concludes:

THC lingers and accumulates, with effects that depend on how much is used, how often, and what kind of product is involved.

For occasional users, these factors may not matter much.

However, with daily use, the effects can add up over time, influencing how the body manages stress, sleep, and immune activity.

The question is no longer whether THC lingers. It’s what accumulation means for long-term health, and how users and doctors should respond.

There is also the risk of buying marijuana illegally and not knowing what is in it. Even legal marijuana has risks. It is smart to avoid those risks.

Just Because It’s Legal Doesn’t Mean It Is Safe

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On March 12th, CBN News posted an article about the dangers of marijuana and Delta-8, a substance containing THC.

The article reports:

Laura Stack told CBN News marijuana stole the life of her son Johnny.  She recalled he was a happy, intelligent child who grew up in a Christian home.  However, he began using marijuana at age 14 when his home state of Colorado legalized its recreational use.   It was a move that changed his life forever, leading to ultimate tragedy. 

“He took his own life when he was 19 years old five years later, after he became psychotic, very delusional, and paranoid, and suspicious, from using the marijuana,” she said. 

Laura didn’t realize that most of today’s marijuana contains at least 10 times the psychoactive compound THC than it did 20 years ago. 

“In my head, I said, ‘It’s just weed. I used it when I was a girl. I’m fine. It’s no big deal,’ and I was so wrong,” she said. 

Laura and her husband John founded Johnny’s Ambassadors as a way to honor their son and help prevent other people from suffering the same fate.

Former marijuana addict Zach Plant told CBN News the drug almost took his life.

“I had thoughts of other people wanting to hurt me, thoughts of the only way of being safe was to end my own life,” he said.

Zach was admitted to the hospital and was diagnosed with Cannabis-Induced Psychosis.  Symptoms include losing touch with reality, hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia.  Zach recalled the stark warning doctors gave him.

“‘If you smoke marijuana again, there’s a chance you don’t come out of psychosis. You go back into it and your brain may never recover,'” Zach said.

Nora Volkow, M.D., Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, told CBN News these types of episodes are becoming more common as the drugs get stronger.

“The higher the dose of THC for example, the higher the likelihood that you will end up with a psychotic episode,” she said. “And that will lead you to the emergency room department.”

I understand that there are people who do not seem to be affected by smoking pot. However, is the risk of psychosis one that you or your children are willing to take.

The article also notes:

Aside from marijuana, there’s growing concern about another substance containing THC called Delta-8.  It doesn’t come from the cannabis plant.  Instead, it’s synthesized from a similar plant called hemp.  It can contain as much THC or more than marijuana.  

Delta-8 products like vape pens can be purchased at gas stations, convenience stores, and online even in states where the commercial sale of marijuana is illegal.  That’s because of a legal loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp nationwide. 

Julie Killian, co-founder of RyeACT, Rye Action for Children and Teens, to educate families on youth substance abuse, told CBN News she was surprised to encounter the widespread sale of Delta-8 while she was visiting a state where commercial, recreational marijuana sales were outlawed. 

“I was at a truck, one of those food trucks, and they were selling coffee in the morning, and you could get a shot of Delta-8 THC in your coffee,” she said. 

Be careful out there.

 

If You Are Going To Set A Really Bad Example, At Least Get Your Facts Right

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Today’s Washington Times posted a story about President Obama’s latest claims about marijuana. The President recently stated that marijuana is no worse than cigarettes or alcohol. His statement is in direct contradiction to statements by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The article reports:

And as reported by the government’s National Institute on Drug Abuse, adolescent use of marijuana does something that alcohol does not; it causes permanent brain damage, including lowering of I.Q.

Taxpayers have spent billions of dollars warning about drugs, often about marijuana, but these efforts were dramatically undercut by the president’s comments.

As President, President Obama has a responsibility to set an example. After hearing his statement, one wonders how he would react if he caught his daughters smoking marijuana.

Please follow the link above to read the entire article. There were a number of statements regarding marijuana in the interview President Obama gave to the New Yorker magazine that simply are not true. The misinformation in the article could prove to be damaging to America‘s youth. How many lives will be ruined by the belief that there is no danger in smoking marijuana?Enhanced by Zemanta