Alcohol Far Worse than Marijuana for Adolescent Brain
SAN DIEGO --- Chronic marijuana use by adolescents may subtly impair certain neurocognitive skills, but this impairment is far less severe than the adverse effects associated with the use of alcohol, according to a review published in the January issue of the scientific journal Clinical EEG and Neuroscience.Investigators at San Diego State University and the University of California at San Diego wrote:
"Recent research has indicated that adolescent substance users show abnormalities on measures of brain functioning, which is linked to changes in neurocognition over time.
"Abnormalities have been seen in brain structure volume, white matter quality, and activation to cognitive tasks, even in youth with as little as one to two years of heavy drinking and consumption levels of 20 drinks per month, especially if [more than] four or five drinks are consumed on a single occasion.
"Heavy marijuana users show some subtle anomalies too, but generally not the same degree of divergence from demographically similar non-using adolescents."
By contrast, studies have demonstrated that marijuana use by adults, even chronic use, is seldom associated with any long-term residual impact in cognitive skills.
Commenting on the UCSD/UCSD study, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said: "This review affirms once again that cannabis, though not harmless, poses far less risk to the consumer than does alcohol. Given this premise, it is counterintuitive that our state and federal laws embrace the use of booze while stigmatizing and criminally prohibiting the use of marijuana by adults."
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Alcohol Far Worse than Marijuana for Adolescent Brain
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Legal Alcohol IS Far Worse !
Excellent article, truthful, well put and needs to be made public everywhere !
It's amazing to me, at 52 yrs of age, how both my late husband & I sailed through life, well educated, extremely healthy, law-abiding, family orientated, excellent physical condition, financially secure, never drunk nor this ludicrous bingeing, were each hit with permenant severe health afflictions due to moderate alcohol consumption !
Did we ever do any illegal drugs ? Oh, no !!!
Are you kidding ? Break the Law ???? Never !
(Just, um, while your up, could you pour us each another drink ?)
The only thing I can figure, is that the massive amount of money , that our Canadian Government alone, makes off liquor sales, supersedes any of their other income ! Therefore, why in the world would they legalize marijuana ??
Well, good luck with anyone trying to get them to chance their pompous, self-centered attitudes !!
Many of us recovering-alcoholics alone, have been attempting to convince our Gov't Officials, of badly needed legislation for mandatory health warning labels on all liquor containers, with absolutely no positive reponse what-so-ever ! And yet it was done to Cigarettes !?!
There are five most common alcohol caused afflictions, all permenant & none of which have a cure, all been dealt to decent outstanding citizens, who drink moderately & striking severely, without any warning. And they are & in no particular order either:
-Grand-Mal Seizures
-Progressive Blindness
-Progressive Deafness
-Progressive Corroded Livers
-Heart Attacks
Now, I highly doubt if you can find even a handful of citizens, that have been suddenly & abruptly dealt any of these severe affliction's, from marijuana ?!?
Well, I think I've used up more space than allowed..... But, I do agree, and while I don't envy your attempts to change our laws, I admire anyone who takes a stand, for what is right !!
God Bless,
and may He have mercy on us all !!
- SheilaJoyce
March 24, 2009 1:07AM
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