Tassie Spotlight On Pot, Psychosis Link.

[nugget]

Sorry, saw this in todays paper, and thought it may be of interest to someone.

 

Tassie spotlight on pot, psychosis link

By LUKE SAYER

08dec05

 

THE tragic death of a Hobart man who jumped from the Tasman Bridge has spurred calls for a national campaign on the dangers of cannabis.

 

Coroner Rod Chandler said David Michael Jacobson, 35, died from drowning after he intentionally jumped from the bridge on March 25 last year.

 

Yesterday Mr Chandler backed calls for an education drive to highlight the link between cannabis use and drug-related psychosis.

 

The Mental Health Council of Australia proposed the campaign in October.

 

Health Minister David Llewellyn supported the coroner and said Tasmania was prepared to lead the way.  Mr Chandler said Mr Jacobson's tragic death should serve as a reminder to the community at large.

 

"Softer or `party' drugs can have serious psychiatric consequences which are disabling, incurable and lifelong," he said.

 

"It is apparent that the deceased, since at least early adulthood, had been troubled by mental illness which eventually manifested itself as chronic schizophrenia. It is also apparent that the deceased was a persistent user of illicit drugs, particularly cannabis."

 

Mr Chandler said despite treatment and family support, Mr Jacobson never regained his full mental health.

 

"While I cannot make a positive finding upon a link between the deceased's drug use and his schizophrenia, his history suggests that it is highly probable that his illness was caused, or at least contributed to, by his drug consumption," he said.

 

Mr Llewellyn said the loss of Mr Jacobson's life was tragic and he expressed his sympathy to family and friends.

 

"The Government supports the call by the coroner and Mental Health Council for a properly researched and funded national campaign to highlight the hazards of drug use," he said.

 

"I have asked the state manager of Mental Health Services, Associate Professor Des Graham, to convene a panel of experts to develop a public information campaign."

 

Mental Health Council chief executive John Mendoza yesterday welcomed the Tasmanian move.

 

Mr Mendoza said there had to be a link between drug and mental health treatment for any real impact.

 

"For too long people have suffered from a lack of a linkage between these two areas," he said.

 

 

hmmm

 

"While I cannot make a positive finding upon a link between the deceased's drug use and his schizophrenia, his history suggests that it is highly probable that his illness was caused, or at least contributed to, by his drug consumption," he said.

 

Onya, you cant find a link between the guys (R.I.P. by the way) mental state and his drug use, so you'll just go ahead and say it was the cause anyways. :thumbdown

Notice how they say how he (the deceased) was a regular drug user, but they only mention cannabis. I bet that was the most harmless out of the lot, whatever he was taking.

 

EDIT:LINK

Edited December 8, 2005 by nugget23

[wildflower]

He didnt jump, I pushed him.

I didnt like him anyhow.

[Smokeonit678]

Good post nugget.

 

There is so many factors that have to be taken into account before blaming cannabis for the cause of this man's death.The media is so lameo.

 

Was he going to jump anyway?

Did he suffer some mental illness b4 the cannabis and Cannabis just made it easier for him to cope.

Would he have not jumped if he drank a bottle of whisky instead?

 

I could go on and on,but I won't.

 

SOI678

[WantDaChronic]

Coroner Rod Chandler said David Michael Jacobson, 35, died from drowning after he intentionally jumped from the bridge on March 25 last year.

"It is apparent that the deceased, since at least early adulthood, had been troubled by mental illness which eventually manifested itself as chronic schizophrenia. It is also apparent that the deceased was a persistent user of illicit drugs, particularly cannabis."

 

ok so he had some mental issues, we all end up with them but his pot smoking made him a phyco and forced him to jump off the bridge? sheesh, any excuse for any goose i guess, but a more reasonable and SENSIBLE reason for him jumping is he thought it would be a rush + he was probably off the opinion he wouldnt drown as he could swim....here is what i think happened...

 

a few mates are smoking up under the bridge and one of them claims they have jumped from the middle of the bridge into the water and it was a huge rush for them...the others call bullshit, he says fine lets go up there right now and find out who has the balls to jump and they all when up to the middle of the bridge...once there, they were all staring over the side and thought thats a long way down, fuck that. but then someone offers a few grams to the first person who jumps off and the guy who died put his hand up and said im keen and jumped...once he hit the water, he relised smoking marijuana can make you lazy and since he was wearing heaps of clothes, it would have made it a killer effort to get out of the water and he gave up on trying and his friends just stood there watching :thumbdown

 

while that doesnt sound real nice at all, who can honestly say as a pot smoking teen that you and your mates didnt get upto to some crazy shit for entertainment? not me

[jabez]

He probably would have jumped years ago, if he didn’t have herb to smooth him out!

[nugget]

The bridge is actually 150ft above water level, so i would assume he died when he hit the water

 

 

http://www.value-management.com.au/2002Hobart/images/Tasman.jpg

Edited December 8, 2005 by nugget23

[willrobinson]

The factual medical terminology in the article is wrong. As with most ignorant journalists they confuse psychosis with psychotic disorders, not necessarily the same thing.

An fine example of a classic " beat up " bullshit news story. Poor bastard probably just heard that Kylie Minogue was going to live.

[WantDaChronic]

The bridge is actually 150ft above water level, so i would assume he died when he hit the water 

http://www.value-management.com.au/2002Hobart/images/Tasman.jpg

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

while 150m is pretty high, i dont think it would have been the impact itself, i think the impact knock the wind out of him, but i reckon he would have gone 30m under water if it even goes that deep and after having the wind knocked out of you, it would be a very bad position to be in :thumbdown

[nugget]

while 150m is pretty high, i dont think it would have been the impact itself, i think the impact knock the wind out of him, but i reckon he would have gone 30m under water if it even goes that deep and after having the wind knocked out of you, it would be a very bad position to be in  :thumbdown

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

The depth of the water under the bridge is around 300ft, give or take 20ft. Agreed, it wouldnt be a nice place to be in either way