Post-work dope smoke 'affects brain'

[Tom]

PEOPLE who smoke cannabis after work short circuit the brain's ability to dump the bad memories accumulated during the day, a Sydney drug expert said today.

 

Dr Jon Currie, director of western Sydney's health services dealing with drug addiction, says smoking marijuana after work leads to emotional instability and abnormal brain function the following day.

 

"Normally, you've had a whole lot of nasty things that have happened to you during the day and you tend to dump all those at night," Dr Currie said.

 

"You just get rid of the bad memories from the brain in a core dump, using natural substances in the brain which are like cannabis.

 

"When you smoke cannabis you are blocking the natural substances from having their effect."

 

Dr Currie opened the state's first treatment clinic dealing only with cannabis users in Sydney in 2003. There are now three more such clinics around NSW.

 

He said the most extraordinary thing about the clinics had been the number, and type, of people seeking treatment for the first time.

 

"These are people who are married, have three kids, hold a job down, 35 to 40, smoke every night and can't stop," Dr Currie said.

 

"They have tried to stop but they know if they try and stop they will punch the boss out, or have fights at home – they simply keep smoking."

 

The average age of cannabis users having treatment for addictions is 30, equally men and women, Dr Currie said.

 

The average length of time spent smoking marijuana for the dependent people Dr Currie's team treats is 10 to 15 years.

 

Author: news.com.au

Date: 03feb06

Source: AAP

Copyright: © Queensland Newspapers

 

[everest]

"These are people who are married, have three kids, hold a job down, 35 to 40, smoke every night and can't stop," Dr Currie said.

 

 

yea .... downright normal people :smoke

[WantDaChronic]

guess he hasnt had a puff in his life

 

dunno about the rest of you, but im assuming you are like me and enjoy nothing more than a bong hit or 5 after working to get over the stress and bullshit you have had to deal with all day

[Buddy]

All these "experts" who like nothing better than to get their mug on tv or in the paper would do more good for society by making the population aware of the killer drugs, called NICOTINE and ALCOHOL that kills thousands of people every year compared to none who use cannabis.

 

But of course you don't make a name for yourself going down that path.

[Brash]

Dr Currie shows a total lack of understanding about the effects of cannabis. Prof Raphael Mechoulam in Israel is giving cannabis to soldiers suffering from post traumatic stress - presumably it helps them 'dump whole lot of nasty things'.

[Pickle]

I think a friendly ear might have helped these people to get their daily shit out and it was considered harping on about it. People like nothing better than talking about themselves and having a person trained in psychology or just someone who is prepared to listen on hand would be great. Who hasn't walked in the door and said, "hi, guess what that dickhead did at work today...".

 

I know i would be unloading on someone who didn't matter if i had the chance.

[HighRising]

What total fucking garbage.

 

After I've had my apres-work smoke, I can't even remember who I am, never mind the "Bad thoughts I accumulated at work." Maybe his clients just need some growing tips and some decent genetics?

 

But in all seriousness, that is shit, the herb helps me to forget the dumb shit, to live in the moment, embrace the now, etc. Does he actually have any evidence at all to back this up with?

 

And yeah, people get addicted to it, but people get addicted to Alcohol too, it doesn't mean people can't enjoy it responsibly.

[mj addict]

As a long time after work (and sometimes prior to) smoker I have to say I think Dr John Currie's findings are the complete opposite to my experience.

 

There is nothing that facilitates a relaxing evening and a good night's sleep better than an after work smoke.

[Guest niall]

Dr Currie shows a total lack of understanding about the effects of cannabis. Prof Raphael Mechoulam in Israel is giving cannabis to soldiers suffering from post traumatic stress - presumably it helps them 'dump whole lot of nasty things'.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Exactly, cannabinoids have tremendous potential for supressing traumatic memory. I'd like to read what studies and research Dr Currie has based his opinion on - does the endocannabinoid system actually shut down when exogynous cannabinoids are flooding the receptors, or does it even matter with the same system being excited just by an alternate trigger?

 

Sure, it's going to have an effect, but his conclusion doesn't seem very intuitive to me.

[Brash]

One of the anti-retrovirals I'm on has the listed side effect of 'dysphoria' - which is a kind of psychotic state (actually the evil twin of euphoria). The standard way of dealing with this side effect is to take the drug at night and attempt to sleep through it. It causes extremely vivid nightmares if you can sleep and if you can't sleep it causes a 'bad trip' effect.

 

Doctors can offer 'seranase' (I have probably spelt this wrong - it's an anti-psychotic) to give some relief but doctors in the know will advise liberal doses of cannabis before bed (suppresses the dreams/nightmares) and virtually guarantees sleep.