Cannabis use and Psychosis interview Triple J

[Frazz]

In a special triplej listener talkback, Zan Rowe and Dr Karl discuss the link between mental illness and marijuana use with psychiatrist Dr Matthew Large, from the University of New South Wales School of Psychiatry

 

40 minute talkback interview MP3 .. http://www.abc.net.au/science/audio/2011/11/17/3368825.htm

 

Questions discussed include:

 

*What are the uses of medically prescribed marijuana?

 

*Does cannabis have anti-cancer properties?

 

*Is schizophrenia genetic?

 

*Is smoking marijuana through a bong more dangerous than via a joint?

 

*Does it make a difference at what age you start smoking marijuana?

 

*Is there a connection between pot smoking and the reduction of the severity of epileptic seizures?

 

*Are higher IQ children more likely to smoke marijuana later in life?

 

and plenty more ... well worth a listen

 

[everest]

yea caught it on the rad ..

 

ev

[Naycha]

Thanks heaps Frazz

 

Naycha

[aeshai]

thanks for this, missed it yesterday cause of daylight savings.

[jabez]

This Matthew Large (an apparent doctor) bloke simply couldn’t answer most questions about cannabis that were put to him. The questions he could answer were far from detailed and usually just speculation, which he seemed to assert as if it was scientific fact.

 

Honestly, you could rock down to your local high school, look for the kids with skateboards and most of them would probably give you a more valid and realistic perspective on smoking cannabis than that so called expert.

 

Obviously he’s being paid by the government (probably getting some sort of grant) to use pseudoscienence as evidence to support the governments policy on drugs.

 

Peace

[Ernie420]

^^^

He's from the uni of NSW, which i believe are the ones doing the trial on Sativex in partnership with GW Pharma (i could be wrong on this though), helps explain his position as im sure his funding is based on coming up with a pre-determined outcome

[jabez]

The only other thing I can really find from a quick google search that Dr Mathew Large has been apart of is a submission to change the mental health act, basically so that people who are at risk of killing themself don’t have to be forced into involuntary treatment. Which I don’t know enough about to have any real opinion, except to say it would save the government a whole lot of money and take a lot of pressure of the mental health system without actually doing anything positive. Which is ironic.

 

 

 

I think most of the time the government just uses cannabis as a scapegoat. I mean, the government has a perceived obligation to provide treatment for those with a serious mental illness, who can’t offered treatment on there own.

 

Obviously a large amount of people, who suffer from a mental illness, will also turn to drugs. Now the drug most likely to be abused by a mentally ill person in australia is alcohol, but the second most likely drug to be abused by a person with a serious mental illness is cannabis.

 

So if cannabis is illegal and the government has all these studies claiming people who smoke cannabis and suffer from a mental illness have done it to themself, then the government can claim that it doesn’t have an obligation to provide these people with treatment and the government saves millions or maybe even billions of dollars.

 

John Howard did something just like this. Back when he was in power the media really started questioning him about the disgraceful state of the mental health system. Next thing you knew he went on his little reefer madness movement, claiming this new “hydro†cannabis was sending everyone psychotic.

 

It obviously worked like a charm, since the media was a lot more interested in this new “super potent, psychotic causing†strain of weed, rather than some mentally ill people who cant get the treatment they need.

 

Peace

[CactusGumnut]

The only other thing I can really find from a quick google search that Dr Mathew Large has been apart of is a submission to change the mental health act, basically so that people who are at risk of killing themself don’t have to be forced into involuntary treatment. Which I don’t know enough about to have any real opinion, except to say it would save the government a whole lot of money and take a lot of pressure of the mental health system without actually doing anything positive. Which is ironic.

 

 

 

I think most of the time the government just uses cannabis as a scapegoat. I mean, the government has a perceived obligation to provide treatment for those with a serious mental illness, who can’t offered treatment on there own.

 

Obviously a large amount of people, who suffer from a mental illness, will also turn to drugs. Now the drug most likely to be abused by a mentally ill person in australia is alcohol, but the second most likely drug to be abused by a person with a serious mental illness is cannabis.

 

So if cannabis is illegal and the government has all these studies claiming people who smoke cannabis and suffer from a mental illness have done it to themself, then the government can claim that it doesn’t have an obligation to provide these people with treatment and the government saves millions or maybe even billions of dollars.

 

John Howard did something just like this. Back when he was in power the media really started questioning him about the disgraceful state of the mental health system. Next thing you knew he went on his little reefer madness movement, claiming this new “hydro†cannabis was sending everyone psychotic.

 

It obviously worked like a charm, since the media was a lot more interested in this new “super potent, psychotic causing†strain of weed, rather than some mentally ill people who cant get the treatment they need.

 

Peace

 

I agree. This whole "they have a mental illness, and smoke pot, it MUST be the pot" attitude is very counter productive to actually achieving any progress.

[iTiC]

cheers for the link.

[aeshai]

maybe people with psychotic mental illnesses smoke weed to self medicate. i have had a lifelong battle with depression and have only now been able to afford treatment. whilst being a mental illness, depression is not psychotic. i see a therapist twice a month at $130 a session. that's just for a psychologist. a psychatrist is generally used for people with psychotic illnesses, and they cost a whole lot more. a lot of patients will also see a therapist at the same time as part of their treatment.

 

i'm really fortunate my husband makes good money as a tradie. if i was single, and used up my 10 sessions of medicare (only saves you $50 a session) then i'd be fucked. i can't imagine how hard it must be for someone with schizophrenia, who may find it difficult to hold down steady employment, to be able to afford treatment and medication. no wonder a lot turn to weed or even other things to help them get through the day. mental illnesses are complicated. what works for one, may not be effective for another.

 

using weed as an excuse not to help people is just absolutely disgusting. what the government should be doing is provide funding so people can be helped at the early stages. we dont want people that far gone that suicide is their "only option". the costs of that is far greater then it is to help someone in their early stages.

 

you guys are right. weed is an easy scapegoat, just the governement passing the buck rather then helping and providing care for those in need.

[Guest]

The only other thing I can really find from a quick google search that Dr Mathew Large has been apart of is a submission to change the mental health act, basically so that people who are at risk of killing themself don’t have to be forced into involuntary treatment. Which I don’t know enough about to have any real opinion, except to say it would save the government a whole lot of money and take a lot of pressure of the mental health system without actually doing anything positive. Which is ironic.

 

 

 

I think most of the time the government just uses cannabis as a scapegoat. I mean, the government has a perceived obligation to provide treatment for those with a serious mental illness, who can’t offered treatment on there own.

 

Obviously a large amount of people, who suffer from a mental illness, will also turn to drugs. Now the drug most likely to be abused by a mentally ill person in australia is alcohol, but the second most likely drug to be abused by a person with a serious mental illness is cannabis.

 

So if cannabis is illegal and the government has all these studies claiming people who smoke cannabis and suffer from a mental illness have done it to themself, then the government can claim that it doesn’t have an obligation to provide these people with treatment and the government saves millions or maybe even billions of dollars.

 

John Howard did something just like this. Back when he was in power the media really started questioning him about the disgraceful state of the mental health system. Next thing you knew he went on his little reefer madness movement, claiming this new “hydro†cannabis was sending everyone psychotic.

 

It obviously worked like a charm, since the media was a lot more interested in this new “super potent, psychotic causing†strain of weed, rather than some mentally ill people who cant get the treatment they need.

 

Peace

 

 

maybe people with psychotic mental illnesses smoke weed to self medicate. i have had a lifelong battle with depression and have only now been able to afford treatment. whilst being a mental illness, depression is not psychotic. i see a therapist twice a month at $130 a session. that's just for a psychologist. a psychatrist is generally used for people with psychotic illnesses, and they cost a whole lot more. a lot of patients will also see a therapist at the same time as part of their treatment.

 

i'm really fortunate my husband makes good money as a tradie. if i was single, and used up my 10 sessions of medicare (only saves you $50 a session) then i'd be fucked. i can't imagine how hard it must be for someone with schizophrenia, who may find it difficult to hold down steady employment, to be able to afford treatment and medication. no wonder a lot turn to weed or even other things to help them get through the day. mental illnesses are complicated. what works for one, may not be effective for another.

 

using weed as an excuse not to help people is just absolutely disgusting. what the government should be doing is provide funding so people can be helped at the early stages. we dont want people that far gone that suicide is their "only option". the costs of that is far greater then it is to help someone in their early stages.

 

you guys are right. weed is an easy scapegoat, just the governement passing the buck rather then helping and providing care for those in need.

 

 

Couldn't agree more with you guys. Summed it up really well in my opinion. If only other people had such a good understanding of the issue as you both do