UVM Blogs

Recently there has been an increase in emergency room visits for marijuana intoxication, perhaps due to the recently stronger potency of marijuana.  The most common symptoms of intoxication are euphoria, misperception of time, sedation, disturbed perceptions, continuous giggling, red eyes, increased heart rate, dry mouth and increased appetite. …[Read more]

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MJ Research Blog

Marijuana use worsens reaction time, perception, coordination and decision making; thus, one would think it would worsen driving.  Marijuana appears to influence automatic performance whereas alcohol appears to impair judgment.  Also, some data suggest that marijuana users are more aware of their intoxication than alcohol users and compensate for…[Read more]

Many marijuana users can easily stop but others cannot do so, despite many attempts.  Past studies found that events such as marriage, a new job, or completing schooling can motivate and help users quit.  Although many clinics, brochures and websites have tips about how to quit, whether these tips really work has rarely been tested.  [...]

Evolution designed man to avoid, not seek, taking smoke into the lungs; thus, any smoked substance is likely to cause harm.  In fact, marijuana users are more likely to have bronchitis (i.e., coughing and shortness of breath) and lung infections such as pneumonia (Hall W, Lancet 374, p 1383-1391, 2009).  Most, but not all, studies [...]

Marijuana has been said to both increase and decrease anxiety or nervousness.  A recent review article (Crippa et al Human Psychopharmacology 24: p 515-523, 2009) clarifies this seeming contradiction.   When scientists find an association between two events (e.g. A and B), then it could mean A causes B, B causes A, or something else else [...]

The difficulty some marijuana users have in reducing or stopping their use appears to be due to a dependence on marijuana; e.g, use of marijuana is to obtain the effects of the drug THC (tetrahydrocannabanol), there are cannabinoid receptors in everyone’s brains, and stopping marijuana can cause a withdrawal symptom.   With other drug…[Read more]

Marijuana use is clearly associated with poorer memory, learning, decision making, impulsivity and attention.  Some have wondered whether these problems are caused by marijuana or predated marijuana use.  A recent review (Crean, Journal of Addictive Medicine 5 :1-8, 2011) concluded that marijuana use itself can cause these. It also examined…[Read more]

Many self-help websites, publications and helplines list tips to help marijuana users stop smoking.  However, no one has ever scientifically tested if these tips actually work.  One survey asked 65 daily marijuana users (mean 3.7 joints/day for 19 years) who had recently tried to quit on their own, what strategies they used when they tried [...]

A recent review of the harms from marijuana use (Hall W, Lancet 374, p 1383-1391, 2009) reported that marijuana users are 2-3 times more likely to be in a car accident.  This rate is smaller than that for heavy alcohol drinkers (6-15 times more likely), in part  because marijuana users appear to be more aware [...]

The association of marijuana and schizophrenia (a life-long mental disease characterized by chronic hallucinations and delusions) may be one the most studied and most controversial areas in drug abuse (Hall W, Lancet 374, p 1383-1391, 2009).  .  The most compelling data come from studies that found those who used marijuana were more likely to later [...]

The active ingredients in marijuana are a group of chemicals called “cannabinoids.”   Since we all have receptors on the nerve cells in our brain for these chemicals, it is reasonable to believe that cannabinoids might have some therapeutic benefits.  A pro- vs con- debate on this recently occurred ( Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 83, p…[Read more]

When young adults 16-24 yr olds who are trying to quit or reduce marijuana are asked why they want to change, the more common answers include a) legal problems,   b) new or first job, c) upcoming urine test, d) getting married or moving in with nonuser, or e) having a kid.  But many older marijuana [...]

In an effort to test how easy it is to update my blog, i’m trying the QuickPress option. I notice it doesn’t allow me to attach anything or upload a file, so this might be cumbersome for formatting