EXTRA STRONG CANNABIS CHANGES DRUG USERS’ DNA, STUDY FINDS:

High-strength cannabis changes drug users’ DNA, researchers have found.

Researchers at King’s College London and the University of Exeter discovered high-potency cannabis leaves a distinct mark on DNA, which could provide insight into the biological impact of using the drug.

It raises the prospect of developing a test that could identify cannabis users at risk of suffering psychosis as a result of taking the drug.

High-potency cannabis is defined as having tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of 10 per cent or more. THC is the psychoactive component of cannabis and causes users to feel high, but it can also cause anxiety and paranoia in higher doses.

The amount of THC has been steadily increasing since the 1990s in the UK and US. In Colorado, where the drug is legal, it is possible to buy cannabis with 90 per cent THC.

Scientists have previously warned that some people who smoke strong cannabis may be at greater risk of developing psychosis or schizophrenia, but the extent of the risk is contested.

Teenagers are thought to be at particular risk of psychosis as the brain is developing during adolescence.

Earlier: Is Mary Jane to Blame For Teen Suicides?

We’ve been looking at almost 30 years of the liberalization of marijuana prohibitions. A recent study looks at an unintended consequence of the move.

Medical, Recreational Marijuana Legalization Associated With Higher Rates of Youth Suicide, Study Shows
Female youth aged 12 to 24 and youth of both sexes aged 14 to 16 living in states with legalized medical marijuana or recreational marijuana between 2000 and 2019 had higher rates of death by suicide than youth in states with no such laws, according to a report in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

“The findings translate to nearly 5,000 excess suicide deaths of female adolescents and young adults related to medical marijuana and recreational marijuana legalization,” the report claims. “Given dramatic shifts in cannabis policy over the past 20 years, it is important for clinicians and policymakers to understand potential downstream public health outcomes related to changing cannabis policy.”

Flashback: Second Thoughts on Pot: “‘Yeah, they all smoke.’ ‘Well . . . other things too, right?’ ‘Sometimes. But they all smoke.’”