Studies claim medical marijuana may reduce suicide rates, traffic fatalities

[Logical]

Contrary to the claims of outdated anti-marijuana PSA’s, a new study published in the the American Public Journal of Health claims that legalizing medical marijuana can reduce suicide rates by five percent among the general population and by as much as 10 percent among young male population.

The study, co-written by professors from Montana State, San Diego State, and the University of Colorado at Denver, analyzed 17 years worth of statistics in search of shifts in suicide rates per 10,000 people in states where medical marijuana was legal from 1990 to 2007. Using the statistics of states in which marijuana is still illegal as the control group, the study’s authors concluded that in states with legal medical marijuana, the suicide rate for males aged 20-29 decreased 10.9 percent, and for men aged 30-39 they saw a decrease of 9.4 percent.

The study stated that estimates for females were less precise and thus required further study.

The researchers explained that, “opponents of legalizing medical marijuana point to the large number of studies showing that marijuana use is positively associated with depression, the onset of panic attacks, psychosis, schizophrenia, and suicidal ideation.”

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/studies-claim-medical-marijuana-may-reduce-suicide-rates-traffic-fatalities/

[Isoldeblue]

1. Kick n/m

[rhett o rick]

2. And it saves gas, because "you can take a trip and never have to leave the farm."

Song lyrics from a life time ago. Probably got it wrong.

[Scuba]

3. Farm out, man.

[rhett o rick]

4. You're dating yourself my friend.

[Scuba]

5. Outa state!

[RainDog]

6. Good to see some "push back" from the relentless propaganda

Need more exacting study, but in terms of populations, marijuana does not seem to be compounding any problem.

The claim that marijuana causes psychosis is, btw, a "weasel word" from the prohibitionists. Psychosis isn't a particular medical condition. It's chiefly tied to two medical conditions, bipolar disorder and schizo-affective disorder. Neither of these medical conditions are caused by marijuana.

A meta study of schizophrenia found no increase in the population with an increase in marijuana use.

But, the studies do indicate someone with a family history of schizo-affective disorder might find their own existing precondition exacerbated by marijuana.

So, it's a lie to say that marijuana causes psychosis, but that's what Patrick Kennedy claims.

Also, among college students, use of alcohol is tied to domestic violence, or violence against partners, while marijuana is not.