How much weed use might precipitate psychosis? Is it regular use, or can it even occur with first-time or minimal use?

There’s also the issue that with edibles, teens might keep nibbling more if they don’t feel the effects right away, and then it hits them all of the sudden and have “overdosed” and just feel terrible. This has happened several times in our HS, where kids leave in an ambulance due to suddenly feeling ill or hallucinating, etc. at school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor is an ER doctor and he hated that MD legalized weed because the number of people having psychotic episodes who end up in the ER has shot up. Apparently the concentration of THC is much higher now which can cause these episodes. He said he has seen some terrible injuries in addition to the psychosis.

And all of us innocent bystanders who are just collateral damage to the crazies. It would be great if we could not make them even crazier.

Um it's called mental illness? I'm not an advocate for legalization and agree with the OP, but also not going to go around denigrating people with serious illness.

Giving it a less “offensive” name doesn’t change the fact that I am terrified of what some of them will do. And since we don’t want to “offend” them we now can’t arrest them for doing things that could harm others.

Anonymous wrote:As an adult child of two smokers, it always seemed strange to me (even when I was young) that we needed doctors and researchers to tell us that inhaling a chemical into your lungs, often after you have lit it on fire intentionally, is a BAD idea.

OF COURSE ITS A BAD IDEA!

I know!

It’s a bad idea, right?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor is an ER doctor and he hated that MD legalized weed because the number of people having psychotic episodes who end up in the ER has shot up. Apparently the concentration of THC is much higher now which can cause these episodes. He said he has seen some terrible injuries in addition to the psychosis.

And all of us innocent bystanders who are just collateral damage to the crazies. It would be great if we could not make them even crazier.

Um it's called mental illness? I'm not an advocate for legalization and agree with the OP, but also not going to go around denigrating people with serious illness.

Anonymous wrote:I'd rather my teen smoke cigarettes than pot.

Same. And one reason is I smoked pot at 14 and ended up in the hospital. Thought I was dying.

I'm convinced some people's brain chemistry just isn't wired to have THC be fun. I'm not a drug puritan ... I don't want my teen doing any drugs, but in my day I did them all--but nothing, not even acid messed me up as badly as pot.

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor is an ER doctor and he hated that MD legalized weed because the number of people having psychotic episodes who end up in the ER has shot up. Apparently the concentration of THC is much higher now which can cause these episodes. He said he has seen some terrible injuries in addition to the psychosis.

I'm still so confused by the UMC white liberal crowd who pushed this through thinking everyone's pot experience was sharing a joint once a month on the deck of their modern farmhouse.

I have two sons age 19 and 22. I worry about this. I talk to them but not sure it registers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yup, saw this firsthand with my brother. He was likely predisposed because he'd suffered from depression and anxiety from his early teens, but the weed triggered full blown psychosis and a schizoaffective disorder diagnosis. He was living with me at the time and it was one of the most stressful experiences of my life. I can only imagine how it was for him. It just sucks - definitely derailed him.

Happened to my nephew, now 22. Totally derailed his life. It took three intensive years and $$$$$ to get him semi-back on track. The toll on him and his parents (mentally emotionally and financially) is devastating.

My hilarious nephew is just not the same person he was in high school. Not sure if it’s the medication (he’ll always be on medication) but he seems kinda slower, jokes infrequently and has to sleep waaayy more; everything is just much harder and things just take much longer, for him. I worry it will also be hard for him to work a regular, fast-paced job.

We’re all thrilled he’s doing as well as he is and are so happy for him. It’s been hard work and is so hard to see.

I tell my kids (late teens) presume you may be susceptible.

It happened to my eldest brother, and also a friend from college.

I am not buying the whole “only if predisposed” argument.

In many cases, I believe the weed - especially todays super-potent weed - may actually be the cause.

In any event, marijuana is so destructive for developing teen brains.

Happened to my 27 year old nephew as well and the 22 year old son of a good friend. We’ve lost the young men they once were. It’s so hard to bear witness to this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yup, saw this firsthand with my brother. He was likely predisposed because he'd suffered from depression and anxiety from his early teens, but the weed triggered full blown psychosis and a schizoaffective disorder diagnosis. He was living with me at the time and it was one of the most stressful experiences of my life. I can only imagine how it was for him. It just sucks - definitely derailed him.

This sounds like my brother too.

Mine as well. 😞

And mine. Ruined my parents lives and I expect mine to be ruined as well trying to care for him when they no longer can.

+1 and I'm sad to read that there are quite a few of us on this thread. I'm also ashamed to admit that I smoked a ton of weed as a teen and young adult and sometimes use legally obtained THC now to no ill affect. I do think my brother was predisposed, and I'm concerned about the narrative that marijuana and psychedelics can treat psychiatric conditions. I don't doubt it, but it needs to be done in a controlled environment and there needs to be awareness of the dangers of recreational use for individuals with predispositions (and even those without). I don't want my kids using alcohol or any kind of controlled substance until they are adults, and even then I want them to proceed with caution. I hope my messaging and their knowledge of their uncle's situation is enough.

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor is an ER doctor and he hated that MD legalized weed because the number of people having psychotic episodes who end up in the ER has shot up. Apparently the concentration of THC is much higher now which can cause these episodes. He said he has seen some terrible injuries in addition to the psychosis.

And all of us innocent bystanders who are just collateral damage to the crazies. It would be great if we could not make them even crazier.

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor is an ER doctor and he hated that MD legalized weed because the number of people having psychotic episodes who end up in the ER has shot up. Apparently the concentration of THC is much higher now which can cause these episodes. He said he has seen some terrible injuries in addition to the psychosis.

This.

As an adult child of two smokers, it always seemed strange to me (even when I was young) that we needed doctors and researchers to tell us that inhaling a chemical into your lungs, often after you have lit it on fire intentionally, is a BAD idea.

OF COURSE ITS A BAD IDEA!

Every time we go into DC to a restaurant or show, the city just reeks of weed. Plus, the drivers in DC just get worse every year.

Legalization has turned into a nightmare.

My neighbor is an ER doctor and he hated that MD legalized weed because the number of people having psychotic episodes who end up in the ER has shot up. Apparently the concentration of THC is much higher now which can cause these episodes. He said he has seen some terrible injuries in addition to the psychosis.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s very simple. Marijuana (or more particularly, THC) should be controlled under the exact same laws and regulations as alcohol.

THC is not a danger free drug and neither is alcohol. Tens of thousands a year die directly from alcohol use - a great many of those are innocents who died because someone used alcohol and disobeyed the law.

But, THC is no more dangerous than alcohol.
So - regulate it and treat it exactly as you treat alcohol. Want to ban THC? Okay. Ban alcohol too. But, we have been down that road before.

+1

I am pro-legalizationn (or at least decriminalization) but that doesn't mean I am in favor of the lack of regulation that is going on now. We don't have to go back to the days of locking people up, taking away their right to vote, making it almost impossible for them to get a job, etc. to tackle the problems we have with pot.

Considering the epidemic of teens ruining their brains today compared to the past, apparently we do need to go back to criminalizing marijuana.

It was better the way it was in the past.

Plus, I don’t use marijuana so I don’t care if they ban it.

Why do people think teens weren’t smoking strong weed before legalization?

Weed is different now, more potent