News and Views from kSero
It's no propaganda-- evidence links marijuana use to increased risk for psychosis later in life	August 10, 2007
By Susan Hardwicke, Ph.D.
Attention, parents! It's really NOT OK for your teens to get high, and marijuana is not a harmless alternative to alcohol. I don't know a single parent who has encouraged the use of marijuana, but many excuse their child's adolescent habit as a phase they will "grow out of" or believe that the substance is not harmful. I've been following research on this topic for more than 20 years, and have never concluded that cannabis (marijuana) use is safe. After reading this latest evidence, I became even more convinced of the need for parents and educators to redouble their efforts in curbing marijuana use. Stanley Zammit, Ph.D., of Cardiff University in Wales, and colleagues conducted a thorough review of long-term studies, and found that regular use of marijuana increases the risk of severe psychological illness by about 40 percent. Evidence also suggested an increased risk for depression. Dr. Zammit stated, "We looked at the quality of the studies quite rigorously and feel the evidence is strong enough to warrant advising everyone, particularly young people, that the use of cannabis does potentially have some health risks, especially if they are using it on a regular basis." According to the authors, marijuana is the most commonly used illegal substance in the U.S. and the U.K, with 20% of young people reporting that they use the drug at least once a week or have ingested a large amount on 100 or more occasions. For more information. Note: At the kSero Center, we measure brain wave activity and use neurofeedback as a primary means of improving performance. Our EEG system has successfully identified clients who are at greater risk for marijuana use-- that is, there is a brain wave profile that indicates a susceptibility for addiction. Neurofeedback is a potential prevention strategy for those who are not yet regular users.