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One of the state’s most vocal opponents of legalizing recreational marijuana in recent years has been Dr. Deepak D’Souza, a research scientist and professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine.
In testimony before the legislature and in his role as a member of the state medical marijuana program’s board of physicians, an advisory group for lawmakers, D’Souza has laid out what he says are the dangers of legalization. His four areas of concern are the impact on young people and the developing brain; the anticipated increase in cannabis use disorder; the negative impact on people with serious mental illness; and increased motor vehicle accidents.
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Mar 19, 2019 Mark Gold, MD
Limited information exists on marijuana use and male reproductive health. A recent study from Duke University evaluated differences in sperm quality resulting from tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure in both rats and humans. Findings suggest that paternal marijuana use, prior to conception, may present epigenetic risks to potential offspring.
Key Findings
- Individuals who used marijuana can have higher and also can have significantly lower sperm concentrations, compared to those who did not, posing potential complications for fertility.
- THC-exposed sperm was associated with significantly altered DNA, in both rat and human samples.
- Associations were even stronger among individuals with higher levels of THC in their urine, implying a “dose-response relationship” such that chronic marijuana users may be impacted more severely.
- Authors identified three unique potential genetic pathways modified by THC exposure.
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In this research:
- Some teens' marijuana use has been linked to disrupted communication between two key regions in the brain's reward circuitry at age 20.
- Disrupted communication between the regions was associated with poorer psychosocial functioning at age 22.
In a recent NIDA-supported study, males from low-income backgrounds who used marijuana in escalating frequency throughout their teen years exhibited disrupted connectivity at age 20 in a brain circuit that links rewarding experiences with motivation and mood. The study also found that disruption in the circuit at age 20 was associated with lower educational achievement and higher risk for depression at age 22.
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Whatever you think about marijuana legalization, it’s important to avoid making bad arguments. There may be good reasons to legalize marijuana. But if there are, the following arguments shouldn’t be considered to be among them.
7 Arguments For Legalizing Marijuana That No One Should Believe
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Each year, the GRAMMY Foundation® and MusiCares® Teens Make Music Contest encourages teens across the nation to create original songs and/or music videos promoting a life free of drugs and the dangers of substance misuse.
The winners of this year’s contest were recently announced!
The first place prize went to Andrew McCains and David Bond from Salem Oregon for their rap song “Lost.”
They received tickets to this year’s GRAMMY Awards in Los Angeles and were invited to attend a celebration gala after the ceremony.
Listen to their song and 2nd and 3rd place winning entries here. For complete article go to Drug Free Music
See also
Ed Sheeran gives up smoking marijuana after trying to ditch his 'boring' Image by writing a song about 'Sweet Mary Jane' three years ago…"I've stopped smoking weed," he said. "I found myself just sitting at home watching films. I only ever create (when I'm) sober - I like to be alert. I find most ideas happen when you have a cup of tea. For me, anyway."