Has marijuana ever been cited as a cause of death? (Please provide evidence not opinions)?

Question

Whether overdose, cancer, respiratory problems, ANYTHING.

I'm researching medical marijuana for a debate and it'd be great to know this information.

Please provide links.

Answer 1

While cannabis is associated with certain health risks, the Drug Awareness Warning Network Annual Report, published by the US federal government contains a statistical compilation of all drug deaths which occur in the United States. According to this report, there has never been a death recorded from the use of marijuana by natural causes.

There is no known case of a single person ever dying from an overdose of marijuana. It is safer to take too much marijuana than too much aspirin, a common over-the-counter medicine. 50 doses of aspirin are lethal, but it takes an estimated 40,000 doses of marijuana

A recent study by the Canadian government found cannabis contained more toxic substances than tobacco smoke.[48] The study determined that marijuana smoke contained 20 times more ammonia, and five times more hydrogen cyanide and nitrous oxides than tobacco smoke. In spite of this, a recent large-scale study found no correlation between heavy marijuana use and lung cancer, despite noting that cannabis contains the same carcinogens as tobacco. The same study found a 20-fold increase in lung-cancer rates of smokers who consumed two or more packs of cigarettes per day.[49]. These researchers postulated that the THC present may have a "protective effect" by causing aging cells to die before they become cancerous.[50] Other recent research suggest the cannabinoid CBD may stop certain cancers from spreading, although not in concentrations consumed during smoking.[51]

In contrast, a study published in the January 2008 edition of the journal Respirology found that "regular" cannabis smokers who developed bullous lung disease[[2]] did so on average 24 years sooner than tobacco smoking counterparts.[52] Researchers attributed this to the inhalation of a larger volume of smoke, and typically holding it for four times longer than tobacco smokers. Bullous lung disease is considered an uncommon cause of respiratory distress.[53] In general, habitual inhalation of any kind of smoke is detrimental to lung health.[54]

Cannabis use has been linked to exacerbating the effects of depression, psychosis, schizophrenia, bronchitis, and emphysema by several peer-reviewed studies for those who are vulnerable to such illnesses based on personal or family history. [55] More recently, the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study published research showing an increased risk of psychosis for cannabis users with a certain genetic predisposition, held by 25% of the population.[56]

In July 2007, British medical journal The Lancet published a study that indicates that cannabis users have, on average, a 41% greater risk of developing psychosis than non-users. The risk was most pronounced in cases with an existing risk of psychotic disorder, and was said to grow up to 200% for the most-frequent users

Answer 2

not really sure but the gov would not tell if it did not because the lawyers  would not be getting rich off of regular people.Good luck on your debate.

Answer 3

good luck finding any statistics on marijuana cause their are none. no one has ever overdosed on marijuana, nor gotten cancer, respiratory problems. things that marijuana has done is treat glaucoma, increase appetite in cancer and aids patients, reduced nausea resulting from chemo therapy, prevented epileptic seizures, relieve pain from multiple sclerosis, used as an anti-depressant (without the thoughts of suicide). used to treat breast and lung cancer. ppl with bi-polar disorder have also used it to treat their mania and depression. good luck!

Answer 4

as far as i know it has no harmful effect of any kind. its impossible to over dose on pot. it very good for people with cancer. a lot of them would not be able to eat much less keep food down with out it. pot does not kill brain cells unlike all other drugs,  pot does not harm the lungs like cigs do,  pot works better then any anti-depressants  that every one now days is on, and pot is not addictive. sorry i cant find the links but my info comes from  doctors them self. my mom had cancer and my family talked to several doctors about this. we did the research and ever thing we found said the same as the doctors told us.  sorry about no links but i hope this helps.

Answer 5

yes

Answer 6

No you cannot overdose on pot because the anandamide receptors (the most common g coupled receptors in the body) that respond to THC are not located in the areas of the brain that control things like breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, etc. that are vital to life.

There were research articles that were published that stated monkees died of THC overdoses, but it turned out that the drug was injected directly into their veins and was such an enormous volume that it was discredited.

There have been no deaths directly caused by marijuana.

Joints have about 4 times the tar of ciggys, but a lot of this can be removed by smoking through a water pipe.

Cancer is a concern with anything that goes through the respiratory center.

I did my neourodevelopmental thesis on anandamide (the chemical that your body makes that is endogenous THC) and THC so if you have any questions about anything, feel free to email me.

Here are my sources:

Bear, Mark F. , et al.  Neurosience:  Exploring the Brain.  2nd ed. Baltimore, Maryland.  LWW.  2001

Wilson, Rachel I., and Roger A. Nicoll.  Ã¢Â€ÂœEndogenous Cannabinoids Mediate Retrograde Signalling at Hippocampal Synapses”.  Nature. Vol. 4.  2001.  588-591.

Wilson, Rachel I., and Roger A. Nicoll.  Ã¢Â€ÂœCannabinoids Act Backwards”.  Nature.  Vol. 410.  2001.  527-529.

“Hippocampus”.  Wikipedia.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocampus...  2006.  Retrived:  03/02/06.

Kalat, James W., Biological Physiology 8th ed.Published in Canada.  2004

Anonymous.  Current Health 2, Stanford: Feb 1997. Vol23, Iss. 6; pg.2

[edit]

Cool articles, wishbone.

Remember (I am thinking of the article citing the increase in psychosis) that a correlation is not a cause and effect.  That is to say, the psychosis may lead to a predisposition in pot smoking, or smoking pot may lead to psychosis.  Or they may not be related at all.  Even though more ice cream is sold in summer, and more drownings occur in summer,  Ice cream does not cause drownings.

Good Luck!

Answer 7

People have went into violent fits of anger,,, uncontrolable laughter. and sever memory loss. if you need proof watch reefer madness

Answer 8

I dont think so. I doubt it.

Not directly linked to.

But I think indirectly it can be linked to a few things.