Or let's not, and let's look a little harder. If something is true, it should reveal itself. After all Marijuana use has a long history. Maybe longer than most other, if not all drugs.
I don't put any faith in this study of studies. A lot, if not most, previous studies were designed to prove a preconception that Marijuana is bad, and paid for from groups opposed to its use.
Lumping crap together is just more crap.
I think you are a bit cavalier to make ad hoc critical remarks about a review article without any specific reasons. I did not present this as Gospel. Medical information is constantly evolving. The studies reviewed did not pull their findings out of thin air. I offered the link to the article simply for people to look at and review for themselves. I am not suggesting that I agree with every point made.
Memory is a very complex phenomenon involving several anatomical parts of the brain and multiple pathways. Many factors affect it.
In 35 plus years of medical practice I have yet to see any medical therapeutic that does not have some potential side effect. As an example, I distinctly remember the first time I prescribed Prozac for a patent. After just a couple of days she called me complaining of fatigue. We discussed it and she wanted to wait it out. This was before post marketing data had become available. By the end of the week, she could not get out of bed! Obviously, it had to be discontinued. Years later there were reports that antidepressants could make symptoms worse even leading to suicidal ideation.
Everything in medicine is based upon a risk/benefit assessment.
Does Cannabis pose any risks? I think the jury is out. That said, it would not surprise me that over time, certain populations may prove to be suspectable to some untoward effect. The fact that it is a natural occuring plant based agent or that it has been used for centuries does not make it exempt from potentially being harmful. Curare is a natural agent and it will kill you.
Finally, even if it was found to have potential harmful side effects for anybody, I am not suggesting that we go back in time and prohibit its use. Again, it is about risk benefit.
I have discussed this issue with oncologists I know who see more cancer patients than I have. All of them have no problem with Cannabis use for cancer patients.
However, all of them have told me, as have some of my own patients have, that for whatever reason, they don't like the way it makes them feel so they cease using it. Some patients report that they feel their memory is impaired even weeks after use.
None of this is some kind of condemnation. I was not the producer of Reefer Madness. I am just suggesting that it is important for people people making a decision as to whether or not they go down this path that at least do so with open eyes.
This is no different than the treatment of chronic pain. In Europe, if you wanted an Rx for Percocet...forget it. They just never prescribe narcotics on an outpatient basis. Never. It is just not done.
15 to 20 percent of opioid naive patients will be suspectable to addiction. At present, there are no markers to predict suseptability. As a consequence, it is very important to get informed consent prior to prescribing narcotics. Furthermore, a substance does not even need to cause pharmacological adaptation to result in addiction.
So, these are complicated issues.
What may be safe for one person may not be for another.
