Uncovering the Facts: Marijuana Use, Mental Health, and Violence - A Guide for Parents and Caregivers

Michael Czajka Jnr: The updated book addresses the lack of references criticism by adding a bibliography. A bibliography is not ideal as it's just a list of publications and figuring out which reference relates to what point is difficult. The book should use a proper numbered reference list. In parts of the book, the full names of the articles and publishers are written into the text so it's much easier to work out what is being referred to. However, it often sounds clunky. It would have sounded better just to quote any relevant text and add a number to indicate which reference it is. That's a simple and non-intrusive referencing method.

One thing lacking from the book was a decent discussion about the health benefits of hemp oil. While CBD is mentioned EFA's in hemp oil are not:

Hemp is the only oil containing both EFA's (omega 3 (linolenic) & 6 (linoleic)) in roughly the right ratio's (~1:4).

The EFA's and CBD in hemp oil may account for many of the health benefits attributed to marijuana.

The book is in urgent need of some tables and graphs. A constant stream of statistics becomes confusing when written down. Graphs and tables summarise the data in a way that makes...

Australia on Aug 05, 2023

Amazon Customer: As a parent, you need the information in this book. Especially with legalization, it will be easier for teens to have access to this potentially life-changing drug. You want to believe your children would never do drugs. That is being very naïve. They will be going to school with drug users and maybe even drug dealers. Middle schoolers must be told the grim reality of what could happen. Don't believe the hype from the marijuana lobby. Do your own research. Start here.

United States on Jun 20, 2023

Jorge Fallas: This book is quite well written. The author has of course a point of view. But he backs it up with science and a strong body of evidence both survey and anecdotal to highlight the dangers of cannabis use.

The author is good at explaining difficult topics in a clear an concise manner for the uninitiated. I personally found interesting the distinction between epidemiology and pharmaceutical science.

An excellent reference source which also pints to much needed further research and the need to seriously address a responsible use of the drug.

Australia on Dec 11, 2022

Jordan: Such an important and powerful book. It’s infuriating to see how little media coverage it’s gotten. I am a pretty well informed person when it comes to “controversial” issues most of the time, but I have to admit I fell for the marijuana lobby’s propaganda. At least, to a degree. I always disliked marijuana so it was never something I cared much about one way or another, but I absolutely bought the BS that the risk to one’s health was minimal. This book was very well sourced and interesting. I do have to give a trigger warning for the disturbing stories of psychosis in this book, particularly those that concern children. Also, I don’t like how Berenson seems to downplay violence from alcohol in comparison to marijuana in some parts of the book. He’s right in a way, most violence from alcohol is predictable (loss of inhibitions, etc) compared to the bizarre cruelty of violence towards completely innocent people caused by marijuana psychosis. But I wish he had mentioned drunk driving, which is a huge killer of innocent people. It felt very tone deaf. It hit me especially hard today after hearing of the suicide of Edward Lake here in Canada. Mr. Lake lost all three of...

Canada on Jun 21, 2022

sophie: I learned a great deal by reading this well researched book. Yes the media (does anyone still believe they are actually reporting truth in news) has hidden the ugly facts of Weed and its many casualties. As have the Cannabis lobbyists propaganda efforts such as Drug Policy Alliance* who are raking in million$ off our stoned brain habits. Yes CBD, which isn't the same as Weed can ease pain in muscles via drops or creams. I've used the cream and yes it has helped but so has over the counter, Salon Pas with lidocaine which is just as or even better at fraction of cost.

The issue is Weed smoked in the 60's & 70's had a much lower level of THC like 1-2%. You could pass joint after joint around and get mellow vs paranoid psychotic. Well today those edibles and reefer you're consuming have Exponentially higher levels of THC. Thus the over the edge dangers they produce. As a dispensary rep out of Colorado shared, "We try to attain what the customers are wanting" which is more of a buzz with little product. Which equals the dangerously high THC levels. Ever hear how many ER visits are made in CO due to tourists trying some edibles du'jour?

Some basic math as stated in...

United States on Oct 16, 2021

RIMS: It's not the best written book. And it's fighting a losing battle against the liberalisation lobby.
I'm sure there are people who have/can use it with relative impunity. But it is not what it is made out to be. It is not a safe drug, a large proportion of users have long term mental changes, and a significant proportion develop severe psychotic illnesses. Seriously. The crazed killer stuff.
But even at the mild end it's associated with depression, psychological malaise. And it permanently affects teenage brain development.
I got it for my son. He dismissed it, argued, etc. Like they do. All their peers do it, it's become the evening social pint.
But having read it he's changed. Less moody, more cheerful, more chilled. I think he took it on board thank God. I am truly grateful.

United Kingdom on Jun 23, 2020

Joel Hammer: Just finished this book on marijuana. It is written by an ex-reporter and now a novelist. He is married to a forensic psychiatrist in NY State. She evaluates mentally ill criminals for the state. He was inspired to write this book when discussing an awful murder one night at dinner, some guy killed, cut up, and burned his grandmother, that sort of thing. He was a straight up schizophrenic. His wife just mentioned, “Of course he was high on pot. He smoked all his life. They all do. ”

With that start for his book, you can understand this is a one-sided presentation of the case against legalized marijuana.

This book is up to date, with references to events as late as 2018.

Some background:

A lot has been learned in the last decade about THC. It acts as a neurotransmitter, acting on neurons in the amygdala. The amygdala is a paired subcortical nucleus which is involved in the fight and flight reflex, fear, anxiety, sexual arousal, resentment, that sort of emotion. I call the it the fear factor or fear center. People with PTSD have enlarged amygdalas. Castrated men have small ones. If it becomes active, by electrodes in experimental animals, the animals...

United States on Apr 07, 2019

Barbara Russell: I bought this book because after experiencing how cannabis affected my brother, I want to be able to make a compelling argument to my own children why they should refrain from using the drug. My hope is that facts and scientific evidence that their uncle is not an exception will have a greater impact than just my raw emotions.

The last chapter,in a nutshell, tells us that while not everyone who smokes gets cancer, the risk of its happening is an effective deterent for most of us when it comes to tobacco use. People deserve to make informed decisions and know the possible consequences of their choices.

The problem for pro cannabis advocates is that the public knowing they may become dependent, psychotic or schizophrenic, may scare them more then cancer or heart disease. Those organs can be transplanted at least. We only ever get to have one brain.

I would post a pic, but the most affecting one I have is too tragic.

Canada on Mar 08, 2019