They drug us up, they dumb us down

On 26 October 2011, The Daily Mail quoted Dr Matt Jones, lead author of a research study conducted at the University of Bristol, thus:

“CANNABIS IS MAKING NORMAL PEOPLE BEHAVE MORE LIKE SCHIZOPHRENIA PATIENTS WHEN THEY TAKE IT… Previous studies have shown a link but we didn’t have this level of detail. What we have shown is that the BRAIN WAVES which process information and share it with other regions of the brain BECOME DE-SYNCHRONISED LIKE PARTS OF AN ORCHESTRA PLAYING OUT OF SYNCH.

Cannabis has a docile reputation in the drug world. Most people would accept that cannabis abusers are not at their sharpest and might have subtle impairments in memory or decision making but SOMETIMES SMALL DOSES OF THE INGREDIENT CAN CAUSE PSYCHIATRIC EPISODES SIMILAR TO SCHIZOPHRENIA… You might feel fine… but when asked to make rapid and accurate decisions following a joint of cannabis, THE CROSS-TALK BETWEEN THESE PARTS OF THE BRAIN WAS NOT NORMAL. Taking cannabis while sitting on the couch watching DVDs is one thing, but if you decide to drive to the shops, that’s when the cognitive impairments come out.”

The Mail’s journalist, Tamara Cohen, added:

“Smoking just one cannabis joint can bring on symptoms of schizophrenia, a study has found… The drug disrupts the same parts of the brain as the psychotic illness, those associated with memory and decision-making…

Super-strong versions of cannabis – known as ‘skunk’ – contain a higher proportion of the active ingredient THC and would most likely have an even more pronounced effect…

An analysis of 83 studies earlier this year involving 22,000 young people, concluded that smoking cannabis can accelerate the onset of psychotic illnesses by several years making them harder to treat successfully. Recently scientists in Germany and the Institute of Psychiatry in London found PEOPLE WHO USE CANNABIS ARE DOUBLING THEIR RISK OF DEVELOPING PSYCHOTIC PROBLEMS – INCLUDING SCHIZOPHRENIA AS WELL AS PARANOID IDEAS, HALLUCINATION AND HEARING VOICES.”

And a shabby variety of on-message government ‘czar’ wants to legalise these non-native mind and soul-destroyers.

THEY drug us up, THEY dumb us down. A drugged-up, dumbed down flock is less likely to notice it is being herded towards the slaughterhouse, I guess.