Sometimes a clinical link between events is known – corroboration attests to a potential causal tie. Sometimes that tie is not reported widely, since it is politically unpopular, empirical yet incomplete or inconvenient. Oddly, or perhaps not so, mass shootings have a tie to chronic marijuana use.
Analogies are useful. After WWII, data emerged showing that soldiers – who had been given plentiful cigarettes in MREs – were showing links to lung cancer. By the 1950s, the cigarettes-cancer link was clear But not until 20 years later, in 1975, were cigarettes taken out of MREs.
Now consider the marijuana-violence link. If the link is proven with increasing fidelity to facts and tied to violence, that would be highly inconvenient. Not only would marijuana sellers be on the hot seat, but so would politicians who have been pushing the drug’s legalization.
Yet facts are mounting. They relate to general violence and specific incidents. The latter are anecdotal but deeply concerning.
Start with logical questions. Do those who break societal norms, becoming inordinately violent, do that because they are already mentally ill and happen to “self-medicate” with marijuana – or does the use of marijuana – specifically THC – contribute to their violence, impairing core judgment, reducing empathy, creating psychoses, and cascading addictions?
Definitions matter. What exactly is “psychosis?” It is ways in which people lose contact with reality. Drugs tend to do that, which is why they are used – to produce that dissociation. Clinical examples of psychosis span the gamut, from anti-social behavior, paranoia, demoralization, schizophrenia, and depression to violence. Not all who use drugs are psychotic, but some are.
Many studies tie marijuana to psychosis.
The National Institutes on Drug Abuse reports on the link’s strength. “…Smoking high-potency marijuana every day could increase the chances of developing psychosis by nearly five times compared to people who have never used marijuana.”
Other data is similar. Recently, the medical journal Lancet reversed itself, recognizing major studies on marijuana use show “an increase in the risk of psychosis of about 40 percent.”
Likewise, a Swedish study of 50,000 found those who tried marijuana prior to 18 had 2.5 times more likely to develop schizophrenia, while heavy THC users were 6.5 times more likely.
And what exactly is “schizophrenia?” “A long-term mental disorder of a type involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion, and behavior, leading to faulty perception, inappropriate actions and feelings, withdrawal from reality and personal relationships into fantasy and delusion, and a sense of mental fragmentation.”
Other studies link marijuana to schizophrenia and wider psychoses. A 2011 study of 2000 teens, published in the British Medical Journal, shows a doubling of psychosis for marijuana users, of whom 13 percent turned schizophrenic.
A 2014 study found 1.5 percent of Americans were regular marijuana users, yet they accounted for 11 percent of hospital psychoses, or roughly “90,000 cases, 250 a day, triple the number in 2006.” This suggests a tight link – and growth of the affected population.
Other major studies, including one by the National Academy of Medicine, closely tie clinical psychoses to marijuana use – but some go further. They draw a link to indiscriminate violence.
A 2017 study identified violent events in which “marijuana led to unnecessary violence…,” noting marijuana was “the single most common, correlative variable in otherwise diverse populations and circumstances surrounding the association of violence and marijuana.”
Some will not want to hear this, but the National Library of Medicine reported in 2020: “(1) Marijuana use causes violent behavior through increased aggressiveness, paranoia, and personality changes (more suspicious, aggressive, and anger); (2) Recent illicit and ‘medical marijuana’ …is of much high potency and more likely to cause violent behavior; (3) Marijuana use and its adverse effects should be considered in cases of acts of violence as its role is properly assigned to its high association; and (4) …High potency marijuana is a predictable and preventable cause of tragic, violent consequences.”
Given this backdrop, what about a tie to mass shootings? If shooters are deranged, anti-social youth with clear psychoses, what is the chance their psychoses ties to regular marijuana use?
Real answer is, we are not sure, but evidence is mounting in support of a material link – and it cannot be ignored. In short, corroboration exists – and appears statistically significant, or beyond random in the tie-back. Surprisingly, the association between regular marijuana use and mass murders is palpable. Experts like Dr. Daniel Amen, a child psychiatrist, are weighing in – as his interview with Dan Bongino attests. Is this because the alienated use drugs, or is it causal?
Data is again helpful. One study notes: “We cannot rule out a connection between increasing marijuana use, mental illness and the recent spate of mass shootings by disturbed young males.” Notably, reported links exist to shooters in Parkland, El Paso, Dayton, Aurora-Colorado, Tucson- Arizona, Chattanooga-Tennessee, Sacramento-California, and perhaps elsewhere.
Bottom line – We do not know what goes wrong in the mind of mass shooters, why they fall into a violent psychosis, leave reality behind, lose their conscience, trade humanity and morality for evil.
What we do know is that their mental health is central to the crime, that many either had mental health issues and turned to marijuana or developed mental health issues – including a propensity for violence – after using the drug (and sometimes multiple drugs).
Prudence, protection of innocents, and pondering how best to prevent acts of violence tied to drug use – and clinically tied to marijuana use – would suggest we think much harder about the link, what expanding access to high potency drugs does to the society. Stakes are high and rising.
Chronic alcohol use and violence…linked? Chronic (fill in the blank) use and violence…linked? Focus on everything, do not pick one thing and hyperventilate over it.
Excellent points, RBC!
I would not be surprised that proof will emerge that the Far Left Dems and RINOS have strongly supported Marijuana use because they KNEW mass shootings would take place by MJ users!! Henceforth, providing strong support for their argument that we need more gun control! Wrong answer. We need much more CONTROL of our Elected Officials, and NOT more gun laws. Nationwide, there are over 20,000 firearm laws on the books and MANY are NOT being ENFORCED! Perhaps we should review and remove the “dead” laws before enacting new ones?!
To the contrary, we need more gunners to protect America! Encourage and train teachers to keep firearms with them to protect our children. Restrict access to schools by one-point entrance.
The time has arrived that Americans should support the Convention of State Project to pass Convention of State (COS) resolution to use Article V to propose amendments that limit Federal spending, limit Federal power and set term limits on Federal Officials. Once accomplished, there is NOTHING they can do about it!
Like anything else, education solves problems that more laws do not! I have held NRA Certified Firearms Instructor Ratings for Rifle, Shotgun, Hand Guns, Range Development and Protection, and Handloading of Ammunition. Guns are a very rewarding activity and very technical.
Firearms are a Constitutional Right that NEEDS to be preserved and protected!
Does this impact Medical Marijuana CBD???
A lot of “what ifs”.
What if my great Aunt Anna had two wheels ? Then she’d be a bicycle.
I DISAGREE ALCOHOL MAYBE BUT POT NO
Alex Berenson wrote about this a few years ago. It’s not the innocuous, feel good, pot of the 60’s. It’s much more potent & damaging to individuals. There is no breathalyzer test for it, & it takes sometimes days to metabolize out of your system. States that have legalized it are hoping for the huge taxes it will bring in, but the cost the taxes add, will keep the black market for pot going. If you know history, you know that communists took over Poland by increasing alcoholism in the population, causing them to be too drunk to care. They’re using pot to do the same thing.
imprimis.hillsdale.edu/marijuana-mental-illness-violence/
Get your facts straight about MRE’s. They were first approved in 1975. In 1978 the first tests were conducted. 1981 the first MRE’s were delivered with a pack date of 1981. The first Field Evaluation wasn’t conducted until 1983. So, to say that MRE’s were used during WWII, that is a false statement. In fact, during WWII the standard issue was C-Rations or K-Rations. This was the standard until 1958 when the MCI (Meal Combat Individual) was introduced and remained until 1981. Cigarettes were included in all combat rations until the advent of the MRE. Of course, it wasn’t until the MRE’s were introduced that the Cigarettes were removed. And the MCI’s had a pack with 4 cigarettes in them. And the one thing you fail to mention in your article is that at the time almost everyone smoked. And they were already smoking by the time they enlisted and started eating field rations. You also didn’t mention the when in combat smoking was more of a comfort during trying times. I am not saying that smoking cigarettes was a good thing but at the time nobody knew any difference.
As for the rest of the article I am in full agreement.
Every school shooter since Columbine have been under the care and treatment of psychologists/psychiatrist and have been on mind-altering prescription medications as it has come out in court records. It may be true that they were smoking weed which contributed to their psychosis bloom, but there needs to be a study that examines the violence linked to the prescription drugs too. Doctors and CEOs of pharmaceutical companies need to start going to jail for criminal chemical and psychological abuse of their patients.
I AM SKATING ON THIS ONE. WWII WAS C RATIONS NOT MRES . ALL I SEE ARE PEOPLE LOOKING FOR THE MAGIC BULLET. THERE ARE FACTORS TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION AND THEN PIN POINT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. LET’S START AT HOME. GAMES,SOCIAL MEDIA,BAD TV GLORIFYING VIOLENCE. MAKE OUT A LAUNDRY LIST!!! IF SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAS AN ISSUE, REPORT IT. SOME FOLKS HAVE LEFT THIS GET OUT OF HAND. TOO MANY WACKOS IN NEED OF HELP. WE HAVE TO INSTALL SMOKE AND CO DETECTORS IN OUR HOMES DON’T WE?? WHY DO THAT EXERCISE?
One of my brothers lost his hearing due to his usage of Marijuana and one other time he left his children with our mother for 2 days because he forgot that he had dropped them off there.
Some interesting data points RBC connecting pot use & violent crimes in it’s many & varied forms…
Here in the socialist state of VT, pot was legalized a few years ago, however there currently are NO recreational marijuana dispensaries open in the state nor in the state of NH, however continue driving east into Maine & it has both recreational & medical marijuana dispensaries spread around the state under various names…MA, more of the same…
I can imagine no less than ( 2 ) camps of opinions & how they may react to this article…
The upside to legalizing it would be the less likelihood of something extremely dangerous getting added to the product, i.e. fentanyl if purchased through a recreational marijuana business, versus buying it off the street from a dealer whom assumes all is good according to the best of his/her knowledge…
Buying any drugs from a drug dealer, be it pot, cocaine, crack, LSD, etc. will always come with that unknown risk factor of what the hell else might be in it…
Myself personally, I like the feeling of reality in it’s naked form, i.e. NO drugs, but I do enjoy a icy cold, micro-brewed beer in a frosted thick glass on occasion, that’s living & I don’t need a blunt to enjoy it!
Bill… :~)
Be interesting to see if the perpetrators of mass shootings over the last thirty years were heavy marijuana users.
If you were suspicious that a plate of food might contain something harmful, not good for you, or if a drink might make you ill, would you drink it or eat it? Of course not!
Why would anyone want to damage their brain function to the point of losing their common sense and perhaps their ability to function on what is considered an average, normal level. Today there are people who strongly advocate for the use of Marijuana, I wonder what they are having for dinner these days? It is certainly NOT a plate of common sense.
Let’s take away Doctors scalpels they have murdered 50,000,000 babies in the last 50 Years and in 73 years my guns have killed on one, or we can give Women a Constitutional right to abortion and then pass 40,000 laws at the City, County, State and Federal level across this nation restricting that right just like Law Abiding gun owners have suffered for the last 60 years.
I can solve the mass shooting problem in 60 days, and no one will lose any civil liberties, but the WOKE crowd is to Squamish for what I have in mind.
President Donald J. Trump, where are you when we need you so badly!
God Save America
Wow, just wow…and it’s a stronger and most and purer dosage of maryjane now. As a nurse, I’ve always been against the pure form of marijuana, not when it’s without the THC, it’s often given to our dementia patients to help them eat. This is crazy however, and people say it’s not a step up drug to other drugs. Shameful.
Ive got to ask just how many people have turned violent due to drinking to much alcohol or other drugs yes i agree maybe we should so called water it down some but i also have to say GUNS DONT KILL PEOPLE OTHER PEOPLE USEING THEM DO ,, WE ARE GOING TO LOOSE A LOT OF OUR RIGHTS OVER THAT FACT ALONE ,, BEFORE NOVEMBER ,,,VOTE PEOPLE ,, SOON THE ONLY PEOPLE WITH GUNS WILL BE GOVERNMENT OR OUTLAWS
Really, AMAC? I am disappointed. Why do people who learn about something by reading other people’s opinions about it feel they are qualified to make judgements about “it”, whatever “it” is at the moment? Our government has demonized the cannabis plant since the end of Prohibition. Why? Prohibition was loved by the government and a replacement had to be found. Please do some reading about the history of cannabis prohibition in this country before telling us how “bad” the evil devil weed is.
Here is the history I know. Cannabis has been used as food, fiber, oil and medicine since recorded history. Traditional Chinese Medicine has been used in their medicines about 5,000 years or so. It is still used in Chinese Medicines, just not in the US. In Jamacia, it is called “the Healing of Nations”.
Cannabis and its industrially useful cousin, Hemp are gifts from our Creator to humans. THC is a powerful medicine. There is evidence that whole plant extract (Rick Simpson Oil) cures cancers. Cures, not treats. The cancer industry, a multi-billion dollar a year industry, does not want a cure that costs a few hundred dollars to cure someone’s cancer. No, they do not.
Cannabis tincture stops seizures in young children with Dravet’s syndrome, a seizure disorder where kids have 200 or more seizures every day. It is a brutal syndrome that is terrible for the kids and the families who care for them. Before a few people in the 90’s experimented with high-cbd cannabis tincture, kids with Dravet’s were drugged with toxic, high-side effect seizure medications that didn’t work. There were videos of kids with helmets on seizing constantly until some tincture was applied to the bottoms of their feet. within a minute, seizures gone. Dravet’s Syndrome was one of the factors that led to the first States passing medical cannabis laws.
There are an estimated 5.5 Million legal medical cannabis patients in the US, including me. We use a LOT of THC daily to deal with our personal situations. We don’t get violent. People who drink alcohol get violent. People who take some psych drugs get violent. People who take PCP get violent and kids who shoot up schools all seem to have a history of being given psych drugs. Yes, anti-depressants, mood elevators, hyper-activity drugs, all of those affect immature brains. Cannabis is not good for them.
This article is a lot like the ones written by gun-grabbers. Someone shoots up a school so some of you want to take guns away from non-violent responsible gun owners who didn’t shoot anyone.
Here is a messed up kid who somehow mysteriously finds about $5K to buy 2 very expensive HUNTING RIFLES THAT ONLY SHOOT ONE BULLET AT A TIME shoots up a school and the media wants to blame not just the gun owners who didn’t do it, but also a plant that does not cause violence in normal, mentally healthy people.
How do I know this article is not accurate? Because all of the sources quoted are from the medical establishment who has a vested interest in keeping the toxic offerings from Big Pharma as the only legal medicine. Do you think the multi-billion-dollar cancer industry wants people to cure their own cancers with a few hundred dollars worth of Rick Simpson Oil? Uh, no. Do you really think the medical industry wants us treating our own physical pain, depression, anxiety, PTSD and insomnia with a plant? Uh, no again.
Follow the money. These school shootings are a 2-fer. Those who wish to disarm us and push pharmaceuticals instead of natural medicine get to quack against both hunting rifles that look like scary full-auto assault rifles (that have been banned for decades) and cannabis which takes a bite out of their profits.
violent people are always violent. it’s never been different. We live in Satan’s domain. Come Lord Jesus, Come!
Many of the mass murdering shooters showed classic signs of psychopathic behavior like torturing animals, fire setting and excessive aggression at home/ school and marked lack of empathy early on. Perhaps marijuana and other drug use/dependence also exacerbates the issues. Very often, no one wants to deal with the aberrant behavior hoping kids grow out of it and are too young to know right from wrong. Parents and siblings are often scared to death of them. These kids don’t get better. They don’t go through an great awakening and age 18 to become good, well adjusted citizens. They fill prisons and mental institutions and give persons such as myself lifelong careers. The gentler ones and perhaps very smart ones rob your checkbooks.
In my experience thc increases suggestibility as well as precipitating mental illness in those who are predisposed. Not so sure about violence. The pot of fifty years ago made people quiescent. Ive told the young in my extended family to at least procrastinate pot until their brains were fully developed. Much trouble comes from teens using it. I believe if there’re myths associated with pot theyre for the most part fantasies that it is entirely harmless. Thats not true of any drug.
My kids are all in their thirties with offspring ranging from age 18 to 7. In the young families who are close friends to my children and grandchildren, all of the children who have been diagnosed with autism or being on the spectrum, have parents who are marijuana users. Most of them have been smoking it since their teens.
When I mentioned it to my daughter, she thought for a moment and agreed, there did seem to be a connection. As we discussed the children within her sphere who have been diagnosed with autism we noticed that not every parent who enjoys recreational drugs has a child with issues, but every child with issues has a parent who uses.
It would be great if a study can be done to find out if there is a correlation between marijuana use by parents and the long term mental health of their offspring
Don’t blame marijuana for what some kid did.
That’s like blaming the gun when it was a Person Who Had To PULL The Trigger.
Especially, since NO GUN has committed a crime. ONLY the person using it.
Same goes with marijuana.
Remember, they’ve had OVER 50 years of Lying to us with their propaganda by politicians.
This isn’t any different.
It looks to me that half our young teenagers are using marijuana quite frequently, there’s no doubt they can easily obtain the drug. Could being high almost all the time affect there mental capacity? Probably so, we’ll I’m almost sure our government was well aware of these clinical medical trials with a direct connection to psychosis in young children and adults, I’m sure we’re all aware of the new marijuana laws that now allow our society to legally posses and use marijuana almost anywhere, actually it’s going to be quite easy to go to buy it at the many shops that are everywhere in California, Colorado, and soon almost everywhere else. This cannot be a productive situation for our children or our country. I do believe if your prescribed medical marijuana for a condition you may have to help you , that’s a totally different story. Legalizing marijuana simply cannot be a good thing for our country or our people. But it’s mostly the liberals who allowed this to happen, what did you expect from them.
Pot is a drug that like all illegal drugs is a powerful mind altering drug. Chronic use causes detachment from reality. The younger it’s use the stronger and more permanent effect it has. Medical use? Very narrow justification for it’s use other than terminal illness. Ask for a show of hands for it’s use from the left. If the truth was in them the count would be a majority.
The evidence linking cannabis to psychosis, schizophrenia and violence is as thin as the evidence linking minorities to crime in general. It’s a smear campaign against cannabis consumers, not science. And NIDAs opinion on cannabis is worthless since their entire reason for existence is to promote anti-drug propaganda.
they passed the legality of weed by saying it is the wonder drug, cure all, for seizures, epilepsy, Hodgkins, and whatever other miracle could be said that is Does. which is B.S.!! for Cancer patients why not, that is fine, or for chronic patients dying, yes. not for b.s. hangnail injuries to get medical card weed. The THC will and does alter your mind, creating loss and detachment from reality, paranoia, delusions of grandeur, and a total waste of basement living, creating a do-Nothing life existence and it is called a Recreational Drug.. a better name for it is the Dumbing of America drug.. and IT IS A Gateway Drug!!!
CBD oil which weed does have very minute quantities. Although the best CBD oil is Found in HEMP the CBD oil is the Wonder Drug.. Without the THC.. CBD oil has been Legal in Every State in the United States for over 50 years..
We lost so much since the Rockefeller family went though destroying all the home remedies books . Back in the 30s. And I wonder why the pharmacy sign was back in 1830 to let you know it was a place to get medicine at. It was a marijuana leaf. Marijuana by itself is good for you.
Thank you Mr. Charles. You made several good points, Let’s address the issues that lead to mental illness whether it’s due to marijuana use or some other unfortunate cause before we curtail the right of those who own firearms.
That’s an absolute lie.
The movie Reefer madness comes to mindTalk about disinformationWho presented this movie to the people
After working in the Security business for 12 years, I have had a lot of experience dealing with people in every state of emotion and every state if intoxication. Not once have I ever encountered a violent pot party. On the other hand, I have had the greatest trouble with drunks and meth users.It is my belief that anything can be abused to the point of harm and there may be a few folks that are so lost that any substance they chose to numb themselves into oblivion. It’s quite clearly a side effect of the state of social decay we have been witnessing, but I feel that marijuana is one of the least harmful substances we should be concerned about. I would also be willing to bet that the Pharmaceutical industry and the government agencies they own would really like to disparage any natural source remedy. I don’t trust their data. Remember, every government entity, nationally and globally told us the COVID-19 “vaccine” was safe and effective. They said Hydroxychloroquine was bleach and Ivermectin was for horses. I thank our government agencies for the rash of mental illness issues. Trust has been destroyed and an up tick of paranoia is to be expected.
Since the need to legalize marijuana the crime rate has escalated. If people who drink get drunk and act irresponsibly, how would they act in a smoked filled haze on marijuana,
paranoid, and then violent. I should know I married someone who got high often and was abusive due to the influence. The crime rate in the US is due to legalize marijuana, and constant usage, from people who have no self control.
Ridiculous fear mongering. Of course those evil people (a tiny fraction of our society) will use and abuse anything and everything—REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS LEGAL.
This kind of foul reporting is destroying the ability of those who truly need MMJ for medical use (NO, IT’S NOT AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE EVERYWHERE WITH A RX!) I don’t believe I agree with casual use of marijuana, but the constant war to tar it as evil has been going on for a century or more, and is NOT based in fact. Slanted studies prove nothing except the bias of the reporter.
ANYONE denying this is is true is an absolute DELUSIONAL LIAR that is happy with the absolute abyss this country is headed to. I have dealt with this with people in my family as well as in my industry. I retired from the special events industry because since the legalization of marijuana, people’s behaviors are out of control. They have to smoke all the time, everywhere, don’t care how foul it smells or how they behave. This country is in absolute ruin, everything legalized, nothing off limits. Come back to this post when you have a family member go from this weed gateway drug to mental illness which is already proven. You people are sick!
HEY IDIOTS!!!
Its legal in Canada, yet the mass shootings are in the USA.
hmmmmmmmm
So in other words … You or anyone else really doesn’t know! FDA approved Antidepressants can cause Psychosis and suicidal thoughts but it’s OK because the FDA says it is! This guys home life was horrible, that is what caused his issues, not Cannabis!
Reefer Madness and others get your head out of the smoke… The link between marijuana, mental illness, violence and psychosis (now due to the high potency and) is real. rethinkpot.org/tags/mass-killings
Marijuana being marketed as safe and healthy is one of the biggest lies in American and is causing a national travesty to families and communities.
A little late to the party here, but yes there is an astonishing correlation between regular marijuana use (past or present) and violent crime, which not only includes mass murders, but smaller scale violent crimes like some kid who smokes pot regularly, and then decides to murder a parent. Happens often. Now just google search marijuana and homicide and be astounded by the connection (or the attempts or plans to, like attempts on the US and Canada presidents.) Then take just about any homicide, google their name and drugs or marijuana, and be astounded as well, (though often it takes some good research to reveal the truth, since the media very often covers this up!)
What fools most in the US it appears, is that the murders are NOT just being under the influence at the time of the crime, but past abuse that cumulatively creates the adverse mental problems. Thus they will not necessarily test positive for THC, but that does not mean past marijuana abuse didn;t affect their mental conditions.
The THC molecule structurally resembles the brain’s natural neurotransmitter, Anandamide, which results in all sorts of irregular messages sent throughout the brain. Think of the brain as a vast array of circuits (nerves) and microprocessors that all work in conjunction. Thinker with that, as in adding THC in there, and the brain can go haywire. Liken this to your own desk or laptop computer. Say, take a single AA battery, hook up some probes and touch various parts of the motherboard to see what happens on the monitor. You should see lots of static and weird things, ie buzzing like getting high from marijuana. But please DO NOT do this at home because you might mess up the delicate networks of your computer and cause permanent damage. Oddly for some reason, myriads of people think tinker with the brain’s delicate instrument, as in adding THC, won’t cause any problems!