Tetrahydrocannabinol | MildGreens's Backup Blog

Archive for the ‘Tetrahydrocannabinol’ Category

As Seen On TRADEME

July 23, 2009

(A question) As Seen On TradeMe regarding

a “Moral Test” on Brain Function for the price of a Beer.

[http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=231993787&permanent=0]

“This product is designed to test for the presence of THC (Cannabis) in someones system. It couldnt be easier to use as can be seen in the instructions shown in the image.”

Could you please clarify if this product tests for metabolites of THC or THC as claimed? Is this important? What range is the visual pass/fail threshold (in ng/mg) and what science endorses the accuracy paying particular attention to false positive confidence? What correspondent research to impairment and/or harm has been reasonably been shown to be causative at these levels? What if any instructions as to what to do in the event of positive metabolite result are given? Thank You.
—
Blair Anderson ‹(•¿•)›

Social Ecologist ‘at large’
http://mildgreens.blogspot.com/
http://blairformayor.blogspot.com/
http://blair4mayor.com/
http://efsdp.org/

ph (643) 389 4065 cell 027 265 7219

The seller has posted a response to your question about ‘Drug Tests for THC‘.

The test says your testing for cannabis where THC metabolites are assumed to be ‘somehow’ the equivalent. They are not. Metabolites are are the ashes of the fire when the heat has long gone. There is no correlation to either current or prior impairment nor do they indicate any predictable short or longterm behavioral characteristics. They are eliminated at highly variable rates depending on metabolic/hormonal patterns of individuals as well menstruation, stress, & other drugs including alcohol.

Thanks for the information Blair. We just sell test kits for anyone who would like to buy them. Whether it should be legal or not is for an entirely different platform or forum in my opinion – not Trade Me! You take care.

(Stevexyz’s reply mistakes, as do many who profit from prohibition principles, the legal status and any argument that reflects badly on on the ruling paradigm, with the simplistic rule, if anyone questions the science or evidence they must be a legaliser therefore can be ignored. Yet stupidly, even in a post prohibition environment the ‘tool’ of drug tests remain valid in some circumstances. The question of HOW that tool works, and a fully informed purchaser likewise still remains fundamental to how a product is presented. Claiming that this tests for THC (cannabis) is in the view of this writer… a breach of the fair trade ‘advertising must be true” principles. Further I submit that asserting that this ‘test’ does so with any accuracy is deceptive and can have ‘deleterious’ outcomes that potentially far outweigh the harm from cannabis per se. /Blair)

Creating Fears Where There Should Be None – CHCH STAR

March 6, 2009

The above Christchurch Star article published late last month was dangerously pre-emptive of evidence based discussion in the community – the journalistic flaw was the presumption there is good reason to reproduce this claptrap. The STAR’s “Cannabis, Mental Illness Link” [23rd Feb ] seems to be in anticipation of a New Zealand “talk to frank” public mental health message but sourced from the UK’s “Independent” newspaper.

Unquestionably written in a UK political context it has little relevance to New Zealand where drug policy is being reviewed by the NZ Law Commission, essentially to take the ‘politics out of drug policy’. The UK’s equivalent of our Expert Advisory Committee recommended that the status of cannabis remain at the new status of C, and that the move to B was political symbolism.

The slant in our community newspaper is without merit and couched in language which is clearly so inflated as to make it untruthful. It is creating fears where there should be none. As was stated in the 1998 Health Select Cmte report on cannabis and mental health, the harms are largely overstated.

THC in 3D,
‘despite there being a lot of it around these days, there has been no corresponding increase in mental health issues’ /Blair
Image via Wikipedia

Compare to a more honest piece of journalism from the UK, see here. It is notable that this is from a UK treatment provider who understands causation vs correlation and who should so succinctly with informed balance and reason make the shallow descriptive rhetoric of the Independent (and thus the CHCH Star) look infantile at best.

Given the politicised nature of the debate around the UK ‘reclassification’ and New Zealands public consultation surrounding drug issues about to begin, this ‘mental health pitface’ informed view is deserving of a wider audience.

“Reclassification [upwards to ‘B’ / Blair] is not ‘fit for purpose,’ it is no deterrent. There are no precise figures, but every survey shows that the use of cannabis has been coming down since 2002 and continues to drop. However, the number of incidents recorded by the police involving cannabis have rocketed, largely because of the use of sniffer dogs and the police’s policy of stopping people in the street.”

“There has been no rise in recorded figures for psychotic symptoms, or specifically, schizophrenia.”But there is no firm evidence that cannabis triggers mental illness on its own.”

Much has been made of the fact that ‘skunk’ cannabis is stronger. it has been bred to have higher levels of THC, which is likely to pro-psychotic. But it also contains levels of two other chemicals – CBD and CBN – which are anti-psychotic, and which probably cancel the effect of the THC.

“There is no evidence that cannabis kills anyone. On the other hand, it’s estimated that 40,000 youngsters die each year directly or indirectly from alcohol abuse,” said Mike.“In terms of all the drugs available to young people, cannabis is the least dangerous. I’m not lobbying for the legalisation of cannabis. But I do want us to keep the drug’s dangers in perspective.”

Beefing up the UK Class B reclassification… Talk to Frank indeed… Young people would find this multi million pound television pitch laughable. We are talking about what defines ‘teenage’ mental health where the diganostic standard [DSMIV] would even have us define being SAD as unhealthy and shy people, mentaly ill.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1488655367/bctid12850338001

I can only but wonder what an advertising campaign might look like if the truth were told about Gin.

Blair Anderson

(643) 389 4065 cell 027 265 7219

MildGreens's Backup Blog

Archive for the ‘Tetrahydrocannabinol’ Category

As Seen On TRADEME

Creating Fears Where There Should Be None – CHCH STAR

Pages

Archives

Categories