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Cannabis Causes Changes in the Brain—So What’s the Big Deal?

“Casual marijuana use may damage your brain” headlined CNN, while
Time Magazine chimed in with
“Recreational pot use harmful to young people’s brains.” This sky-is-falling
media frenzy wa

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“Casual marijuana use may damage your brain” headlined CNN, while
Time Magazine chimed in with
“Recreational pot use harmful to young people’s brains.” This sky-is-falling
media frenzy was set off by an April 16 article in The Journal of Neuroscine by Harvard Medical School researcher
Jodi
M. Gilman, PhD.

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The report purports to document a direct correlation between
cannabis use and changes to the gray matter density, volume and shape of the developing
brain in people under 25. What it didn’t report was any correlation
between these brain changes and anything at all, but you wouldn’t know that
from the media hype that went into overdrive about how dangerous cannabis must
be because it causes changes in the brain.

Based on one MRI study of adolescents that used cannabis and
those that did not, the researchers assumed that any differences found were due
solely to cannabis use. Even if the changes were caused by cannabis use, they
didn’t present any evidence that those changes were bad.

The fact is that a lot of things cause changes in the brain.
Prayer is one of them—yes, prayer can causes brain changes—but our government
is not spending $20 billion a year to keep people from praying.

Andrew Newberg, M.D. Professor and Director of Research for
the Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at the Thomas Jefferson University
and Hospital, has been studying the effect of religious and spiritual experiences on the brain for
decades.

Based on his
studies and that of his research team, Dr. Newberg has written that spiritual
actions like prayer changes the human brain for the better. His new book How God Changes Your Brain – Breakthrough
Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist
details research that claims to
show:

1.    
Not
only does prayer and spiritual practice reduce stress, but just 12 minutes of
meditation per day may slow down the aging process.

2.    
Contemplating
a loving God rather than a punitive God reduces anxiety and depression and
increases feelings of security, compassion and love.

These
are all positive benefits for sure, but these exact same benefits can be found
elsewhere—like in cannabis. An avalanche of new research and a mountain of
anecdotal evidence from those who use cannabis regularly have documented the
ability of cannabis to produce results very similar to those claimed by Dr.
Newberg for prayer.

And
unlike prayer, the user does not have to fret over whether they are using
“loving” or “punitive” cannabis.

Dr.
Newberg’s scholarly book reveals that “intense prayer and meditation
permanently change numerous structures and functions in the brain, altering
your values and the way you perceive reality.”

Why
is it that when “intense prayer” causes changes in the brain that alter “your
values and the way you perceive reality” it’s a good thing, but when cannabis
causes alterations in the users “values” and “perceived reality,” it’s considered
bad?

Not that either the cannabis or prayer study offered any
evidence that the changes in the brain were good, bad or indifferent, but just
because it was prayer that caused the changes, it was assumed that these
changes must be good, just like it was assumed by the cannabis researches that
the changes they found must be bad because it was cannabis that caused the
changes.

Unlike
prayer masquerading in pseudo-scientific terminology, it is scientifically established
that cannabis provides its legendary benefits through the powerful
anti-inflammatory action and other properties of over 60 cannabinoids found in
cannabis that helps reduce pain, alleviates anxiety, mitigates depression,
delays the onset of Alzheimer’s, prevents cancer and provides a virtual
cornucopia of other benefits.

Cannabis consumers understand these benefits. Even with all
the legal hassles and expenses involved, they continue to extol its value and
encourage others to use it. And for that they are damned, humiliated and even
imprisoned while those who extol prayer get tax breaks.

For the latest news,
informative interviews, titillating gossip and off-the-wall humor, check out
Lanny’s award-winning podcast at www.blogtalkradio.com/marijuananews.

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