I
liPiEE
FOfNUn
he
blunt
truth:
study
shows
marijuana
increases
new
brain
cell
growth
lesearch
points
to
marijuana
as
possime
antidepressant
ByJuanita
King
TheMuse
(Memorial
University)
ST.
JOHN'S
(CUP)
Supporters
of
marijuana
may
finally
have
an
excuse
to
smoke
weed
every
day.
A
recent
study
in
the
Journal
Of
Clinical
Investigation
suggests
that
smoking
pot
can
make
the
brain
grow.
Though
most
drugs
inhibit
the
growth
of
new
brain
cells,
injections
of
a
s
synthetic
cannibinoid
have
had
the
opposite
effect
in
mice
in
a
study
performed
at
the
University
of
Saskatchewan.
Research
on
how
drugs
affect
the
brain
has
been
critical
to
addiction
treatment,
particularly
research
on
the
hippocampus.
The
hippocampus
is
an
area
of
the
brain
essential
to
memory
formation.
It
is
unusual
because
it
grows
new
neurons
over
a
person's
lifetime.
Researchers
believe
these
new
cells
help
to
improve
memory
and
fight
depression
and
mood
disorders.
I
Many
drugs
-
heroin,
cocaine,
and
the
more
common
alcohol
and
nicotine
-
inhibit
the
growth
of
these
new
cells.
It
was
thought
that
marijuana
did
the
same
thing,
but
this
new
research
suggests
otherwise.
Neuropsychiatrist
Xia
Zhang
and
a
team
of
researchers
study
how
marijuana-like
drugs
-
known
collectively
as
cannabinoids
-
act
on
the
brain.
The
team
tested
the
effects
of
HU-210,
a
potent
synthetic
FRe
FORHM
55i-iB:
-ft.
-.
-
.WS
YOUR
cannabinoid
similar
to
a
group
of
compounds
found
in
marijuana.
The
synthetic
version
is
about
100
times
as
powerful
as
THC,
the
TWPIyNT
NtWilKCIC
Ki.'J,
...
,JSW
.
..
,
,
jf
I
&5ftbttu$fiuv&eaUn6
Nov
25th
Si'.
.
IB
.
-
.
".
-"
,.
w.,r
J
''-:.
r
"H
ill
6
6
b
JC'F
23
'
-
the
growth
of
new
brain
cells
in
the
hippocampus.
A
current
hypothesis
suggests
depression
may
be
triggered
when
the
hippocampus
Qk
''
-dm
-
ifflifMMtffc,
high-inducing
compound
loved
by
recreational
users.
The
researchers
found
that
rats
treated
with
HU-210
on
a
regular
basis
showed
neurogenesis
grows
insufficient
numbers
of
new
brain
cells.
If
true,
HU-210
could
offer
a
treatment
for
such
mood
disorders
by
stimulating
this
growth.
Whether
this
is
true
for
all
In
what
may
come
as
a
shock
to
most
students
here
at
CNC,
the
next
David
Blaine
may
very
well
be
cruising
around
these
very
halls.
His
name
is
Tommy
Freeman,
but
you
can
call
him
Noodles.
Under
the
professional
name
7
of
Diamonds,
Noodles
has
been
building
a
solid
repertoire
of
card
tricks,
illusions,
and
juggling
feats
for
almost
eight
years.
"I
love
to
entertain
people,"
he
says.
"I'm
not
in
it
for
the
money,
I
just
like
to
see
peoples
reactions."
If
you
see
Noodles,
aka
2
Dolla
Bill,
around
the
halls,
get
him
to
give
you
a
little
demo.
Chances
are
he'll
be
packing
his
deck,
and
when
he
deals,
the
7
of
Diamonds
is
always
wild.
cannabinoids
remains
unclear,
as
HU-210
is
only
one
of
many
and
the
HU-210
in
the
study
is
highly
purified.
That
does
not
mean
that
general
use
in
healthy
people
is
beneficial,"
said
Memorial
psychology
professor
William
McKim.
"We
need
to
learn
if
this
happens
in
humans,
whether
this
is
useful
in
healthy
people,
and
whether
THC
causes
it
as
well."
McKim
warns
that
marijuana
disrupts
memory
and
cognition.
"These
effects
can
be
long-lasting
afterheavyuse,"hesaid."Thismakes
it
difficult
to
succeed
academically
if
you
use
it
excessively."
"Occasional
light
use
probably
does
not
have
very
serious
consequences.
But,
there
is
some
evidence
that
marijuana
smoke
might
cause
cancer."
Still,
the
positive
aspects
of
marijuana
are
becoming
more
plentiful
as
further
research
is
done.
McKim
says
it's
not
surprising
that
THC
and
compounds
like
it
could
have
medicinal
effects.
"Many
have
been
identified,"
he
said.
"It
stimulates
appetite
in
people
with
AIDS,
it
is
an
analgesic
and
blocks
nausea
in
cancer
patients
undergoing
chemotherapy,
and
it
treats
the
symptoms
of
glaucoma."
The
research
group's
next
studies
will
examine
the
more
unpleasant
side
of
the
drug.
CNC
student
Tommy
Freeman
displays
his
skill
with
cards