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Marijuana Edibles In Spotlight In Colorado After Student's Death


bobandtorey

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Throughout Dr. Scott Bentz's career in emergency medicine, marijuana wasn't something he much worried about.

 

Perhaps a person a month would come in feeling panicky after smoking pot. A sedative and a quiet room usually did the trick.

 

"It's the easiest emergency medicine case you're going to see," said Bentz, the medical director of emergency services at Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center in Denver.

And then came the day a man arrived in the emergency room so sedated and breathing so slowly after eating a marijuana-infused edible that he was nearly comatose.

 

For the past few months, Bentz said, he's seen more and more patients at the hospital who have consumed marijuana-infused products. And, while the cases don't come close in number or severity to alcohol-related cases, Bentz said they show the kind of problems that can go along with edible marijuana — especially for those trying pot for the first time and who see edibles as a more appealing access point.

 

Potency amounts vary. It's far easier to overconsume than it is with smoking. And the products can affect everyone differently, from intense anxiety to excessive sedation.

"The edibles are just a whole different ball of wax," Bentz said. "You just don't know what you're going to get."

 

The potential risks of edibles are receiving new attention after the death of a Wyoming college student last month. Levy Thamba, 19, became agitated after eating marijuana-infused cookies and then leapt to his death from a hotel balcony, according to a coroner's report released this week. His death was classified as an accident.

Denver police are still investigating, and state law could allow for criminal charges against whoever gave the underage Thamba the cookies, though police spokesman Sonny Jackson wouldn't comment on the possibility of charges in the case.

 

"I'm not going to speculate one way or another," Jackson said Thursday.

 

Lawmakers this week are expected to introduce a bill that would further restrict the potency level of edibles. Current state law limits individual edible products to 100 milligrams of THC, the psychoactive chemical in marijuana. That amount, though, is equivalent to 10 servings — meaning most infused products are meant to be nibbled over time, not consumed all at once.

 

Bentz said most of the patients coming into the emergency room are naive users who consumed too much, too fast.

Edibles can take over an hour to kick in, leading many first-time users to eat more after not immediately feeling the effects. And the potency levels of edibles — which are not yet subject to mandatory testing — can differ even from what's listed on the label.

 

It remains unclear how much Thamba ate or how long elapsed before his death.

In 2011, 3,871 people in Denver who went to the emergency room mentioned recent marijuana use, according to federal data. Bentz, though, said he has never seen a case of extreme agitation caused by a marijuana edible. Patients most commonly arrive at the hospital over-sedated, he said.

"It's very, very rare that somebody is going to be at risk for serious harm," Bentz said.

 

Marijuana use, however, can spur psychotic episodes in people who are predisposed to mental health problems, said Dr. Paula Riggs, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Most of the research has focused on how frequent marijuana use impacts the onset of psychosis. But Riggs said it is also possible that first-time use can lead to problems.

 

"We don't know as much about it as we need to know," Riggs said, "but it's unequivocal that it increases risk."

 

http://www.mercurynews.com/natbreakingnews/ci_25490041/marijuana-edibles-spotlight-colorado-after-students-death

Edited by bobandtorey
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experimental prescription drugs like Zoloft and Prozac appear to have made many students kill each other over the past 20 years. Military personnel drugged with the very same psychoactive drugs and allowed to carry weapons while under the influence of them have murdered others on their base too. Nobody would dare suggest it may be the drug at fault, right?

I don't supply medibles typically, but have had "potency" issues with new user patients and buds in the past. I've heard "what the hell did you put on that" or "what's it laced with" and felt insulted. I've since passed over all inexperienced patients when interviewing.  :watching:  

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I remember the first time i smoked. We got sum "hydro" it was called at the time. Smoked a bowl out in the woods, i blacked out for a little while, when i came too, i remember being very worried. It didnt help all my friends saying "your pale looking bro". 30 minutes later, me and my buddy were riding down the street on our bicycles playing tag, having a blast. Moral of the story, just like with alchohol, new users should be made aware that its potent stuff and not to over do it.

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I remember the first time i smoked. We got sum "hydro" it was called at the time. Smoked a bowl out in the woods, i blacked out for a little while, when i came too, i remember being very worried. It didnt help all my friends saying "your pale looking bro". 30 minutes later, me and my buddy were riding down the street on our bicycles playing tag, having a blast. Moral of the story, just like with alchohol, new users should be made aware that its potent stuff and not to over do it.

:goodjob: I agree ...Thought maybe some sort of a drug trial should have been done. Isn't that the law?  

 

I can still remember my first time too... I had just got my driver license. I was so high I could not drive,  I was trippin for sure.  I got out of my car, left it in the middle of the street, locked it up and walked away. Was still there the next day, somebody had got sick in the back seat, what a mess. Dont think Ive ever got that high since... almost though!     peace  

 

ps that was 1968. Not that long ago (imo) the times were more than a little different. Only 78 million houses in the US had a TV, many were B&W too, heck, there was only 200 million in the World then.  What a long strange trip it's been ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ivRRrUhz4Q

   Edited by solabeirtan
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Yah man, that was the only time i have ever had a memory lapse from smoking pot. I dont know about the drug trials, i think they would have a really hard time with marijuanna since the effects vary from person to person. I can only imagine if i had ate a good brownie my first time...even my second or third time.

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Moral of the story, just like with alchohol, new users should be made aware that its potent stuff and not to over do it.

Sounds like a good idea, but a friend of mine did just that and got a six year Federal felony conviction on a charge of "vouching for quality".

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Once the religious, the hunted and weary
Chasing the promise of freedom and hope
Came to this country to build a new vision
Far from the reaches of Kingdom and pope

Like good Christians some would burn the witches
Later some got slaves to gather riches

But still from near and far to seek America
They came by thousands, to court the wild
But she just patiently smiled and bore a child
To be their spirit and guiding light

And once the ties with the crown had been broken
Westward in saddle and wagon it went
And till the railroad linked ocean to ocean
Many the lives which had come to an end

While we bullied, stole and bought a homeland
We began the slaughter of the red man

But still from near and far to seek America
They came by thousands to court the wild
But she just patiently smiled and bore a child
To be their spirit and guiding light

The Blue and Grey they stomped it
They kicked it just like a dog
And when the war was over
They stuffed it just like a hog

And though the past has its share of injustice
Kind was the spirit in many a way
But its protectors and friends have been sleeping
Now it's a monster and will not obey

The spirit was freedom and justice
And its keepers seemed generous and kind
Its leaders were supposed to serve the country
But now they won't pay it no mind
Cause the people grew fat and got lazy
Now their vote is a meaningless joke
They babble about law and order
But it's all just an echo of what they've been told

Yeah, there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into the noose
And it just sits there watchin'

The cities have turned into jungles
And corruption is stranglin' the land
The police force is watching the people
And the people just can't understand
We don't know how to mind our own business
'Cause the whole world's got to be just like us
Now we are fighting a war over there
No matter who's the winner we can't pay the cost

'Cause there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into the noose
And it just sits there watchin'

America, where are you now
Don't you care about your sons and daughters
Don't you know we need you now
We can't fight alone against the monster

America, where are you now
Don't you care about your sons and daughters
Don't you know we need you now
We can't fight alone against the monster

America...America...America...America...

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Yea I remember my 1st time, It was prob in 69 or 70 I had some realy weird dreams and feelings, I actualy thought I was on bozo's big top show!  a few weeks later I was watching bozo and I was on his show, I jumped rope back wards and every one in the audiance was laughing at me, sure wish I could get a hold of the copy of that show! :hair: 

 

True story, mostly lmao!

 

Peace

 

p.s I realy was on bozo's big top show!

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I can see you on the show 

phaquetoo  i hope you had a great time

 

 

Wow!  I realy was on bozo the clown show, but not in boston, Im pretty sure it was in winsor canada, and after the show our little group that went together got to see bill kennedy,,remember bill kennedy at the movies, used to be on in the afternoon on uhf channel 50,

 

I totaly remember the show, I was on it in like oct or nov of 69, me and my cousin sat next to each other, the show was a lil different than that one but same clown,,they used to pick a helper, the boys name would be butchy, I dont rember what the girls name would be if she was picked, and we did lil contest to win prizes, I got picked to jump rope with like 5 other kids, my mom said I was the funniest, I just couldnt do it, I went back ward,forward, not a chance, I remember it like it was yesterday!

 

Now what did I have for dinner yesterday?  lol

 

Thanks Bob wow brings back the memmorys!

 

Peace

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I'm beginning to become skeptical of the credibility of the story, too now. After all it is the first  fatality ever attributed to Mj and the story is a bit fishy. The Autopsy Report was like lickity-split, how convenient.***

 

As far as your reference to his THC level, I was looking for some references and woe! here's a fresh one just finished last month by NIDA. Anyway according to that report which used 5 nano-gr as a reference of intoxication, even noting that two of the individuals never even reached 5 nanos! As well  a couple other states have settled w/ 5 nanos as their intoxication level so according to these few sources I'd say for a first timer, he may have been having some sort of anxiety attack.  

 

Apparently he left the room before he jumped.  

 

 

***checkin the facts: actual time of incident was 3/11/2014, plenty of time, I guess... 

Edited by solabeirtan
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There you go! I think you may have stumbled onto the reason for his untimely demise: He was a gambler!

 

Other reasons besides that: I dont remember seeing any Black people there. Stats say there's 4%, though

I dont think there's any in Denver, I cant remember seeing any on a recent trip. No fat people there either... wierd!   

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