“If cannabis is safe, why does it lead to so many suicides?” – a coroner’s view
THE new Notts coroner has spoken out about the dangers of taking cannabis – after the death of a drug user.
Coroner Mairin Casey says she is dealing with more suicide inquests involving people who developed mental health problems after taking drugs.
She said: “I’ve seen a number of cases come through where the social issues are not there – they have a good background.
“All of a sudden, things go wrong and it’s because they take drugs.
“It’s something that we see quite often, in relation to not just suicide but mental health issues.
“For some people, smoking cannabis is not that different from having a few pints but, for others, almost from the beginning, it can cause mental health problems.”
Miss Casey was speaking after the death of 51-year-old Michael Byrne, who was found hanged at his Eastwood home on May 23 by his father.
Returning a narrative verdict, Miss Casey said it was possible his death could have been avoided if he had not taken cannabis.
She said: “Michael Byrne took his own life by hanging at a time when the balance of his mind was disturbed.
“Had Michael Byrne not experimented with what many people today regard as safe illicit drugs, he may not have suffered paranoid feelings and feelings of anxiety and hopelessness.
“Those that promote and supply this drug could be said to have contributed to Michael’s tragic death and the waste of a very precious and important life.”
Nottingham Coroners’ Court heard Mr Byrne had a close family and had developed a successful business as a welder. But about 10 years ago he had started taking cannabis and subsequently suffered from anxiety, paranoia and periods of “low moods”.
The court heard Mr Byrne, of The Nurseries, in Eastwood, also had irrational beliefs, for example telling his dad he thought people were poisoning tap water and going to the police because he feared the BNP were “out to get him”.
Miss Casey added: “I know that many people take the view that cannabis is harmless.
“Unfortunately, what many people do not realise is that they are putting themselves in jeopardy of mental illness and mental health problems triggered by use of this drug.”
Cannabis is a drug that can cause a range of mental health problems, from anxiety and paranoia to psychotic states.
Miss Casey said: “We cannot know for sure but Michael Byrne’s death may have been avoided if he had not used cannabis.”
Miss Casey took over from the previous Notts Coroner, Dr Nigel Chapman, in April.
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This article can be found at http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Notts-Coroner-cannabis-safe-does-lead-suicides/story-12717840-detail/story.html
Wow–I was completely unaware of the connection. I did a little extra research, and quite a few studies indicate a higher risk of mental illness from cannabis, especially if used during adolescence. Which, in the specific case of the article would be difficult to conclude.
Correlation does not imply causation.
Over 100,000 deaths per year in the UK and 6,000,000 deaths per year worldwide (May 30, 2011 WHO estimate) are judged to be the result of “tobacco-related” (almost always from cigarettes) illnesses.
In view of the fact that moralists consider such victims to be responsible for their own decision (to get hooked) and demise, is it possible to consider these deaths “suicides”?
Trade-off: if legalising cannabis (and vapourisers and one-hitters) resulted in a drastic drop in cigarette addiction and, within decades, of that holocaustic “tobacco death rate”, would it be worth the possible “occasional” (numbers, please) sacrifice of an individual such as Mr Byrne?
It is important to educate people on the dangers of drugs and have freely available medical help. There is no doubt that cannabis use is ill-advised for some people, as is alcohol or the use of any drugs even widely prescribed pharmaceuticals. The arguement is no longer whether cannabis is totally harmless or not but why, in a country that suffers 60,000 deaths a year, 1 million hospital admissions as well as greatly increased rates of mental illness and outrageous violence in streets and homes – all caused by alcohol use, should anyone be given a criminal record for the RELATIVELY harmless use of cannabis. And how does a lifetime of difficulty in getting a decent job with a criminal record or a spell in prison, which often leads to more serious addictions, family breakdown and suicide help anyone sort their lives out? As for tobacco, it is said that 1 in 10 human beings die from terrible tobacco-related diseases caused by their addiction to this drug, nothing is more dangerous than that- but the UK minister for justice has made his fortune selling it – staggering hypocricy!!
I believe that this death is not related to Cannabis. I’ve smoked cannabis and i’ve also used many consciousness expanders in my time. You need to realize this man was 51 years old. This means he had a good amount of life experience and none of us know what kinds of hardships he has had over this time. He decided to end his life which is very sad. To state that this is due to cannabis alone somehow causing “mental problems” is absurd. One needs to understand that he might not have had anyone to speak to about his problems. I would say the lack of truly caring “psychologists/psychiatrists” would also be a large problem. This is a perfect reason for people to be educated on the TRUTH ABOUT DRUGS. In my experience the only time i have ever really though about committing suicide had been while on SSRI’s; pharmaceuticals that are “anti-depressents”. How many suicides have been cause by the pharmaceuticals that are so quickly handed out without any questions. Cannabis has been taken since ancient times and I just don’t see a suicide trail following it! Maybe this is more a problem with our modern society that lacks open mindedness and the caring that ancient people had for each other.
We all need to start understanding each other without judgement. Learn to love each other unconditionally and accept people for there differences instead of labeling them. “Mental problems” is just a label that says a person is not understood! Instead of giving the person love and understanding our society would rather drug them up and believe that such a “bandaid” is going to fix deeper problems.
Live in love and light. embrace differences and learn to tolerate or better yet understand what you don’t like.
I’m suicidal, and I’ve NEVER been a cannabis user. Antidepressents do little to help, and at this point, I’d be open to trying cannabis.
I guess if I did try cannabis and it didn’t help, then many would blame cannabis. I’ve tried prescription meds, if I do commit suicide, will anyone blame prescription meds?
This clip explains all that is wrong with ‘The War On Drugs’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk3EBmiURgw&feature=share … Those that wish to hold back our freedom of ‘choice’ have simply been brainwashed by nearly 70 years of propaganda, or perhaps are having their pockets filled by pharmaceutical companies endeavoring to push their own agendas. There is no definitive argument that trumps an adult humans right to free ‘choice’, we have laws in place already that deal with crime, so what I do to my own body should not concern anyone else let alone government. Miss Casey your opinion contradicts current drug policy and is therefore worthless.