There are also over 17 thousand studies to peruse if your intertested.
2.All drugs, including tobacco and alcohol, effect younger people differently than adults. You know this. If your a fetus and your mother drinks alcohol or smokes crack, it can destroy your entire life without you ever doing these things yourself. It's still true, only less so, during the teenage years when your brain is still developing and, more importantly, "settling in" to the world it lives in. Addictions are more likely to be life-long when you start before the age of 18. This is why NORML's "Principles Of Responsible Cannabis Use" starts out with "Adults Only".
Principles Of Responsible Cannabis Use; http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3417
2.Tobacco and cannabis don't mix, especially in teenagers.
At least according to this next study, reported in medical and scientific journals but ignored by the general press; "Some go without a cigarette: characteristics of cannabis users who have never smoked tobacco.";http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17984405?ordinalpos=20&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum: CONCLUSIONS: Cannabis-only adolescents show better functioning than those who also use tobacco. Compared with abstainers, they are more socially driven and do not seem to have psychosocial problems at a higher rate."
3. Yes, there are many studies coming out that are completely misrepresented by the media or are themselves faked. Studies with only 12 participants are common, and it's hard to tell what's real and what isn't. Here's a good article on that;
Disgraceful Cancer Scare Tactics, Paul Armentano, Alternet; http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/78886/
Oh, you should also know that the risk of heart attacks and strokes increases when you smoke 2-9 Oz. a week entirely by yourself.
4.But, many of what really do seem to be legitimate studies have shown that people who are already predisposed to Schizophrenia may have an increased risk for developing Schizophrenia worse and earlier on if they use Cannabis, and this is especially true in teenagers. No, this isn't anti-drug propaganda, remember who's telling you this. Some researchers say that this may be a result of "self-medication", however other studies have contradicted those. If you are thinking about using any drug, find out about your family's medical history. If you're a parent and you are aware of a history of schizophrenia in your family's history, you have a DUTY let your children know when they are teenagers. Don't wait until they're 18, they HAVE A RIGHT AND A NEED TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION NOW!
According to Cannabis and schizophrenia: demographic and clinical correlates; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12640322?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlusDrugs1: "CONCLUSION: The socio-demographic characteristics of cannabis abuse or dependence in schizophrenia are similar to those found in general population. Cannabis using schizophrenic patients were more likely to be younger and male than non users. The duration of hospitalization was significantly longer for the group with cannabis abuse. Prevalence of suicide attempts in schizophrenia is closely correlated to cannabis abuse."
According to The environment and schizophrenia: the role of cannabis use; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15976013?dopt=Abstract : "To investigate the overall effect size and consistency of the association between cannabis and psychosis, a meta-analysis from prospective studies was carried out. The pooled odds ratio was 2.1 (95% CI: 1.7-2.5) and could not be explained by confounding or reverse causality. Evidence suggests that cannabis is a component cause in the development and prognosis of psychosis, in which mechanisms of gene-environment interaction are most likely to explain this association. ".
