[Mental state of marijuana-smoking adolescents]

The study comprised 13 subjects (3 girls and 10 boys) aged 17 to 20 years from various groups of youngsters in whom in the course of marihuana smoking the psychical disturbances such as depressive-anxiety syndrome, characteristic syndromes or schizophrenia-like syndrome, characteristic syndromes or schizophrenia-like syndromes occurred. Basing on evaluation of the psychical and somatic state prior and after marihuana smoking in the all subjects studied the presence of the organic central nervous system lesion sign has been stated. Moreover, in a majority of subjects studied atypical clinical symptoms of intoxication were observed: prolonged stunning (1 case), bad trip of the strong fear reaction type (2 cases), and psychoses characterized by varying clinical symptomatology (6 cases). The schizophrenia-like syndromes in the group studied have been treated with Leponex and no relapses have been noted during 3 years. The so-called schizophrenic defect has not been noted.