workpsi

Sorry, but I don't have time to do that. I'm sure you can locate all of the relevant research by typing keywords borrowed from my post into a Google search.

I haven't looked into this subject in the depth it deserves, but I'd be very surprised if marijuana does NOT cause a permanent negative effect. We know that it can induce life-altering psychosis, probably in those who are predisposed to it in the first place. We know that it affects short-term memory. We know that it lowers IQ by about four points on average, and that it does so in direct proportion to the number of days it has been used. We also know that it dramatically alters blood flow in the brain. Those seem to me to be pretty good hints.

I agree there is no way to know, but it's very plausible. The dream of the death experience brings on anxiety, a weakened (cancer ridden, weak heart, etc.) subject on the brink of death - whether they know that or not - gets an arrhythmia, changes their breathing pattern and hyperventilates or becomes oxygen deprived - or gets a vagus nerve spasm - or releases adrenaline...sure, why not?

Okay - unlike everyone who has commented so far, I have read the book, although I read it many years ago. As has been pointed out here, he had help writing the book. But - almost all non-writers have help writing their book, because writing is a specific skill. It's smart of them to do that. The book is very readable and has some interesting ideas. It was good enough to prompt me to read a follow up, THE ART OF THE COMEBACK, which is a lousy book.