The real truth about marijuana

“So what’s the problem? It’s legal for God’s sake!” It is even used as a medicine for all sorts of things. Why should I quit smoking? Alright. Stay out of my stuff; You just don’t know what’s real. Also, why do we have a dedicated piece of furniture in this house called “the liquor cabinet”? Pretty hypocritical for me, don’t you think? You do your thing, I’ll do mine. Yours is also legal, but it’s never used as medicine, is it? I’m sure it does more damage than my pot. Everyone I know does. It’s okay like I’ve said a million times. Inform. I feel good, relaxed, creative and comfortable, so what’s wrong with that? There is no need to overreact and try to control everything. In fact, pushing myself not to do it makes me want to do it even more. I don’t know why you don’t understand.”

Sounds familiar? This debate/dialogue has been going on for several generations, but not like the last 10-15 years since legalization and medical uses have become the norm and growing. Legalization alone has not markedly increased cannabis use, but in general, there appear to be more permissive attitudes towards cannabis where it is legal. Perceptions of the risks of marijuana drop sharply in these states, and use of the drug increases very rapidly. Perceived risks have been steadily declining for more than a decade. In 2014, less than half of high school seniors thought regular marijuana use was too risky; the lowest number in more than 40 years.

Families and parents in general are also not as well informed about the risks of regular cannabis use or even what is legal and what is not. Your teens know much more, and many choose to ignore, refute, or deny the serious risks and the wealth of scientific information that warns of harm.

Advertisers in states where cannabis is legal are directly marketing to their young constituents in free print ads and through fun images. Of course, where there are profits, manufacturers, even state legislators, will be swayed and have incentives to attract young users.

The potency of the current marijuana supply is markedly stronger than in previous decades. Thirty years ago, the THC concentration in marijuana ranged from 5 to 10%. Now, the power is above 30%. This complicates and compounds the risk, harm, and concerns associated with its use. Highly concentrated cannabis resins containing even higher levels of THC are now dangerously available as well.

One very puzzling issue is that some scientific studies have shown the serious risk and harm of regular marijuana use, while others have not. The anatomical and functional damage allegedly caused to young brains includes impaired memory, attention, decision-making, and learning. This leads to significant increases in poor school performance, higher dropout rates, dependency on public assistance, higher unemployment, and much lower life satisfaction. Persistent use in adolescents has been linked to an 8-point drop in IQ, which is comparable to what is seen in lead poisoning.

During the neurodevelopmental years of the brain, the brain is more sensitive and vulnerable to the toxic effects of marijuana. Negative effects on gray matter density and the nucleus accumbens, a central area of ​​the brain for “reward” and includes dopamine which affects desire and serotonin which affects satiety and inhibition. These areas are essential for motivation, reward, emotion, memory, and pleasure, for example. Additionally, repeated exposure has been shown to cause damage to the frontal cortex of the brain. This region of the brain is important for planning, personality, judgment, and decision making. Furthermore, the brain’s own endocannabinoid system is altered and diminished by repetitive exposure. This internal system includes the physiological mechanisms that respond to THC (tetrahydrocannabinoid), the psychosomatic component of marijuana that creates its signature high.

Therefore, adolescents in particular are much more sensitive to these serious negative effects of repeated marijuana use. One study also found that “the majority of a small group of children treated for bronchiolitis” had marijuana metabolites in their urine and therefore suffered unwanted damage. In this study, parents who smoked told the researcher that they no longer smoked cigarettes, but now smoked marijuana. As a corollary, tobacco smoke at “very low levels is detectable in children…” (MD Magazine: Field Report: Colorado Marijuana Laws Hurting Kids; Karen N. Wilson; December 2016).

Some studies have found no neurological changes, but the risks are too serious and harmful to rule out the potential. Longitudinal studies, which is when data is collected on the same subjects over a long period of time, will be released soon. The National Institute on Drug Abuse will conduct the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) which will follow 10,000 youth across the country for a decade. This study will attempt to determine the pre- and post-use effects reported on brain function. It is not yet clear whether there might be a safe level of use, whether or not the brain can recover over time, and whether the brain has alternative compensatory methods to maintain proper function.

No matter what is revealed in the future, current neuroscience strongly points to marijuana as an addictive substance with particular harm likely to affect adolescent brain and function. Parents need to be well informed and familiar with their children on a regular basis. The medical uses for a variety of disorders are highly beneficial to many. However, legalization, which is likely to include more states and medical uses, should not be interpreted or confused with safety and harmlessness.

Don’t Suffer Alone…