Truths and misconceptions about marijuana

Young people face many challenges and situations on a daily basis where they have many different choices and need to make a decision about what to do, which society to choose, where to go out, how to spend their free time, and so on. "Marijuana is a very affordable drug and can be obtained anywhere," the young people I talk to tell me. It is offered on the street, in a disco, around the school, they say sometimes though rarely even at school. A large number of young people will find themselves in a situation to make a decision: to reject or not to reject the offered joint. When people generally make decisions in life, they use some information, knowledge and attitudes they already have about the situation. Where do young people get information about how drugs work? Many young people believe that marijuana is not harmful. The messages on offer are different and confusing. On the one hand, parents defend because they say it's dangerous and they are often so scared that you can't believe it's so scary, and on the other hand there are persuasions to take it because "everyone takes it" and because it's "cool". and lately it has been spoken of as a medicine that cures all diseases. The school talks about it here and there.
Dealers offer it as "good goods", and the media more often glorify it and almost as a rule write sensationalistically. On the Internet, however, you can find really everything, there are different addresses, some advocate taking, some offer (business is business), and many scientists competing with each other instead of giving answers to questions, further confuse. Not to mention the different lobbies. And so when we add it all up, unfortunately; the amount, type of information and the way in which information is transmitted, contribute to the positive or neutral attitude of a significant proportion of young people towards marijuana. This increases the likelihood that the offered drug will not be rejected.

In this text, I will try to answer the 7 most common misconceptions or myths about marijuana, which prevail among young people, and which are spread by many out of ignorance, and the others because it is in their interest to make as much money as possible. I want to help parents learn more about the harmful effects of marijuana to make it easier to talk to their children, and I encourage young people to read, think, and form an attitude that will help them make the best possible decision for themselves, their friends, family and their future.

1. Myth: Legalizing marijuana will not increase its use

The first myth or misconception about marijuana is "Legalizing marijuana will not increase its use." The truth is just the opposite. Legalization in all cases leads to increased drug use, because most people still try to do what is allowed. An example is the ban on alcohol from history. It is true that alcohol-related crime was high at the time, but the number of alcohol addicts, and thus social problems related to alcohol, was incomparably lower than it is today, and liver cirrhosis was a real rarity. Likewise, the number of cigarette smokers dropped significantly only when smoking was banned in public places, although the penalties were not as drastic.
Proponents of marijuana legalization most often cite the example of the Netherlands as an example. Let's see what really happened there after the opening of "coffee shops" in which marijuana was freely consumed. Between 1984 and 1996, marijuana use among people aged 18-25 increased by over 200%, and the number of people (registered as cannabis addicts) who sought help as a result of marijuana use increased by 25%. At the same time, the number of alcohol addicts increased by only 3%. What is atypical here in relation to drug use in countries where there has been no legalization, is the increase in the number of elderly users. Light drugs are usually started at a younger age out of curiosity and a desire to experiment. They are more often taken by immature people, people with mental health problems or prone to risky behaviors.Taking other addictive substances in that population (e.g. alcohol) is also high. Here we must emphasize that in the Netherlands, the consumption of marijuana is allowed only in "coffee shops", while consumption in other places is sanctioned. The United States has a similar experience as the Netherlands with the decriminalization of marijuana. In the 1970s, half of the U.S. countries introduced decriminalization of soft drugs, followed by a significant increase in the number of marijuana users. In the late 1980s, when they withdrew the law, the number of beneficiaries fell by almost a third. The trend of decriminalization at the beginning of XXI. century was again accompanied by an increase in marijuana consumption.

2. Myth: Smoking marijuana is not dangerous

Another myth or misconception is "Smoking marijuana is not dangerous." The harmful effects of marijuana are generally well known, documented and confirmed by the rules of "evidence based medicine". On the other hand, smoking anything is potentially dangerous because it carries a risk to the respiratory system. Marijuana has up to 70% more carcinogens compared to cigarettes. Marijuana smokers consume fewer cigarettes, but they inhale deeper and longer, and keep the inhaled smoke in their lungs longer. This is why experiments have proven four to five times higher amounts of tar and carbon monoxide adsorption in marijuana smoking than in cigarette smoking. Adverse effects on worsening of respiratory symptoms and more frequent development of chronic bronchitis have been demonstrated in long-term marijuana users.
THC (delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main active ingredient in marijuana that primarily accumulates in body fat cells. In the brain, it binds to specific receptors known as cannabinoid receptors. As a large number of these receptors are located in the part of the brain that is responsible for memory, thinking, concentration, coordination of movements and perception of time and space, marijuana consumption negatively affects precisely these functions. Like other drugs, THC stimulates the brain to release dopamine. Dopamine then activates the part of the brain that is responsible for the feeling of satisfaction. After the initial euphoria, there is a feeling of drowsiness or depression. Other symptoms caused by THC are laughter, altered perception of time, and increased appetite. In some it can cause anxiety, fear, distrust or panic, and in higher doses it can cause an acute psychotic reaction.The consequences of marijuana consumption continue even after marijuana is broken down in the body and manifests as memory difficulties and reduced learning ability and sleep disorders. Long-term consequences (due to cumulative action or chronic abuse) are addiction, chronic cough and bronchitis, increased risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychoses or worsening of symptoms in people with pre-existing psychosis, increased risk of suicidal ideation and attempts, development of anxiety, depression and amotivation syndrome. Frequent and regular use of marijuana leads to neglect of obligations at school and at home, weakening of success in school, neglect of appearance. With such users, the so-called "holes in memory". A person cannot remember what happened yesterday, what he just wanted to say and the like.In pregnancy, marijuana can significantly affect the growth and development of the unborn child. It is interesting to note that in countries where the use of marijuana is legal, the risk of acute respiratory problems and accidents caused by overdose is also increased among children and young people.

3. Myth: No one died from marijuana

The third myth or misconception is "No one died from marijuana." Marijuana has a strong detrimental effect on the abilities and skills needed to drive safely (e.g., wakefulness, ability to concentrate, coordination of movements, reaction speed, distance estimation, etc.), and the detrimental effect lasts up to 24 hours after consumption. As it impairs balance and coordination, short-term memory and attention along with reduced critical judgment increases the likelihood of risky behavior and statistically significantly increases the risk of traffic accidents. While the different effects of marijuana are still in the research phase, a statistically significant association between marijuana consumption and traffic accidents, including those with a fatal outcome, has undoubtedly been confirmed. The number of deaths increases or decreases in proportion to the share of consumers in the population. The higher the share of consumers, the higher the number of casualties.
As an example, I cite a study from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, which processed data for 23,500 fatal drivers in the period since 1999. to 2010. The results showed that alcohol as a contributing factor in accidents, all this time was in 40% of cases, while the share of accidents under the influence of marijuana increased from 4% in 1999. at 12% in 2010 Should it be mentioned that this is a time of re-trend of decriminalization of marijuana and a time of introduction of marijuana into medical use?

4. Myth: Marijuana is less harmful than cigarettes or alcohol

The fourth myth or misconception is "Marijuana is less harmful than cigarettes or alcohol." That this is incorrect can be deduced from the previously described consequences of marijuana consumption. The question they could also ask in this case is: How much harm would marijuana do if consumed by the frequency or amounts in which cigarettes and alcohol are consumed. We all remember a time when young people did not consume alcohol as they do today. At that time, the harm from consuming alcohol was incomparably less, but that did not mean that alcohol was not harmful. Today, when tolerance towards alcohol consumption has changed, and consumption has become a completely accepted, "expected and desirable behavior", we can measure and estimate the part of the damage caused by the change in the pattern of consumption in the population.Unfortunately, we will be able to assess some of the consequences only in the future. Proponents of marijuana also often claim that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol because it makes you relaxed, so people are not violent. It is true that marijuana causes a condition we call amotivation syndrome, so a person has no will for anything, but in some consumers (people who consume marijuana in large quantities), especially in states of abstinence crisis, strong emotions of anger (so-called anger attacks) occur. with all the consequences that such conditions can lead to. The fact that cigarettes and alcohol are harmful in no way diminishes the harmfulness of marijuana.

5. Myth: Marijuana is a medicine

The fifth myth or misconception is that marijuana is a medicine. This is to create an image of how good marijuana is. If it cures, which is good, then marijuana use is more good than bad. However, this is not true. First, for a substance to be declared a medicinal product, it must consist of a well-defined substance whose quantity is measurable and equal in all unit forms of the medicinal product (eg tablet or injection). As marijuana is a plant that is taken by smoking, and its composition varies, so we cannot speak of a medicine in the true sense of the word. We can say that some marijuana ingredients act on the symptoms of some diseases, which will be discussed in more detail below. The fallacy also lies in the idea that something is good by the very fact that it can be used as a medicine. Each drug is taken in strictly defined amounts and only in certain diseases and taking any drug when it is not medically indicated can have harmful and in some cases even fatal consequences.

The fact that certain parts or marijuana are used in certain diseases does not diminish its harmfulness and does not mean that everyone should consume it, on the contrary. Unfortunately, the growing acceptance of marijuana for medical purposes has influenced a shift in awareness of the harmfulness of marijuana among young people. Research shows an inverse association between risk awareness of marijuana consumption and consumption itself. As the share of young people who consider marijuana consumption risky decreases, so does the share of consumers, which is why marijuana use among young people is growing again.

On the other hand, it is true that marijuana contains several compounds that have been shown to be useful in the treatment of various diseases or conditions. The last report on the health effects of marijuana and cannabinoids by a group of experts from the National Academies of Science, Technology and Medicine in the USA from January 2017. (“The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids”) talks about the effects of marijuana on certain medical conditions, ie. which hypotheses about the therapeutic properties of marijuana and / or its ingredients have been confirmed and for which there is insufficient evidence.

Thus, oral cannabinoids have been shown to significantly reduce chemotherapy-induced vomiting and nausea in cancer patients and to reduce the symptoms of spasticity in multiple sclerosis patients. Unfortunately, they do not reduce the spasticity measured by objective measures, but only the subjective feeling of the patient, which does not affect the disease itself, but makes the patient's life more bearable. Marijuana itself has also been shown to be helpful in reducing chronic pain in adults in conditions where other therapies were not sufficient. There is also some, albeit still restrained, evidence of improved sleep disorder symptoms in patients with chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and multiple sclerosis, and in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Although there is some still inconclusive evidence that acute marijuana use improves some lung capacity parameters, with equal statistical significance, cessation of marijuana use has led to improved respiratory symptoms in marijuana users. The hypothesis has not been confirmed or there is no evidence that marijuana or cannabinoids help in the treatment of cancer or anorexia and cancer-induced cachexia syndrome or in anorexia nervosa, irritable bowel syndrome, epilepsy, spasticity in spinal cord injury, symptoms of amyotrophic lateral scleriasis or Parkinson's disease, dystonia, schizophrenia, or schizophrenia-like psychosis. There is also no evidence that it helps abstain from other addictive substances.

Scientific research into the active chemical compounds in marijuana and their potential effects on medical conditions and diseases has led to the development of new drugs whose effectiveness has been proven, and scientists are trying to create drugs that will enhance the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids and minimize harmful side effects. Scientists and drug manufacturers have also synthesized a number of synthetic cannabinoids, some of which are very potent and very dangerous to abuse and can cause serious health consequences.

Marijuana preparations for medical purposes are generally used for serious diseases such as multiple sclerosis, end-stage cancer and AIDS, and not for personal use with the aim of achieving psychoactive effects. There are various preparations in the world, most often in the form of tablets with isolated compounds (cannabinoids) used in the treatment of certain conditions, but it is never "smoking home-grown grass", but controlled substances for which the manufacturer "guarantees" the composition, concentration, etc. Despite numerous texts advertising marijuana as a cure for many diseases, it should be emphasized that so far no disease has proven the therapeutic effect of marijuana in terms of treating the disease itself, but its beneficial effect in reducing some of the symptoms of the disease in some patients. always applied as adjunctive therapy where the drugs administered did not help and again only in selected patients according to precisely defined protocols obtained by scientific research.

6. Myth: Marijuana is not addictive

"Marijuana does not create addiction" is another myth or delusion that many young people believe. In one study, among 200 marijuana users, 76% met addiction diagnosis criteria including an abstinence crisis. Symptoms of an abstinence crisis were as follows: loss of appetite, indeterminate fear-anxiety, depression, restlessness, irritability, trembling, severe insomnia, sweating, heightened deep tendon reflexes, mood disorder. As the symptoms are not as pronounced as with opiates and as many frequent consumers have already had some psychological symptoms, unable to distinguish the symptoms of the crisis from the symptoms of the psychological difficulties that caused them to start consuming, they continue to consume marijuana believing that they will feel better. 97% of addicts said they continued to take marijuana even after realizing it was a problem because they could no longer stop taking it. They needed it to function "normally".

7. Myth: Everyone takes marijuana

The seventh myth or delusion is "Marijuana and that's how everyone takes it". You can often hear this belief, but fortunately it is far from true. It is true that when we want to point out a problem, then we emphasize its size, because even if only 1% of young people take drugs, it is not only a problem, but a big problem. Most young people do not take marijuana nor will they ever take it. Young people move in circles similar to themselves. So someone who takes drugs moves in a circle of other people who take drugs. Everyone takes drugs for them. If you ask someone who moves in the company of a healthy population of young people, they will tell you that no one or a small number is taking it. If you look at how many young people have experimented with marijuana, the proportion is large and averages around 30-40%, depending on the environment and time period in which you are researching. But if you research regular use, then that number is thankfully at least three to four times smaller.

And as a conclusion

Young people reach for the offered cigarette, alcohol, joint to make themselves important, at the urging of their peers, to fit in, out of curiosity. Growing up time is frustration time. It is also a time when young people must learn how to overcome these frustrations, how to behave in society, how to develop self-esteem, how to make and maintain friendships, think critically, make decisions, defend their views and many other important life skills. Young people, unfortunately through the fault of us adults, today have significantly more freedom than their ability to cope with various new situations. Exposed to much greater challenges and pressures than previous generations, it is not always easy for them to refuse the drugs offered, starting with socially accepted drugs such as alcohol, which is worryingly widespread among young people today. It is a way for them to hide their insecurity and immaturity in the outside world into which they have come unprepared. It is important to keep in mind that taking drugs (both legal and illegal) in an attempt to reduce the frustration of growing up, at the same time slows down or even stops normal development and maturation.