With multiple countries legalizing the use of cannabis, whether recreational or medicinal, major issues involving misinformation around it and its idealization are exacerbating. Even though consuming cannabis in specific scenarios can be beneficial - to treat Parkinson’s disease or alleviate pain, for example - multiple researchers continue to indicate that the potential harms of consumption can exceed the benefits under most circumstances.
As the legalization of the substance will inevitably contribute towards its social acceptance and normalization, a rise in earlier ages of onset and an increase in self-medication is probable. Plus, in recent years, studies have shown that the concentration of CBD, the chemical that grants cannabis its therapeutic effects, is decreasing while levels of THC, the molecule responsible for its addictive properties, are increasing substantially. This means that people starting to have easier access to cannabis at perpetually younger ages is of great concern, since the impacts of extensive cannabis use, especially until the age of twenty-five, can impose major risks to the human brain by hindering neurodevelopment at a decisive stage and disturbing the endocannabinoid system, a network that is crucial for memory, learning and homeostasis (Jacobus, 2019).
Moreover, emerging evidence has implied that cannabis can act as a gateway drug to opioids as there is a strong link between regular use of cannabis and other illicit drugs in adolescence, one that is even greater than alcohol or tobacco (William 2020). It is believed that cannabis use might reduce the threshold for a new addiction to form with other illicit drugs (Kandel 2015) and that adolescents who use cannabis are 104 times more likely to use cocaine than adolescents who never use cannabis (Heyman 1999). Although its abstinence can enable the restoration of lost functions, increasing accessibility can lead to higher rates of heavy daily use, thus, the development of addiction and cannabis use disorders (CUD), which are currently untreatable (Connor, 2021).
There is, of course, another side that should be considered. Many researchers have shown that cannabis can bring a series of potential benefits to one’s health, such as serving as an alternative to treatment for pregnant and cancer patients suffering from nausea, pain, and stress. However, it must be taken into account that many studies have presented conflicting data, meaning that the benefits are still not fully concrete as this is a rising field.
As the use of cannabis is shown to bring more harm than benefit under most circumstances, its use for either recreational or medical purposes should be carefully considered before taking action. Cannabis treatment is still not sufficiently mature to be the first option for most physicians due to the lack of replicability and concrete evidence to support certain claims and the lack of knowledge on the long-term effects of its use. Thus, its controversy and uncertainty can render it a danger to many users.
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