A Case For Cannabis: Extinguishing the Smoke

Worries arise that legalizing marijuana will negatively impact Canada’s youth...

With only one day to go until the legalization of marijuana, citizens of Ontario are being informed about the pros and cons of smoking the substance.

Next year, around 500 to 1,000 private marijuana stores will be opening and people all over Canada will be able to light up freely.

Despite uncertainties, research shows that the law change will provide a range of health and medical benefits for everyone. As the countdown gets closer, pot skeptics should, listen up, embrace the herb and chill out.

Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) make up Cannabis. The chemical CBD is responsible for giving therapeutic effects to help with problems such as chronic pain, inflammation, nausea and anxiety. Whereas the THC is what stimulates the ‘high’, euphoric feeling, (Kary and Johl, 2018).

True, like any drug consumed by smoking there will be effects. However, when this is balanced with the advantages the new medication brings, results talk for themselves.

Even though blazing up and having ‘red-eye’ conversations will soon become the norm, there is still a big divide among Canadians and a stigma attached to marijuana.

I mean let’s be honest, a lot of the media rarely shows seniors lighting up to smoke a spliff and the image usually represents young people, bunning for fun. But that’s not the reality.

According to research by Michael Kary and Ravin Johl in the article, ‘Cannabis in Care: ‘Weed’ Like to Know (2018), they say: “Not everyone takes cannabis for recreational purposes, as some also need it to help with their chronic pain or to help reduce their anxiety – this is especially the case among the frail elderly.”

To compare the health effects of smoking weed and reduce the stigma, it’s important to investigate tobacco - the most common drug smoked, grown and sold worldwide.

Nicotine is the key ingredient. Nicotine is not only a highly addictive chemical but unlike Cannabis, it can increase the chance of cancer. In as little as 10 seconds nicotine causes the heart rate and blood pressure to increase, inducing premature death, (Health Canada, 2018).

Smoking marijuana does not seem to increase the risk of lung cancer and cannabis can also be consumed by other formats such as edibles, oils or vaporizers, (Verbora & Campanella, 2018).

The short-term effects from smoking cannabis, include confusion, fatigue, an impaired concentration and anxiety. While, the long-term effects include a risk of addiction and memory harm.

The biggest medical risk from cannabis is having a psychotic episode but it is extremely low where only, “1 in about 20,000 people” will experience this, (Michael Verbora, 2018).

So why are Canadian’s so fearful for young people? Research shows that effects appear to have a greater impact on regular weed smokers during early adolescence. (Health Canada, 2018)

Of course, smoking marijuana will affect young people who are developing but this is minor compared to the medical benefits. To name a few - Dravet's Syndrome, Alzheimer’s, glaucoma, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, epileptic seizures, alcoholism, depression and social anxiety, (Loria, 2018).

Regulations with the new-found purchasing freedom make sure all users are safe. These include a 18-19 age restriction to purchase, limits on home-grown cannabis and a 30-gram cap that can be carried by each person in public, at one time, (Murphy & Levinson-King, 2018).

The legalization brings greater medical opportunities and with proper drug testing young people can ditch the black market, opting for safe cannabis.

Admittedly, more research needs to be done about the long term affects from smoking weed but it’s clear to see that as far as health problems, marijuana heals more than it hurts.

References (in-text):

Campanella, E. (2018, October 15). Is weed good for you? Everything we know about the health effects of cannabis. Retrieved October 16, 2018, from https://globalnews.ca/news/4309415/health-weed-canada-legalization/

Canada, H. (2013, March 07). Nicotine addiction. Retrieved October 17, 2018, from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/smoking-tobacco/effects-smoking/smoking-your-body/nicotine-addiction.html

Canada, H. (2018, October 17). Health effects of cannabis. Retrieved October 16, 2018, from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-medication/cannabis/health-effects/effects.html

Karry, M., & Johl, R. (2018, September 20). Op-ed: Cannabis in Care: 'Weed' Like to Know. Retrieved October 14, 2018, from https://bccare.ca/2018/09/op-ed-cannabis-in-care-weed-like-to-know/

Loria, K. (2018, March 07). 23 health benefits of marijuana. Retrieved October 16, 2018, from https://www.businessinsider.com/health-benefits-of-medical-marijuana-2014-4#it-may-be-of-some-use-in-treating-glaucoma-or-it-may-be-possible-to-derive-a-drug-from-marijuana-for-this-use-4

Murphy, J., & Levinson-King, R. (2018, October 18). Cannabis in Canada: How it went down on Legalisation Day. Retrieved October 16, 2018, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45879377

The Canadian Press. (2017, February 23). Number of Canadians with medical pot prescriptions now almost 130,000. Retrieved October 13, 2018, from https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/02/23/number-of-canadians-with-medical-pot-prescriptions-now-almost-130000.html

Extra References (out of text):

Dangerfield, K. (2018, October 17). Weed is legal in Canada - but a majority of pot users still want to keep it 'hush hush': Ipsos poll. Retrieved October 14, 2018, from https://globalnews.ca/news/4549941/weed-legal-canada-stigma/

Kabir, S. (2018, August 22). 20 Medical Benefits of Marijuana You Probably Never Knew. Retrieved October 17, 2018, from https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/20-medical-benefits-marijuana-you-probably-never-knew.html

Lerche, O. (2017, April 20). Psychosis risk from using drug cannabis LOWER than first thought. Retrieved October 17, 2018, from https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/794323/cannabis-weed-effects-risk-psychosis-lower-mental-health

Railton, D. (2018, February 21). What are the health benefits and risks of cannabis? Retrieved October 18, 2018, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320984.php

A Case For Cannabis: Extinguishing the Smoke

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