Mental health, social ramifications reviewed during marijuana summit

 By STEPHANIE UJHELY
Analysis incriminates marijuana not as a gateway into more hard-core substances through science but instead sociology, according to a study completed by an Ohio Task Force released in June.
Mike Thomas, member of the Marijuana Policies of Ohio Task Force, spoke to attendees of the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Stark County's Marijuana Summit Tuesday morning, and said although the task force hasn't taken a position on Issue 3, the real issues surrounding marijuana aren't being addressed.

The public conversation needs to move beyond whether marijuana is good or bad to whether legalization and decriminalization is better or worse than what currently is in place.

Thomas also said that both pro- and anti-legalization advocates need to concentrate on the facts instead of exaggeration. "The theory that marijuana is a gateway drug is exaggerated, and the idea that marijuana is not addictive also is dangerous," he explained, adding that when correlating the drug as safe or medical it results in an increase in usage among teens.

"Both sides are guilty of hyperbole, which gets in the way of our goal of solving the problem. The task force's job was to clearly evaluate a possible solution," Thomas continued, adding that although research shows marijuana doesn't cause schizophrenia or psychosis, it can trigger it in those individuals who have a genetic disposition.

The criminalization aspect has enabled marijuana users to develop relationships in the illegal marketplace to get involved with stronger substances, Thomas concluded.

Ben Cort of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) explained that today's commercial marijuana isn't your grandfather's marijuana. "It doesn't look like a flowering plant that you wrap in a joint and smoke," he added.
The tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration is much higher. For example, while marijuana contained a 0.3 or 0.5 THC level in a natural form, farmers are seeking a higher concentration for a greater high, making it possibly more addictive.

Some of the edibles, which come in the form of sodas and candies like gummy bears, and concentrates have a 90 percent THC level in Colorado, which aren't prohibited in Ohio's Issue 3.

"A lot of the flowers are not sprayed with a concentrate to capture new users and create more frequent users," Cort explained, showing numerous advertisements where growers and distributors marketed marijuana based on its greater high and potency.

The anti-legalization activist from Colorado differed on many views of marijuana from Thomas. For example, he cited that with daily use of marijuana containing a 16 level THC, a user is five times greater to develop psychosis.

Canton Health Commissioner James Adams and intern Jordan Phillips talked about the legalization's possible impact on public health.

Talking about the proposed 15 percent tax, which allegedly would see 55 percent directed to a municipal and township government fund, Adams is skeptical about the likelihood.

"I believe (pro-legalization efforts are just) trying to throw local entities a bone. I have little faith that the state will follow through, as it is stated permissively in the language (i.e. may vs. shall)," the health commissioner said, reminding that the state allegedly raided the tobacco fund and cut local government funding as wasn't intended.

Both Adams and Phillips expressed real concerns about the direction of marketing, especially regarding the edibles. In Colorado, accidental ingestions by children have increased from 1.2 in 2000 to 26.4 as of June 2014, since commercialization of marijuana, despite child-resistant packing and warnings to keep the items out of the reach of children. Especially since impairment of frontal lobe development has been noted among marijuana users under age 26.

Despite it being marketed as medical marijuana, one doesn't receive a prescription from a physician, but instead obtains the drug "under the advice" of a doctor.

Derek Siegle, executive director of the federal Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), points to states like Colorado to predict the future if Ohio voters pass Issue 3.

Rather than seeing medical marijuana dispensed for ailments like cancer and epilepsy, Siegle explained that 93 percent of users are receiving it for severe pain.

He noted there is nothing in the legislation that prohibits use of a food card to buy marijuana edibles, which are often packaged similarly to real products (i.e. Pot Tarts vs. Pop Tarts).

"We wouldn't have this problem if the federal government would enforce the federal law," Siegle concluded
Other speakers included Ryan Stubenrauch of the Ohio Attorney General's Office, who discussed the Ohio Marijuana Legalization Initiative in detail; Walsh University associate professor Will Cooley, who focused on a historical approach on how legalization and regulation could impact community health; Dee Mason of Working Partners, who focused on workplace reaction to possible marijuana legalization; and Brittany Sandidge of the Drug-Free Action Alliance, who discussed lessons learned during Virginia's marijuana reform so they could be applied at the local and state level in Ohio if Issue 3 passes.