As I and my
colleagues have predicted so very, very often, the Marijuana Use
Disorders have more than doubled in the past decade on the heels of
relaxed legislation concerning the drug, and the increase in use of the
substance among our youth and adults.
I know that there are those out there who have read my previous articles on marijuana, and say, “Dr. Jones, aren’t you beating a dead horse?” I assure you all that I am surely not. The horse is very much alive and kicking, and the more we make ourselves aware, the better.
Recent studies as reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association relate the increase of the disorder, more than doubling in the past 12 years, from 4.1 percent to 9.5 percent. Believe me when I tell you that this percentage represents millions of our young people and adults in the population with a Marijuana Disorder. These statistics are borne out by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and independent studies conducted recently.
Recent studies conducted by the CDC of high school youth disclose the same trend; the use of marijuana more than doubled over the past decade, from 4.2 percent to 10.2 percent.
Statistics compiled from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) report that marijuana is the most-used drug after alcohol and tobacco in the United States;
22.2 million people ages 12 and up have used in the last month, and 2.6 million in that age range have used it for the first time. These statistics bear out the cause of alarm…the factual message concerning marijuana and its ramifications toward our society is just not getting out there despite all of the efforts we have put into the prevention and treatment arenas.
Dr. Italia Rolle, an epidemiologist with the CDC has stated, “…the legalization of medical marijuana in a growing number of U.S. states may be increasing teens’ perceptions that this is beneficial rather than harmful.” Dr. Deborah Hasin, Columbia University professor engaged in studies of Marijuana use, has stated, “Laws and attitudes toward the use of marijuana are changing.
Twenty-three states have enacted medical marijuana laws, with four of them also having legalized recreational use. Marijuana use is higher in states with such laws compared with other states.” This indeed bears out the predictions my colleagues and I, professionals in the field of addictions, have been saying for over 45 years.
As I have always pointed out: Why legalized marijuana with its associated problems and add to the most profound problems we already have with ethyl alcohol? We have certainly left our guard down on these issues, as a growing number of individuals in our society now see marijuana as a harmless substance, even as the facts are continuously presented to them…a “societal denial?”
And yes, my friends, there are many problems associated with use of marijuana, such as the risk of addiction, risk for vehicle crashes, emergency department visits, psychiatric symptoms, poor quality of life, cognitive decline, and the use of other drugs. Dr. Hasin also points out that Marijuana Use Disorders also are linked to substantial comorbidity and disability. The clear risk for Marijuana Use Disorders among users (which is currently approximately 30 percent of the U.S. population) suggests that as the number of U.S. users grows so will the numbers of those experiencing problems related to such use.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the DSM-5, defines substance use disorders occurring when the use of the substance causes clinically and functionally significant impairment, such as health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home; and based on evidence of impaired control, social impairment, risky use, and pharmacological criteria. Marijuana’s immediate effects include distorted perception, difficulty with thinking and problems solving, and loss of motor coordination. Marijuana use can also cause space and time distortion, delusional thinking, and even hallucinations.
Long–term use of the drug can contribute to respiratory infection, impaired memory, and exposure to cancer-causing compounds. Of major importance among youth who are heavy users of the drug is that its use is linked to increased risk for developing mental illness and poorer cognitive functioning.
Some of the most serious symptoms associated with Cannabis (Marijuana) Use Disorder include disruptions in functioning due to cannabis use, the development of tolerance, cravings for cannabis, and the development of withdrawal symptoms, such as the inability to sleep, restlessness, nervousness, anger, or depression within a week of ceasing heavy use.
Of major concern for marijuana use lies in the area of defense mechanisms employed by the user and proponents of marijuana use: Denial (“there is no problem”), Rationalization (“marijuana use is harmless”), Projection (“You have a problem with my use”), etc. Proponents of marijuana use work extra hard to perpetuate the myths and misconceptions of its use, also utilizing a great number of defense mechanisms.
If you, a family member, or friend is exhibiting any of the fore-mentioned symptoms of a Marijuana (Cannabis) Use Disorder, I encourage you to seek help from your local Mental Health/Substance Abuse authority. And, please do your part in supporting efforts to drive down the statistics of those so afflicted with the Disorder. Until next time, Stay Healthy my Friends!
I know that there are those out there who have read my previous articles on marijuana, and say, “Dr. Jones, aren’t you beating a dead horse?” I assure you all that I am surely not. The horse is very much alive and kicking, and the more we make ourselves aware, the better.
Recent studies as reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association relate the increase of the disorder, more than doubling in the past 12 years, from 4.1 percent to 9.5 percent. Believe me when I tell you that this percentage represents millions of our young people and adults in the population with a Marijuana Disorder. These statistics are borne out by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and independent studies conducted recently.
Recent studies conducted by the CDC of high school youth disclose the same trend; the use of marijuana more than doubled over the past decade, from 4.2 percent to 10.2 percent.
Statistics compiled from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) report that marijuana is the most-used drug after alcohol and tobacco in the United States;
22.2 million people ages 12 and up have used in the last month, and 2.6 million in that age range have used it for the first time. These statistics bear out the cause of alarm…the factual message concerning marijuana and its ramifications toward our society is just not getting out there despite all of the efforts we have put into the prevention and treatment arenas.
Dr. Italia Rolle, an epidemiologist with the CDC has stated, “…the legalization of medical marijuana in a growing number of U.S. states may be increasing teens’ perceptions that this is beneficial rather than harmful.” Dr. Deborah Hasin, Columbia University professor engaged in studies of Marijuana use, has stated, “Laws and attitudes toward the use of marijuana are changing.
Twenty-three states have enacted medical marijuana laws, with four of them also having legalized recreational use. Marijuana use is higher in states with such laws compared with other states.” This indeed bears out the predictions my colleagues and I, professionals in the field of addictions, have been saying for over 45 years.
As I have always pointed out: Why legalized marijuana with its associated problems and add to the most profound problems we already have with ethyl alcohol? We have certainly left our guard down on these issues, as a growing number of individuals in our society now see marijuana as a harmless substance, even as the facts are continuously presented to them…a “societal denial?”
And yes, my friends, there are many problems associated with use of marijuana, such as the risk of addiction, risk for vehicle crashes, emergency department visits, psychiatric symptoms, poor quality of life, cognitive decline, and the use of other drugs. Dr. Hasin also points out that Marijuana Use Disorders also are linked to substantial comorbidity and disability. The clear risk for Marijuana Use Disorders among users (which is currently approximately 30 percent of the U.S. population) suggests that as the number of U.S. users grows so will the numbers of those experiencing problems related to such use.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the DSM-5, defines substance use disorders occurring when the use of the substance causes clinically and functionally significant impairment, such as health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home; and based on evidence of impaired control, social impairment, risky use, and pharmacological criteria. Marijuana’s immediate effects include distorted perception, difficulty with thinking and problems solving, and loss of motor coordination. Marijuana use can also cause space and time distortion, delusional thinking, and even hallucinations.
Long–term use of the drug can contribute to respiratory infection, impaired memory, and exposure to cancer-causing compounds. Of major importance among youth who are heavy users of the drug is that its use is linked to increased risk for developing mental illness and poorer cognitive functioning.
Some of the most serious symptoms associated with Cannabis (Marijuana) Use Disorder include disruptions in functioning due to cannabis use, the development of tolerance, cravings for cannabis, and the development of withdrawal symptoms, such as the inability to sleep, restlessness, nervousness, anger, or depression within a week of ceasing heavy use.
Of major concern for marijuana use lies in the area of defense mechanisms employed by the user and proponents of marijuana use: Denial (“there is no problem”), Rationalization (“marijuana use is harmless”), Projection (“You have a problem with my use”), etc. Proponents of marijuana use work extra hard to perpetuate the myths and misconceptions of its use, also utilizing a great number of defense mechanisms.
If you, a family member, or friend is exhibiting any of the fore-mentioned symptoms of a Marijuana (Cannabis) Use Disorder, I encourage you to seek help from your local Mental Health/Substance Abuse authority. And, please do your part in supporting efforts to drive down the statistics of those so afflicted with the Disorder. Until next time, Stay Healthy my Friends!
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