Greetings, everyone.

I’d like to share my first grad paper about cannabis & mental health.

I found it to be quite educational & would like to spread this knowledge.

Thanks & happy reading!

           Is There a Link Between Mental Illness and Cannabis Use?

‘Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence’ by Alex Berenson is full of opinions with not much accurate research to back them up. He rants about what’s wrong in this society and points fingers at black and brown people, blaming them for increased violence due to mental health issues perpetuated by cannabis consumption.

His points of view are reminiscent of Harry Anslinger’s days with his racist propaganda and promoting ignorance in newspapers, like this excerpt from The Salt Lake Tribune in 1913: “Marihuana is a shortcut to the insane asylum. Smoke marihuana cigarettes for a month and what was once your brain will be nothing but a storehouse for horrid specters”.  (Reed Ph.D., MPH, 2022, #1). As mentioned in the Module 3 lecture, newspaper reports on cannabis consumption were aimed at brainwashing to keep people fearful and the information wasn’t backed up by solid data. Unfortunately, the masses believed this disinformation about cannabis being affiliated with crimes/violence, which only strengthened prohibition.

In a way, I understand him agreeing and believing inaccurate data, which is still floating around these days and mostly due to the limited research available. This outcome is due to the FDA not acknowledging/accepting cannabis as having medicinal benefits. Also, the Schedule 1 status doesn’t help either so researchers are restricted because of the DEA. Thankfully, there is private funding available to continue research.

Now, let’s review some work about mental illness associated with cannabis use. The National Institute of Health’s research report named, “Is there a link between marijuana use and psychiatric disorders”, proposed that smoking high-potency cannabis daily has the potential to increase the possibility of developing psychosis almost five times as opposed to those who never consumed cannabis (Is There a Link Between Marijuana Use and Psychiatric Disorders?; 2020).

It also noted that the substance amount used, the age when consumers first used, and genetics are contributing factors that affect the relationship between teens and cannabis consumption. It concluded that the most compelling evidence associated with cannabis use and psychiatric disorders is in individuals with pre-existing conditions, genetics, or related susceptibility.

The article also mentioned that there has been a correlation between suicidal thoughts/ attempted suicide and teens that consume cannabis.  Lastly, it indicated that cannabis has been previously linked to  ‘amotivational syndrome’, which they define as ‘diminished or absent drive to engage in typically rewarding activities’. According to  verywellmind.com, they define it as ‘a psychiatric condition that is characterized by a change in an individual’s personality, emotions, and cognitive function’. This condition is currently considered a hypothesis due to the endocannabinoid system’s role in helping regulate our mood. It’s been theorized that the brain alters from early cannabis use, but more research needs to be executed to verify this link.

In 1942, the American Journal of Psychiatry released an article named, “The Psychiatric Aspects of Marihuana Intoxication”. It included observations about research achieved at Welfare Hospital in NYC, under the mayor’s Commission of Marihuana. The leading doctors were Dr. Allentuck and Dr. Bowman, which studied 77 subjects released from prison. They concluded that cannabis is a contributory cause of crime and permits anti-social tendencies. (The Psychiatric Aspects of Marihuana Intoxication, 2019)

https://www.greenannalist.com/post/cannabis-mental-health