Teen Cannabis Addiction Raising Alarms

 

Cannabis Addiction Rates Already Known, So What’s the Real Story? – LPC

A new Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) is raising the alarm about teen cannabis addiction. A study in the journal reports that almost 10.7 per cent of teenagers 12 to 17 met the criteria for addiction one year after trying it. The study also notes that opioids had a similar addiction rate of 11.2 per cent.

“The findings contradict widely held perceptions that cannabis isn’t particularly addictive,” said Dr. Nora Valkow, co-author of the study. Perhaps more importantly, she is the current director of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse. She added that this information “may attract attention amid a broad US push to liberalize its use.”

Dr. Valkow also rightly pointed out other key facts about teen cannabis addiction. “The rates of addiction were significant, especially since teenagers’ brains are still developing… One in 10 teens having a marijuana addiction — that’s huge.”

But then she slipped back into vague generalizations. “Using cannabis also gives them a higher chance of becoming addicted to other drugs later.”

None of this is particularly new news. So what’s the motive behind JAMA’s study?

Addiction Rates in General, Not Teen Cannabis Addiction Rates, Already Known

Cannabis addiction rates are already known. Over 18 months ago, Dr. Jonathon Stea reported that the cannabis addiction rate was about 10 per cent.

“I think it’s been a popular misconception that cannabis is not physically addicting,” said the Calgary-based doctor. “We have an endocannabinoid system, and it’s very well-established that cannabis withdrawal can occur.”

It is certainly important to know about teen cannabis addiction rates as well. That’s particularly true since cannabis use can affect a teenager’s still-growing brain. In fact, a big part of the Cannabis Act and cannabis legalization in Canada in the first place was to protect children and teenagers.

However, comparing cannabis to opioid use and invoking the old “gateway drug” warning signals that something else is at work here.

What’s JAMA’s Agenda?

The deliberate use of language in this study and the subsequent media coverage is alarming. It should be cause for concern for anyone pushing for federal cannabis legalization in the US. It seems that JAMA may be bringing up teen cannabis addiction as a tool to muddy the waters.

For starters, there’s the term “teen cannabis addiction” in the first place. But there are other, more subtle terms. For example, Dr. Valkow doesn’t talk about the country wanting to “legalize” cannabis, she talks of it wanting to “liberalize” its use. That’s a loaded term in the US which will certainly inflame the more conservative types who would be against cannabis legalization.

Then there’s the fact that Dr. Valkow talks about her findings contradicting “widely held beliefs” about cannabis addiction. That may be true, but she already knows the science behind it. So, rather than use this opportunity to educate people, she uses it to reinforce her agenda. Dr. Valkow could have easily compared teen cannabis addiction rates to adult rates, but instead chose to compare it to opioid addiction rates. In other words, rather than try to objectively define the problem, she for some reason wants to associate cannabis use with the use of much harder drugs.

The fact that Dr. Valkow is the current director of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse is another red flag. Clearly this is not objective science, but science with an agenda – proving the evils of drug abuse. It’s another example of how US cannabis research focuses on the harms, not the cannabis benefits. (Especially when compared to Canadian cannabis research.) Cannabis research in the US still requires sign-off from the DEA – another red flag.

JAMA Report on Teen Cannabis Addiction Troubling

In short, the JAMA’s study on teen cannabis addiction is troubling. Although the subject matter – the safety of our children – is vitally important, the way the subject is framed is misleading. Cannabis can be an exit drug from opioids, not a gateway drug as Dr. Valkow claims. Talks of “liberalizing” cannabis in the US rather than legalizing it can only be seen as inflammatory.

The fact is, cannabis legalization has proven to do the opposite – in Canada at least. Teen cannabis use has been cut in half since legalization. That’s because the legal cannabis market is overcoming the illegal cannabis market. And that makes it much harder for teens to access cannabis.

So, if Dr. Valkow and JAMA are truly concerned about teen cannabis addiction in the US, cannabis legalization is the best course of action.

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