This has been a topic in the news recently as legislators in Minnesota have begun to discuss the decriminalization/legalization of recreational use of marijuana in this state. It will likely continue to be a topic in the upcoming legislative session. As a substance use disorder counselor and a Treatment Director in an agency that does substance use disorder treatment, as well as a person in long-term recovery, I’m quick to label the legalization of marijuana as a bad idea. But understanding that my perspective comes from bias drives me to be open-minded and do research.
Proposals currently being presented in Minnesota would allow citizens 21 years of age or older to possess, grow and produce limited amounts of marijuana. The state would license and regulate businesses that cultivate and sell marijuana, having the state’s health department oversee and regulate dispensaries. Riding in on the coattails of this would be expungement of certain marijuana-related crimes from arrest records and revenue of $10 million annually, earmarked towards improving impoverished communities, mental health services and efforts to curb impaired driving.
It is easy to Google my topic and find expanses of articles that match my opinion, which could cement my already biased opinion. This reminds me of a quote:
Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. - “Abraham Lincoln”
Finding data from credible sources is in itself a research project. There are multiple sites masked as credible sources. I ended up selecting data from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), CDC (Center for Disease Control), NIH (National Institutes of Health, and NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information).
It’s been about 6 years since Colorado legalized recreational use. While data may be limited, it has found that there was NOT an increase in use in adolescent; the number of drivers in fatal crashes who tested above the legal limit of THC, marijuana’s active ingredient, decreased to 35 in 2017, down from 52 in 2016; marijuana grown illegally on public lands increased three times in five years; and the number of adults who use marijuana increased between 2014 and 2017.
In 2014 a study conducted by the MN chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union found that black men in Minneapolis were 11 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession that a white user.
Lobbyist groups project Minnesota could generate revenue between $200 and 300 million annually. Data confirms Colorado has generated more than $1 Billion in 5 years of legalization.
Based on research from NCBI.NLM.NIH, marijuana’s effect on mental health may be determined by the age the individual starts using marijuana. When adolescents and teens use marijuana, it impacts the brain significantly as their neural connections are developing. The more THC you are exposed to over time, the more likely it is that the drug will play a role in how your emotions are regulated, which means affecting mental health.
SAMHSA data advises that 1 in 10 people who use marijuana will become addicted. When they start before age 18, the rate of addiction rises to 1 in 6. Marijuana can cause permanent IQ loss of as much as 8 points when people start using at a young age. These IQ points do not come back, even after quitting marijuana. While studies link marijuana use to depression, anxiety, suicide planning and psychotic episodes, there is no data suggesting marijuana is the cause of these conditions. People who drive under the influence of marijuana can experience dangerous effects: slower reactions, lane weaving, decreased coordination, and difficulty reacting to signals and sounds on the road.
Interesting research from NIH suggest the legalization of recreational use changes societal or group norms. These group norms can shape individual behavior and mental health. There is social pressure to conform to group norms, influencing decisions to engage in behaviors once these group norms are internalized. We see this in alcohol consumption. Alcohol use is socially acceptable, even socially expected at the college level and/or social circles.
There was a time when alcohol was illegal, prohibition. In response to increased organized crime, the government legalized, regulated, and taxed alcohol, which is what is being suggested for marijuana use. So, let’s look at the data for alcohol use.
There are millions of people who consume alcohol responsibly. There are millions of dollars generated through tax revenue. There are hundreds of thousands of jobs because of the alcohol industry. What goes with that is this data from 2016 generated by the CDC: the cost of excessive alcohol use in the United States surpasses $249 billion annually, or about $2.05 per drink; 2 out of 5 dollars of these costs were picked up by the federal and state governments; underage drinking further represented $24.3 billion of these costs while drinking during pregnancy accounted for an additional $5.5 billion. According to the researchers, the costs were mainly associated with losses in workplace productivity followed by direct and indirect costs to the healthcare system.
Personally, as I see it, there appears to be a lot of unknowns. I accept that the majority of users, as the majority of drinkers, will consume recreationally and responsibly; but then there are those that won’t, that are at risk for addiction, that cost us as society money, that harm themselves and others.
There is no doubt that this debate is a cost versus benefit analysis. Will the benefits outweigh the cost, or is the cost too high? As citizens of this fine state we have a say. I urge you to do your own analysis, do your research, find credible sources, formulate your own “informed opinion.” Then contact your legislator and let them know your stance. It matters.