A recent survey conducted by UNICEF revealed that Canadian youngsters smoke more marijuana than kids anywhere else in the developed world. We talked to toxicologist and drug safety researcher at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Dr. David Juurlink, about this report and about the effects of marijuana.
This recent UNICEF report has ranked our country first out of 29 developed countries for youth marijuana use. What are your thoughts on this?
I’m not surprised by the high prevalence of cannabis use in kids. Marijuana has been around for a long time, and attitudes toward the drug in general are more relaxed than they were 25 years ago. I am, however, encouraged that Canada ranks third-lowest in terms of cigarette smoking by children. I would argue that cigarette smoking is far more dangerous to health than occasional marijuana use.
Are there carcinogenic effects with marijuana use?
There’s very limited data on that. Some evidence suggests that cannabis smoking may be a risk factor for lung cancer, but it’s not clear how much of the increased risk reflects tobacco use among individuals who smoke marijuana.
What are the acute effects of the drug?
That depends on the amount consumed and the type of plant. Unlike a lot of other recreational drugs, cannabis isn’t readily classified as a depressant, hallucinogen or stimulant. For example, alcohol is a depressant, cocaine is a stimulant and magic mushrooms are hallucinogens. Cannabis can exhibit all of those features to a degree. The most prominent effects will be an altered perception of time, increased appetite and motor incoordination.
Could a teen who is using medical marijuana become easily addicted to it?
No. Cannabis is a much less addictive substance than, say, alcohol or nicotine. And, the health consequences of its use are far less serious. I would argue that even caffeine is more habit-forming than cannabis. When we say something is addictive, what we mean is people have intense cravings [and] they use it despite the knowledge that it’s harmful, and when they stop using it, they experience withdrawal. It may be that cannabis is one of the least addictive recreational drugs out there.
Are there any long-term effects from smoking marijuana?
Very few. It’s a hard thing to research because it’s illegal. But, there is genuine uncertainty about the effects of long-term marijuana use on either the brain or the lungs, and those are the two organs that most people would anticipate could be damaged by long-term use of the drug. There’s really very little data to suggest that is the case.
Why do you think this popular notion exists that marijuana is a gateway drug?
The notion that marijuana itself leads to the use of other drugs is silly. The majority of people who use marijuana do not end up shooting heroine or snorting cocaine. It’s true that people who use marijuana are more likely to use hard drugs than non-users of marijuana, but that is almost certainly a function of the individual and [a result of] certain social and other factors, rather than a direct effect of marijuana itself. Marijuana is no more a gateway drug than nicotine.
What is the most harmful aspect of marijuana use?
There’s very good data that recent use of cannabis is a risk factor for motor vehicle accidents. It’s on the same order of driving while impaired by alcohol. I don’t want to give the impression that this is an innocuous drug. Most people realize that driving under the influence of alcohol is a bad idea, but driving under the influence of marijuana is a bad idea as well. This is certainly one aspect of marijuana use that the public should appreciate.