Marijuana is a drug that has been used for many decades, but in more recent times, it’s become more dangerous than ever. THC is the psychoactive component found in marijuana.
In 1995, the average amount of THC that the Drug Enforcement Administration found in weed was about 4 percent. This number rose to 17 percent in 2017. Now, there are products such as wax and oil that boast percentages sometimes higher than 95 percent. Legalization efforts have also made products more popular. As a result, mental health issues caused by marijuana have skyrocketed.
Elysse started vaping at the age of 14. She says she got “insane euphoria,” but eventually would become anxious or sad. She used oils and waxes that were typically 90 percent THC, which she thought was safe to use because everyone around her was using them too. In reality, using these products as a teenager has an especially high chance of causing depression, psychosis, and in Elysse’s case, extreme vomiting.
Although the high THC percentages have proven to cause dangerous side effects, not many actions have been taken to prevent them. Out of the 19 states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use, only Vermont and Connecticut have set a limit for THC concentrates. The Food and Drug Administration has warned against the products, but no federal action has been taken. Gillan Schauer, executive director of the Cannabis Regulators Association, says that this is because marijuana is still a federally illegal drug.
According to national surveys, from 2017 to 2019, the use of marijuana has increased for nearly every grade, and in 2020, 35 percent of seniors and 44 percent of college students reported to have used marijuana in the past year. This rise in marijuana use, combined with the increasing amount of THC in products has proven to be very harmful to teenagers. A study by JAMA Psychiatry reported that from 1995 to 2010, the percentages of schizophrenia diagnoses associated with marijuana use rose from two percent to six to eight percent. Additionally, Dr. Sharon Levy, the director of the Adolescent Substance Use and Addiction Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, reports to have seen a large increase in patients with psychotic symptoms.
Although there may be an increase of people using marijuana, there is solid proof that today’s marijuana products are causing psychotic symptoms. So, think again, whether it’s safe or not to take a puff.
In 1995, the average amount of THC that the Drug Enforcement Administration found in weed was about 4 percent. This number rose to 17 percent in 2017. Now, there are products such as wax and oil that boast percentages sometimes higher than 95 percent. Legalization efforts have also made products more popular. As a result, mental health issues caused by marijuana have skyrocketed.
Elysse started vaping at the age of 14. She says she got “insane euphoria,” but eventually would become anxious or sad. She used oils and waxes that were typically 90 percent THC, which she thought was safe to use because everyone around her was using them too. In reality, using these products as a teenager has an especially high chance of causing depression, psychosis, and in Elysse’s case, extreme vomiting.
Although the high THC percentages have proven to cause dangerous side effects, not many actions have been taken to prevent them. Out of the 19 states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use, only Vermont and Connecticut have set a limit for THC concentrates. The Food and Drug Administration has warned against the products, but no federal action has been taken. Gillan Schauer, executive director of the Cannabis Regulators Association, says that this is because marijuana is still a federally illegal drug.
According to national surveys, from 2017 to 2019, the use of marijuana has increased for nearly every grade, and in 2020, 35 percent of seniors and 44 percent of college students reported to have used marijuana in the past year. This rise in marijuana use, combined with the increasing amount of THC in products has proven to be very harmful to teenagers. A study by JAMA Psychiatry reported that from 1995 to 2010, the percentages of schizophrenia diagnoses associated with marijuana use rose from two percent to six to eight percent. Additionally, Dr. Sharon Levy, the director of the Adolescent Substance Use and Addiction Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, reports to have seen a large increase in patients with psychotic symptoms.
Although there may be an increase of people using marijuana, there is solid proof that today’s marijuana products are causing psychotic symptoms. So, think again, whether it’s safe or not to take a puff.
