Have you ever heard that marijuana is therapeutic? Have you also heard that ‘orange in the morning is gold, in the afternoon silver and at night it kills’? The veracity of one and the other are not very different, but while stopping eating oranges at night because of a myth is a bit indifferent, consuming marijuana because you believe it can help with your sleep or anxiety has important risks.
These risks are not new, but we have three scientific publications this month that confirm the magnitude of these risks and, contrary to what is sometimes reported, the weak evidence that cannabis has for therapeutic use.
The first review looked at more than 400,000 teenagers. And it confirmed what the scientific community already knew, but with more robustness. Cannabis use in adolescence is associated with an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders during adolescence and early adulthood. We talk about psychotic episodes, bipolarity, depression and anxiety. But unfortunately it’s not easy to talk about risk in adolescence, and that’s why it’s very important that anyone who influences teenagers’ behavior, whether on social media or YouTube, knows that devaluing the risks of this type of consumption is dangerous.
The other review looked at marijuana and the impact on mental health. Because people often tell me in consultations that they consume it to treat anxiety, or even to improve sleep disorders. Here too we realize that There is no robust evidence to support the use of cannabis in the treatment of mental health disorders and, on the contrary, it appears to have many adverse effects precisely in this area. They also have no indication for treating insomnia. Sometimes the placebo effect is greater, and we postpone seeking help for a problem that may have a solution. If you have anxiety, depression or insomnia, it is important that you ask for help.
The 3rd scientific publication looked at the use of cannabinoids in their therapeutic indications. Those that ended up making it possible to prescribe this substance in a clinical context. We are talking about some cases of chemotherapy-induced nausea that do not respond to other treatments, or in very selected cases of some epilepsies. The truth is that, in light of what we currently know, even in these medical indications, the evidence is insufficient and therefore the medical decision to prescribe must be well thought out, looking at the risks, and possible benefits. It should also be clear that even in these situations, it is different to smoke a joint than to take a controlled and studied dose of a certain substance.
And if you’re going to tell me “ah but it’s much better than alcohol or normal tobacco, and it even helps me sleep”, let me tell you that I always find it interesting when the championship starts what you do worse. If I say that alcohol has risks, they say “oh, but what about ultra-processed foods?” In truth, Talking about the risk of one does not imply denying the risk of another. They are different substances, with different risks. What we know is that Marijuana can be addictive, impair cognitive function, worsen psychiatric problems, increase the risk of heart problems, and affect the ability to drive safely. Alcohol, tobacco and ultra-processed foods are other risk factors, with other associated risks.
All this to say that, consuming cannabis has important risks. And most of the benefits we think they have, they don’t have any evidence. We tend to think that because it’s natural, it’s automatically safe, but it’s not. There are natural substances that can be dangerous, and there are laboratory-made medicines that save lives. So if you want to consume, do it consciously and without wrong beliefs or evidence. Otherwise, you can always talk to your doctor and ask anything you want to ask.
