Recent Studies May Raise Red Flags in CT Effort To Legalize Marijuana

Whether recently released studies in the U.S. and Europe will provide sufficient reason to pause as Connecticut edges ever closer to legalizing recreational marijuana during the current session of the state legislature remains an unanswered question. 

The “conclusion and relevance” of the latest study, published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics, specifically indicated that its “findings should be considered as states contemplate” legalization. 

That report found heavy use of marijuana by teens and young adults with mood disorders -- such as depression and bipolar disorder -- is linked to an increased risk of self-harm, suicide attempts and death.  Unintentional overdoses, suicide and homicide were the three most frequent causes of death, the research found.

Another study, conducted in Europe and published late in 2020, found that young Europeans are drinking less alcohol and also smoking less— but are increasingly dabbling with cannabis.

“Smoking and drinking among 15- to 16-year-old students are showing signs of decline, but there are concerns over potentially risky cannabis use and the challenges posed by new addictive behavior,” according to the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD).

"The perception is that marijuana is safe to use, but we need to educate parents and kids that there are risks involved, particularly with heavy and high potency cannabis use," said study author Cynthia Fontanella, an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral health at the Ohio State University's (OSU) College of Medicine, in a CNN story on the JAMA Pediatrics-published study findings.

In a follow-on article published by the OSU Wexner Medical Center and written by Fontanella summarizing the study, she noted that “in particular, patients who were older, male, Black, bipolar or “other” mood disorders, with a prior history of self-harm and previous mental health service use, including psychiatric hospitalization and emergency department visits, had a significant association with abusing marijuana.”

The analysis included included 204,780 Ohio youth (age 10 to 24 years) diagnosed with mood disorders between July 1, 2010 and Dec. 31, 2017 and followed for up to one year from the initial claim until the end of enrollment, the self-harm event or death.

Fontanella added that “unfortunately, while our observational study calls attention to these associations, it’s unable to contribute to our understanding of causality or mechanism. That’s why we plan to do more studies on the role of marijuana laws on youth mental health outcomes.”

Regarding the study of European youth across multiple nations, only 10% of those questioned said they smoked cigarettes on a daily basis — down by half compared with 25 years ago in the face of anti-smoking campaigns. The study also found more than three-quarters of those questioned had used alcohol and 47% had consumed in the past month — but the trend is downward, compared with 91% and 63% respectively in 2003.

The study found, however, that 16% of those participating in the survey admitting to trying cannabis — compared with 11% in 1995.

In the United States, marijuana use is widespread among adolescents and young adults, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, an agency within the federal government’s National Institutes of Health. The agency’s Monitoring the Future survey—an annual survey of drug use and attitudes among the Nation’s middle and high school students— found last summer that in in 2019, there was a significant increase in daily use in the younger grades. In addition, teens’ perceptions of the risks of marijuana use have steadily declined over the past decade.

In 2019, 11.8% of 8th graders reported marijuana use in the past year and 6.6% in the past month (defined as current use). Among 10th graders, the agency’s Marijuana Research Report found, 28.8% had used marijuana in the past year and 18.4% in the past month. Rates of use among 12th graders were higher still: 35.7% had used marijuana during the year prior to the survey and 22.3% used in the past month; 6.4% said they used marijuana daily or near-daily.

The report also notes that “Some research suggests that marijuana use is likely to precede use of other licit and illicit substances and the development of addiction to other substances.”  But it points out that “the majority of people who use marijuana do not go on to use other, ‘harder’ substances,” adding that “further research is needed to explore” whether marijuana is a “gateway” drug. 

The State of Massachusetts web page summarizing the “health effects of marijuana” notes that “your brain doesn’t finish developing until you are in your mid-20’s, so using marijuana before then can interfere with that. It can affect memory, learning and attention, and make problem solving harder,” adding that “we still have a lot to learn about whether marijuana use leads to mental health problems.” Marijuana is legal in Massachusetts for people 21 and older, and has been available since late 2018. Published reports indicate that as of last fall, a total of 689 licenses have been approved in Massachusetts, which includes 268 retail establishments. In total, the state’s commission regulating marijuana has received 904 completed applications to operate in over 160 municipalities. As of last October, 77 dispensary locations have begun operations in the state.

Voters in New Jersey voted last November to legalize marijuana, and the state is poised to be the 13th state to do so.  As that state’s legislature continues debate over penalties for underage marijuana use or possession, legalization has yet to take effect, according to published reports.  In his address to the New Jersey legislature two weeks ago, Gov. Phil Murphy said:

“Two months ago, you voted overwhelmingly to legalize adult-use marijuana, and begin the process of ending the racial imbalance that disproportionately penalizes black and brown people arrested for marijuana offenses.”  He added: “We’re setting up a cannabis industry that will promote the growth of new small businesses, many of which will be owned by women, minorities and veterans.”