If I took one toke off a joint right now and got behind the wheel of a car, I’d probably crash. Pot and Fiona just don’t mix. Never did really.
But that’s me and my physiology. And still I’m strongly in favour of marijuana legalization. You’ve undoubtedly heard all the sound arguments against prohibition. Let’s face it, legalization makes good sense. Anyone who thinks pot is worse than alcohol need only visit an emergency room to see what causes more problems in our society. And spare me the argument that pot is a gateway drug. If that were true, almost everybody from my youth would be a crackhead. It’s also not right to burden young people with a pot possession charges that could affect their futures. Not to mention the wasted policing dollars.
But seemingly lost in all the discourse about what politician has smoked or not smoked and whether B.C. should legalize marijuana is the near silence from pot proponents such as Marc Emery and Sensible B.C.’s Dana Larsen about telling school-age youth to hold off on trying weed until their brains are more fully developed. Is that such a terrible, naive thing to ask for?
Last month, CBC TV aired a story about researchers from Université de Montreal and Mount Sinai Hospital concluding, after reviewing 120 studies examining cannabis and teenage brain development, there “is strong evidence early cannabis use puts some teens at risk of developing addiction and mental health problems as adults.” Note the word “some.” So don’t panic, parents.
Even if most kids’ brains won’t be affected by smoking pot, are Emery and Larsen comfortable seeing 13, 14, 15 and 16-year-olds skipping school to openly toke up on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery during 4/20 pot rallies? Do they consider this a healthy activity?
Emery, in particular, is especially influential with youth and his eloquence would likely go far to deter some kids from using pot until a more responsible age. Emery is still in a U.S. prison but I spoke to his wife Jodie, as passionate a pot activist as her spouse, for her thoughts on the issue of pot and youth. She vehemently disputes studies that claim pot causes brain damage.
“The studies that have been done on the brain don’t ever prove causation, they only prove correlation, which is no different than saying that drinking milk could lead to schizophrenia,” she said. “We can prove alcohol causes brain damage... But [scientists] admit they can’t actually prove that ‘we think pot causes mental health problems but we think it does so be afraid.’ And the study just released out of Montreal done on rats, well, rats are not teenagers. Studies on rats showed that rats lost interest in activity. Now, is that how we really are going to look at teenagers, comparing them to rats? It’s just absurd.”
In fact, says Emery, studies show that marijuana can grow new brain cells. “You can find that out yourself if you do your research.”
I contacted Dr. Tim Stockwell, director at the Centre for Addictions Research B.C., to get his thoughts on the overall subject. “I’m afraid I can’t quote you chapter and verse on this specific topic. I would only say that there is enough evidence for concern from a variety of sources and I would not dismiss the results of animal studies. As with any health effect from drug use the dose is important and it’s unlikely that occasional recreational use would do any measurable harm. Cannabis is not harm free and is especially not recommended for school-age children.”
With that, I asked Jodie what she would say to a 13-year-old toking up at a 4/20 rally? “I’d say you should be responsible with your use and if you’re going to do something risky educate yourself, get help if you need it, if you have problems with it don’t be afraid to seek help. But that’s not what young people are told.”
As a mother, I’d likely say: “On what planet do you think it’s OK to skip school to smoke pot at a pot rally at age 13? And why isn’t the rally organizer saying just that?”
Pete Prediger, a therapist at an alternative school program, is well acquainted with 4/20. Youth in his program and in mainstream schools skip class en masse to head to VAG every April 20 to toke up in public. Over the years, Prediger has observed a concerning trend among youth and pot. “It’s seems to be very part of their identity. They define themselves as ‘I am a pot smoker,’” he said. “It’s interesting reading a lot of blogs on legalization — that’s quite a theme also... People who smoke marijuana, it seems to be quite an identity thing for them. I see that constantly with my students and youth in my private practice... You don’t often have people who are into some sort of substance who say, ‘I am this’ [as people do with pot].”
Prediger has no issue with kids idolizing Marc Emery. He only wishes they would find a healthy outlet for themselves and build strong relationships.
Jodie Emery believes they will once pot is legalized. Use among youth will decline if experience in other jurisdictions where it is legal is any indication, she said. “Kids just won’t think it’s so cool anymore,” she said. Let’s hope so.
