Psychiatrists are grappling with a slew of difficult questions in the face of fast shifting social norms in the wake of the legalization of marijuana in the United States, both for medical and recreational purposes. Many concerns remain unsolved, despite a considerable amount of recent research, and it will be some time before we completely grasp how to properly include marijuana into our procedures.
Since medical marijuana was legalized in New York in 2014, I've had the opportunity to work with patients who have taken advantage of the treatment. Most of the patients administered marijuana were suffering from chronic pain, and the goal was to wean them off of heavy dosages of opioids (with varying degrees of success).
Some patients could not afford the monthly fee, which ranged from $200 to well than $300. Furthermore, it was difficult to discriminate between the effects of marijuana and other pain and mental drugs used by patients. Another problem was that no one understood how marijuana reacted with many of the drugs that were being prescribed. It was impossible to gauge the overall impact on sleep, mood, and anxiety because of the complexity of the situation at hand.
It's always been an art and a science to practice psychopharmacology, but adding opiates, alcohol, and marijuana to the mix just adds to the complexity.
Effects That Are Good
Marijuana has been used for its therapeutic and pleasurable properties since antiquity. Because of its potent anti-inflammatory properties, it's thought to be effective in the treatment of pain. Other medicinal applications include lowering chemotherapy-induced nausea in cancer patients, as well as providing comfort for people with PTSD, MS, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, and some types of epilepsy. According to Gary Wenk, a neurologist at the University of California at Berkeley, marijuana may be able to prevent memory loss as we become older by decreasing brain inflammation.
My psychiatric patients have taken it for sleeplessness, anxiety and depression with inconsistent results; in some cases, it has actually worsened their symptoms. There's also evidence to suggest that marijuana might "expand awareness," increasing one's enjoyment of the little things (listening to music, enjoying good food, and being out in nature). Marijuana usage among the elderly has surged by 75% in the previous three years. People in their 60s and 70s who are now seeking therapy for chronic medical illnesses or the anxiety that accompanies aging are often former users of marijuana. To get a medical marijuana card baltimore follow the link.
As a result of this,
Adolescence and early adulthood bring with them a number of disadvantages. People who use marijuana consistently in their early teens are more likely to have long-term memory impairment, a lower IQ, poor employment and academic performance as well as an increased chance of developing depression in maturity. As a result, people with traumatic histories are four to seven times more likely than others to develop a dependence on alcohol and other substances.
It may also lead to increased impulsivity, poor driving abilities and an increased risk of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and paranoia. Even among people who do not have a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia, the increased strength of THC in today's marijuana compared to that of the 1960s increases the risk of psychosis.
Even in adults, all of the aforementioned negative consequences may occur—but they are more problematic in adolescents and young adults, whose brains are still growing until their late 20s. Adolescent marijuana usage and ER visits involving marijuana have both skyrocketed in recent years. Because to the COVID epidemic and the reduction in the perceived danger of marijuana use, there has been an upsurge in marijuana usage among young people.
It's also worth noting that smoking marijuana may lead to an increase in bronchitis and other chronic lung diseases, which have been recorded.
Is Psychiatry Playing a Big Part?
What are my responsibilities and suggestions to my patients and the community as a psychiatrist after examining all sides of the equation? In my community, will there be an increase in the usage of marijuana among teens and young adults? It's possible that this might lead to an increase in mental illness and substance abuse, poor academic performance, and car accidents.
Medical marijuana is a new field for us, and we're just getting our feet wet in terms of dealing with it. To avoid dependence and abuse, it's important to know which conditions respond best to which THC/CBD doses and ratios, to be aware of potentially harmful drug interactions, and to use the product responsibly. It is required to transfer marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule II substance in order to conduct the necessary human studies.
