Legalizing Marijuana: The Surprising Truths

Photo illustration by The Phoenix Spirit

Marijuana legislation is sweeping across the United States at a rapid rate. Over twenty states have now fully legalized this once illegal drug, and more will most likely follow. Minnesota is just the latest state to have joined this growing trend.

But is marijuana of the 60s and 70s the same drug which is being legalized today? Is it being used in the same way? And what are the dangers in legalizing a drug without the full implications of its use being thought through? The answers might surprise you.

Just like its predecessor alcohol, marijuana might bring greater problems than those it pertains to solving, especially with regard to health issues. It’s been nearly a century since such a drug was legalized on the same scale as this, so what problems might today’s (and future) generation face in these unprecedented rulings of legislation?

A recent webinar, Addressing the Risks of Expanded Access to Marijuana, hosted by Hazelden Betty Ford, at one of their treatment center locations in Minnesota, addresses some of these questions, provides insight into the experiences of those people who have been through marijuana addiction, and gets the experts’ view on where we go from here.

Just because something is legal, doesn’t lessen the risks involved in using it. Here’s why.

Marijuana is a plant. So, what’s so dangerous about that?

Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is extracted from the dried leaves, stems, and flowers of the Cannabis sativa or the Cannabis indica plant. In short, what makes it so dangerous are the levels of the chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) contained within it and how those levels are extracted and used.

In the webinar hosted by Hazelden Betty Ford, psychologist Dr. Portinga, stated that although marijuana is considered “safe” by many, the potency of marijuana in use today can reach ranges of up to 99% because of uses such as vaping, and gummi bears, which weren’t so readily available 50 years ago. Most marijuana contains greater than 10% THC content today, and there is six times greater the risk of developing cannabis induced psychosis than before.

This is a plant that comes with significant health-related risks.

What is Cannabis Induced Psychosis?

In the first panel discussion in the webinar, Greg discussed how his son David, a graduate of Boston University, ended up in a state of cannabis induced psychosis. He used marijuana in college, and after leaving, couldn’t successfully hold down a job, keep friends, or a relationship, in the years that followed. His days were spent getting high on daily use of marijuana. He couldn’t keep a roof over his head, without his parents’ help. He became increasingly paranoid, aggressive, disconnected from the world, and no longer experiencing reality as we know it. Eventually, after working with a several treatments centers (one at which he scared other patients with his behavior), he dried out, got clean, and today has improved to the point of holding down a job and living with his brother. After thousands of dollars’ worth of treatment.

Marijuana today is stronger and more potent – opening the door to more lethal, long-term problems.David was diagnosed with cannabis induced psychosis, because of recreational daily marijuana use.

Christine, an addict of both alcohol and marijuana (as the two often go hand-in-hand) told her story of how marijuana initially made her more “peaceful: and helped her to cope with anxiety. She used it daily in college to “meditate” and to “reward” herself for getting through the day. In reality, she found herself “folding in on herself,” becoming increasingly cut off from the real world, and becoming depressed. In law school, where she could not get away with using marijuana so easily, she became suicidal and found that it had begun to interfere with her short-term memory.

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During COVID-19, she lost her job, had to move back in with her parents, and spiraled even further. Her family noticed the toll that everything was having on her.

Ten years after first using marijuana, she finally got the help she needed and is doing better today. She was also diagnosed with cannabis induced psychosis.

How Chronic Cannabis Use Affects You

Tommy Rosen, founder of Recovery 2.0 and author, began recovery in 1989 from a severe cocaine and heroin addiction. He also smoked marijuana but, in the words of Rosen, “No treatment center in the world could get me to stop smoking pot.”

He started using marijuana at the age of 13 years. He felt that he suffered from “low grade” anxiety, and cannabis served him by helping him to relax. But at what price? He says that cannabis won’t kill you immediately, not like an opiate, or severe alcoholism, but that cannabis induced psychosis can take time (in most instances).

In the past, marijuana was often used by many people without long-term repercussions. However, marijuana today is stronger and more potent – opening the door to more lethal, long-term problems.

The consequences of using cannabis include lots of thoughts and ideas racing around in your head – but you can’t get anything done. It leads to procrastination, loss of confidence, and a feeling of powerlessness. The mind becomes “relaxed,” but cannabis induced psychosis starts to take over.

Rosen’s use of cannabis lasted 12 years. He is now 32 years sober, and he has dedicated his life to trying to help others pursue a sustainable recovery from addiction, to be able to thrive, and not just exist in life. He states that the key is in finding peace.

He says that educating and inspiring people on the natural “highs” (such as nature, love, and yoga) helps people to avoid those damaging highs induced by cannabis use.

Legislation of Marijuana: The Experts’ Perspective

Dr. Michael Parks, a research scientist, Dr. Portinga, a psychologist, and Dr. Kevin Sabet held a discussion about the facts, figures, and legislation of marijuana, in light of the recent legalization of marijuana in Minnesota. Dr. Sabet is a Drug Policy Expert who served on the Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations, as well as the co-founder and CEO of a national advocacy group called Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM).

Parks stated that, “30% of 12th graders [today] see no harm in regular cannabis use.” Adult use of cannabis is at all time high. In the under 30 years’ age range, 43% of adults have used cannabis in the past year, and 25% of adults over the age of 30 years had used cannabis in the past year.

From a public health perspective, Parks said these are some of the most dramatic increases in cannabis use in the last 2 to 4 years. As is often seen, there was a prevalence in the rate increasing among those populations who are most vulnerable. In addition, there was a prevalence in using cannabis to “cope.”

Dr. Portinga highlighted the alarming trend that back in 1999, the majority of his patients’ first use with alcohol (the drug of “choice” at that time) used to be at 16-17 years of age whereas today that has now dipped to 13-14 years of age with cannabis being the preferred “drug of choice.” Marijuana is considered “safe” by a lot of young people. It is also easier to hide its use from parents today because of the trend in vaping which is not as easy for parents to detect. In addition, there are no “crazy” types of behavior to readily spot in the beginning. People tend to isolate, withdraw, pull back from friendships, followed by irrational thoughts and a firm belief in these irrational thoughts. Again, cannabis induced psychosis, although it may take time to reach this point.

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Public Health Awareness About the Dangers of Marijuana Use

Finally, Dr. Sabet talked about how to increase public health awareness around the use of cannabis. He talked about how today’s marijuana is not the same as marijuana of the past and that decision makers (on legal precedents) were looking at the issue from a time when marijuana was more “benign.” He said that “[We are] embarking on something without thinking through the consequences.”

Dr. Sabet then made the comparison of the amount of caffeine from one 16-oz. can of Coca-Cola® in the past to 33 Grande Starbuck cappuccinos in today’s world. This is the same as comparing marijuana from the past to today’s potency.

Dr. Sabet stated that legislators of marijuana were taking their cue from the “Tobacco Playbook:”

  • Report all uses as “medicine”
  • Celebrity endorsements
  • Candy: Market to kids
  • Downplay the risks
  • Question research and/or create your own research.

Legalizing marijuana (and other drugs) often makes it more dangerous as people start to use more. It’s legal, so it must be “safe,” is the reasoning by most people. But it then becomes a greater cost to society.

Dr. Sabet thought that focusing on capping THC levels in cannabis would be a good place to start in safeguarding public health. In addition, raising awareness and educating people about the addictive nature of marijuana (and its health risks) is needed. Most people don’t realize that marijuana is addictive.

Legalization of Marijuana: What’s Next?

To close out this article, a couple of quotes from a recent article, Minnesota Legalizing Marijuana is a Big, Potentially Bad Deal, written by Drew Horowitz, CEO of Elite Recovery and Addiction Specialist, summarize how legalization of marijuana most likely will impact our communities – unless education and public health awareness is raised:

“Not only will legalization likely increase demand for mental health services and treatment, substance use disorder recovery programs will have to adapt their approaches and develop specialized programming.”

And: “As it stands currently, marijuana is illegal [pre-Minnesota ruling] and counselors are able to point to the fact that using illegal substances is highly discouraged and risky for continued sobriety. Counselors can certainly still point out that marijuana is a dangerous substance for those in recovery. Addiction, however, is an illness of justification, one that uses any angle possible to justify a return to use.”

View the full webinar as discussed in this article.


Sharon Falsetto Chapman is a published author and editor with exceptional experience writing about plants. Learn more about her freelance writing, editing, and publishing services.

Last Updated on July 10, 2023

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