The green giant

[adrotate banner="13"]

[feather_share show="twitter, google_plus, facebook, reddit, tumblr" hide="pinterest, linkedin, mail"]

I’ve stumbled upon countless articles that read something like this: “10 reasons why marijuana use is better than alcohol.” This is extremely misleading.

The abuse of any harmful substance will negatively impact your body regardless of whether it’s alcohol, or weed, or something else. There is no reason in justifying how the use of one substance is “better for you” than another.

The hungover aftermath of drinking has been heavily relayed to and experienced by university students, but the consequences of marijuana side effects haven’t been given enough thought. The short-term effects of weed are mostly common sense, but the long-term effects are what can greatly impair someone’s life. Health Canada states long-term marijuana use effects include impaired concentration and ability to make decisions, amplified depressive symptoms, anxiety, and prompting the onset of psychosis and schizophrenia. Some people can be more susceptible to the effects of regular marijuana use, which can be detrimental to their mental health.

In 2009, a study was conducted surveying 950 McMaster undergraduate students reporting on their depressive symptoms. The results from the survey concluded that about 35 percent of McMaster students reported feeling depressed, about half of the students identified having anxiety, and ten out of the 950 students had attempted suicide.

Health Canada also reported that people who come from a family with mental illnesses might be at greater risk of developing anxiety, depression, psychosis, or schizophrenia through regular use of marijuana. Anyone can be vulnerable to the side effects of marijuana similar to how people vary from light- to heavy-weight when consuming alcohol. Some students may be more tolerant of the side effects of weed and alcohol, but for others who are dealing with a mental illness, frequent use of either substance can intensify their symptoms.

It’s a major concern that students are unaware of the negative impacts of weed, especially considering the prevalence of these issues among post-secondary students. Regular marijuana use should be approached with the same precautions taken for alcohol and other substances.

Cannabis and synthesized cannabis are addictive in the same way that people can be addicted to alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, medications, and processed sugar. People develop a psychological dependency on marijuana the same way people crave alcohol. The occasional drink won’t do much harm to one’s health, but long-term repeated use of these addicting substances could lead to complex health concerns.

Students are at greater risk of being misinformed about the damaging effects marijuana and can be passive of its long-term effects. With the rise in depression and anxiety in university students, marijuana use should be treated similarly to the use of other substances, such as alcohol, and the same level of moderation should be encouraged.

[feather_share show="twitter, google_plus, facebook, reddit, tumblr" hide="pinterest, linkedin, mail"]

[adrotate banner="12"]