Marijuana or Mindfulness? Cannabis or Consciousness?

Why do some teens choose to use and abuse substances like Marijuana and alcohol, despite the possible repercussions? As the federal government scrambles to decriminalize and legalize cannabis in Canada, many questions remain unanswered, especially around how to present a clear picture of long-term consequences of drug use on the brain in order to minimize its use at this tender age.

According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Canada has one of the highest rates of cannabis use in the world (2014).

Health Canada has indicated that the effects of cannabis consumption include: dizziness, impaired memory, disorientation, confusion, impairment to motor skills, feelings of unreality etc (2016). "Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the most studied component of cannabis and is the chemical responsible for the psychoactive effect or 'high'" (CCOHS, 2018).

Some major implications around the decriminalization of cannabis are:

1. A misconception amongst youth that cannabis is not harmful to the developing brain.

2. Increased access and use of cannabis for adults could lead to greater acceptance of cannabis use amongst youth.

Having worked in high schools for many years, the perception of cannabis amongst adolescents is largely one of nonchalance. Students often cite the medicinal uses of cannabis along with positive lyrics/perceptions of cannabis from their favourite music artists. Studies on harmful effects of cannabis on the developing brain are often minimized or tuned out by adolescents. The decriminalization of cannabis can only lead to further minimizations by teens who may associate decriminalization with morally good or acceptable life choices.

Alcohol use and abuse is another arena where long-term effects are downplayed by teens and youth. Yet ironically, "in Ontario the annual cost of alcohol-related health care . . . and other problems is estimated to be at least $5 billion" (CAMH).

So why choose alcohol or 'drug-induced' highs on a regular basis? Many articles and studies have indicated that drugs like cannabis are used to deal with anxiety, depression, stress, social-anxiety etc. The recent increased focus on mental health and well-being demonstrates a clear need for people to find ways to optimize their mental health and deal with life's ups and downs. But is substance use and abuse the answer?

According to a recent Netflix documentary "Take your Pills", 3.5 million students are on medication in the US. Many of these students have been prescribed "cognitive enhancing" drugs like Adderall to treat conditions like ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). Unfortunately, a heavy reliance on these drugs to produce 'affective' changes has resulted in their heavy misuse and in some cases, abuse.

This begs the question. Are alcohol and drugs the antidote to dealing with our 'emotional' minds? And if these substances were to be avoided, what could they be replaced with?

The answer, in a nutshell, is mindfulness. The possibilities of mindfulness to treat ADD, anxiety, depression etc. has been well documented. Present moment awareness leads to lesser rumination about past or future events and furthers our ability to maintain focus, increasing cognition and memory retention.

"Being mindful makes it easier to savour the pleasures in life as they occur, helps you become fully engaged in activities, and creates a greater capacity to deal with adverse events . . . and if young people can learn (these skills) early on, they will have them to take through life" (Kelly, 2017).

So the choice becomes even clearer for young, developing minds. Marijuana or Mindfulness?