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This commentary is by Rachel Stark of Shrewsbury, executive director of Spring Lake Ranch Therapeutic Community.
In May, the Biden administration announced plans to move marijuana from a Schedule I substance to a Schedule III substance. At first glance, this may not mean much for a state like Vermont, where marijuana is legal, but it is the most balanced federal state with increased regulation, education, and resources for people struggling with mental health and substance use. It suggests a change in level. problem.
Spring Lake Ranch Therapeutic Community is a residential facility near Rutland that works to treat adults with co-occurring mental illness and substance use. The most common primary diagnoses for intake are bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and schizophrenia.
Cannabis is the most commonly reported substance problem when consumed, either alone or in combination with other drugs. Marijuana use was prevalent among the population even before their arrival, with many experiencing an association between the drug and increased mental and emotional distress and even psychosis. This is why when the pot industry gets a boost, it gives us pause.
This schedule change would not make marijuana federally legal, but it would place it in a low-risk category alongside drugs like anabolic steroids and ketamine. Like these drugs, cannabis appears to have health applications. Limited research shows that it improves the side effects of chemotherapy, chronic pain, and symptoms in people with multiple sclerosis. For many people, the benefits of marijuana outweigh its risks.
What are those risks? To understand them, we have to talk about what weed actually is today. THC is a psychoactive drug, the chemical found in cannabis that causes the “high” that many users desire. CBD, another compound found in cannabis, acts as an antipsychotic by balancing out THC.
Marijuana from the “60s and 70s” had low concentrations of THC (usually less than 2%) and similar concentrations of CBD. Modern marijuana flower has increased the potency of THC by more than 200%, while decreasing CBD levels. Concentrated marijuana products can be as strong as 95% THC and may contain no CBD at all. High THC products are more likely to cause serious side effects such as panic attacks, addiction, and psychosis, especially for children and young people. Some studies suggest that regular marijuana use before the age of 25 can delay brain development and cause declines in executive function, learning, and motivation.
In states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use, use has increased among young people, who are most vulnerable to the harmful effects of marijuana. Vermont, which decriminalized marijuana in 2013, has the highest rate of marijuana use in the nation, highest among people ages 12 to 25. Among Vermont high school students surveyed in 2019, more than one in four high school students reported using a cannabis product in the past 30 days.
Accidental ingestion rates among Vermonters under 25 have increased since legalization in 2018, with the rate of nonfatal unintentional overdoses expected to increase from 3.2 per 10,000 emergency department visits in 2018 to 2022. has more than doubled to 6.7 cases. For young people who experience psychosis and other severe side effects of cannabis overdose, the experience can be life-altering.
Here in Vermont, 46% of high school students surveyed by the Department of Health in 2021 reported that they believed weekly use had little or no risk. This is true even though studies have linked cannabis use to depression, anxiety, and addiction. Marijuana is generally said to be non-addictive, but some data shows that 9% of marijuana users experience cannabis dependence. People who use marijuana daily have up to a 50% chance of developing dependence, especially if they used marijuana before adulthood.
The rescheduling implies that the change is happening because marijuana is harmless. This also means those in the pot industry could see lower taxes, leading to more advertising and availability.
One benefit of the schedule change is that more research is possible because restrictions on research approval and supply have been relaxed. Researchers have long complained that government-provided marijuana is significantly less potent than the marijuana consumed by the average American. The schedule change will allow researchers to study more general efficacy.
More comprehensive research will provide a clearer picture of marijuana use. As new results are released, Vermont will need to respond with informed regulation of THC content and standardized dosing at the federal level. Most importantly, we need to devote significant resources to public health campaigns that educate Vermonters about risks, prevention programs, and mental health care.
Spring Lake Ranch draws residents from all over the country to Vermont. Most are in their 20s and 30s. After discharge, many clients remain in Vermont and become part of the state's larger community. Living a sober life is great for your overall mental health, but it's a challenge in a state with the highest drug use in the country.
We work diligently to provide our graduates with the tools to stay mentally and emotionally healthy. This means staying up to date with new research. That means ignoring the black-and-white messages coming from both sides of the marijuana debate. That means changing the way we talk about marijuana, and changing the way we consume — or don't consume — marijuana, starting with young people.
We are asking our fellow Vermonters, especially our legislators and regulators, to take these additional steps to ensure a healthy future for Vermonters facing mental health and substance use issues. It is to participate in what is being taught.
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