From Patrick Stewart, Snoop Dogg to Rihanna and Megan Fox and the list continues, marijuana has been dominating the media landscape for years as the soft, non-addictive drug and always surrounded by the query ‘should we legalize it?’. Besides the actual scientific medicinal benefits, marijuana misuse and long-time consumption does actually cause harm and addiction despite popular beliefs. And with Canada being among the first countries to completely legalize the use of cannabis in an effort to regulate access and eliminate the dangers of ‘illicit cannabis’, it’s more important than ever to understand the risks and know how to address addiction.
In Canada,over half (56%) of people who use it which is about 14% of the population aged over 15 years old, say they do it either daily or weekly. The most recent findings of a 2018 nationwide survey launched by Statistics which will be published every quarter of the year, reveal the habits and perceptions of Canadian people regarding marijuana use. One of the takeaways was that regardless of use, over 21% of respondents said they would be more likely to try or increase how much they use once the drug becomes legal.
What many people who use marijuana fail to realize it’s that the symptoms are right in front of them and they are usually overlooked: developing a tolerance is one of them. When the use of a drug increases but the high stays the same, that’s when the body has become physically addicted to it. And that is similar to cravings which like any other drug alter the mind and if not met, they cause symptoms such as headaches, insomnia and irritability.
Deloitte Canada partnered with RIWI Corp back in 2016 to learn more about users and the market and be better positioned to make a fair comparison after legalization. Among the questions asked which were in line with Health Canada recommendations and warnings, the 1,100 random, anonymous Canadian respondents were questioned if they think marijuana consumption can lead to addiction. While Health Canada nodded yes, 29% of them believed otherwise. Moreover, given both alcohol and cannabis are mind-altering substances and people shouldn’t be driving under the influence, 71% agreed this is true for weed compared to 85% who picked out alcohol as the substance who can impair driving. When also learning that 14% of Canadian users drive within two hours of last consuming, putting them together raises alarm over public safety, not only individual one.
Marijuana addiction can grow to be a huge challenges for Canadians if not all concerns are appropriately are addressed. Many feel like smoking a simple joint is not going to affect them in any way and sometimes it might not, but that’s not always the case. Hundreds of people are battling an addiction in a context where everyone is telling them it’s okay to do so.
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