In my psychiatric practice, I treat patients with psychotic illnesses including schizophrenia. Most were born with a genetic vulnerability to develop the disorder, but many share another important life experience: they smoked pot from an early age.
Debate has raged across Canada about the impending legalization/decriminalization of marijuana. Canadian physicians, in their role as advocates for physical and mental health, have been conspicuously absent from the debate. This troubling void in leadership is apparent from the lack of informed discourse exhibited across all forms of media. Our failure to educate Canadians regarding the potential risks of street pot, particularly for a developing brain, has important social, physical and psychological implications.
Teens and their parents have been exposed to a steady stream of pseudo-scientific nonsense about street pot: it’s safer for kids than alcohol, it improves driver safety, it cures cancer, it will usher in world peace. Due to its accessibility and social acceptability, many Canadians have come to believe pot is a benign herb. Teens are the principal market for street pot, so there’s a strong financial incentive for pot-sellers to vehemently argue it’s a safe, even healthy, personal choice.
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