“Legalization is associated with a 25% increase in marijuana use among very young people,” a “doubling of emergency room visits,” an increase in “car accidents and accidental poisoning of children,” as well as causing more “ psychiatric, reproductive, asthmatic and heart attack problems at a young age”. In Germany “a political choice was made. A choice was not made based on purely medical data”, but “on other data, perhaps socio-economic. Already last August in the German weekly 'Der Spiegel', upon the announcement of the legalization of cannabis starting from 2024, as has been the case since April 1st, the medical-scientific community was raising a cry of alarm.” Thus Antonio Bolognese, honorary professor of Surgery at the Sapienza University and scientific director of the Commission of the Order of Doctors and Dentists (Omceo) of Rome and its province for the evaluation, prevention and dissemination of the consequences of the use of cannabis and other mental disorders he area of addictions, comments to Adnkronos on the entry into force of the law which legalizes, albeit partially, cannabis in Germany.
“On the occasion of the World Day against Drugs, last June 26 – recalls Bolognese – experts were invited to the Chamber of Deputies to speak about what happened in some American states where cannabis has been legalized for several years. data show that legalization is associated with a 25% increase in marijuana consumption among the youngest, between 12 and 17 years old.” This data is particularly important, underlines the doctor, because “our brain develops up to the age of 24” and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in cannabis responsible for the 'high', causes “important problems on the development of the brain The scientifically proven damage that these drugs cause on children is manifold. In fact, it interferes with normal brain maturation in adolescents, modifies their personality and their decision-making capacity. The disorders are all the more serious the earlier the first intake and the more it is frequent and long-lasting. In addition to deficits in attention, memory and therefore learning – continues the expert – there is evidence of difficulty concentrating, even a decrease in IQ of around 8 points in those who constantly use recreational cannabis Added to this is an altered perception and interpretation of reality, a reduction in motivation to commit to tackling problems.”
As for public health, “from 2011 to 2021 – Bolognese points out – emergency room visits related to marijuana have practically doubled. In general, those who use cannabis are 25% more likely to go to the emergency room or be hospitalized higher than non-users. In California – he reports – hospitalizations related to abuse increased by 89% after legalization and in Colorado by 148%”.
The cases of children under 12 years of age exposed to the risk of “poisoning from cannabis accidentally consumed at home” are also increasing up to 4 times – continues the doctor – because it is present, for example, in foods such as biscuits or other things. “From 2018 to 2020 – explains Bolognese – the cases went from 598 to 2,470. Calls for marijuana poisoning in Colorado increased by 586% from 2012 to 2019, by 214.5% in the state of Washington”. Then there are car accidents associated with cannabis use. “In Colorado – lists the expert – one in 4 fatal accidents is linked to marijuana. In 2020, 24.3% of drivers involved in fatal accidents were positive for THC compared to 14.8% in 2013. Compared to alcohol , which gives a sense of euphoria – he specifies – THC in fact gives a reduction in the perception of risk”.
According to Bolognese “cannabis is not a soft drug, because it is addictive and causes more or less serious damage based on genetic predisposition. It's like with cigarettes: for some, one cigarette is enough to have the effect of nicotine, others smoke entire packs in a day to quell the need. In a predisposed subject”, what for another are low doses of THC “can cause serious consequences on mental health. The onset of psychosis and schizophrenia can be up to 4 times higher in those who continuously use cannabis, but it has been proven that the cases of children who have a situation of anxiety, marked depression and who attempt suicide are also increasing”. The doctor recommends: “You need to tell kids that if they have discomfort, a state of anxiety, they shouldn't listen to a friend who recommends smoking a joint. It doesn't reduce anxiety. Youthful discomfort is treated differently, not with marijuana “.
The effects of cannabis are also found on other systems, describes Bolognese. At an endocrinological level, in sexual development, for example, there is “a decrease in the number of spermatozoa in boys or a reduction in ovarian development in girls. On the respiratory system, cannabis causes damage at the level of the parenchyma”, i.e. the tissue ” pulmonary. Cases of bronchial asthma among consumers are growing.” Furthermore, there is damage at the cardiac level: various studies confirm that “in the United States, cases of ischemia and myocardial infarctions at a young age are increasingly frequent, especially due to the use of these joints with very high THC content”, which it can be achieved simply by “increasing the number of legal joints”.
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