$49.1 Billion: That is the cost of harms related to Substance use in Canada

The total cost of short-term disability due to substance use was $4.1 billion in 2020 (the latest year for which data are available). This works out to $107 per person in Canada.

Between 2007 and 2020, 80% of the productivity losses from absenteeism and presenteeism were primarily due to alcohol and tobacco. This has remained stable between 2007 and 2020.

However, cannabis and other central nervous stimulants like methamphetamine showed the highest rate of increase during that time (206% and 331%, respectively).

Fentanyl death rates higher in US states in that have legalized Cannabis for recreational or \’medicinal\’ purposes

Apparently, it does Lie…Cocaine…

August 28, 2024By WRD News Team

Also see Global: The \’Drug of Choice\’ for the Cashed Up! It\’s Past Time to \’D\’ Brand Cocaine?

Cocaine has long been a staple of British nightlife and social culture, particularly among certain generations. Its usage reflects not only social habits but also wider cultural and economic trends. While Gen X and millennials have historically embraced cocaine as part of their social fabric, recent shifts highlight a changing landscape in drug consumption, especially with the rise of Gen Z.

Cocaine Culture Among Gen X and Millennials

In London and other major UK cities, cocaine use has become almost synonymous with urban socialising. The drug, often referred to colloquially as “gak,” is a common fixture in the nightlife scene. For many in Gen X and millennials, cocaine was seen as a social lubricant, a means to extend working hours and enhance social gatherings. This generation’s relationship with cocaine is rooted in pre-2008 financial crash attitudes—marked by excess, long work hours, and relentless socialising. Cocaine use has been so prevalent that traces were famously detected in the River Thames, highlighting its pervasive nature.

Despite the ethical concerns surrounding cocaine, such as its association with organised crime and violence, as well as its financial burden—cocaine can cost up to £100 per gram in London—the drug remains popular. It’s become a routine part of social events, from after-work drinks to festivals and international football tournaments. Yet, this very ubiquity has started to erode its appeal, with many seeing its omnipresence as a reason for declining interest.

Statistics and Social Observations

The prevalence of cocaine use in Britain is notable, with one in 40 British adults reportedly using the drug, making it the leading consumer in Europe and second globally. However, recent data shows a shift: student drug use has halved since the 1990s, and only 5.1% of 16- to 24-year-olds currently identify as cocaine users. This decline suggests a generational shift away from cocaine, influenced by changing social norms and attitudes.

Gen Z’s Impact on Drug Trends

Gen Z is reshaping the landscape of drug use with their more conservative and health-focused outlook. Known for drinking less and having fewer teen pregnancies, Gen Z values well-being and sustainability. This is reflected in their reduced drug consumption, including cocaine. Unlike their predecessors, they are less influenced by the hedonistic, work-hard-play-hard culture that characterised Gen X and millennials.

Gen Z’s cautious approach to social media also means fewer risky behaviours are broadcasted, contrasting sharply with the oversharing tendencies of millennials. Additionally, Gen Z’s awareness of drug trafficking’s human cost and the ethical implications of cocaine use further discourages its consumption.

Cultural and Generational Shifts

Drug trends have historically aligned with generational identities. The boomer generation popularised marijuana, while the 80s yuppies leaned into cocaine for its ability to sustain long work hours. The 90s saw a shift to ecstasy during the rave culture era. Now, as cocaine reaches saturation, new preferences are emerging, potentially leading to a rise in hallucinogens like magic mushrooms, which saw an increase of 100,000 users between 2020 and 2023 according to recent data.

Millennials, often unable to afford traditional milestones like home ownership and parenthood, continue to cling to cocaine as a remnant of their youth. However, for Gen Z, who grew up amidst economic and environmental crises, cocaine’s appeal has waned, replaced by a broader focus on health and sustainability.

Future of Drug Use in Britain

As cocaine’s cultural cachet declines, the question remains: what will replace it? With Gen Z’s focus on well-being, substances that align with a healthier lifestyle, like microdosing psychedelics, might take precedence. This shift also represents a broader trend towards more mindful consumption.

While cocaine may remain persistent in certain circles, its status as a symbol of social and cultural rebellion is likely to diminish. As generational attitudes continue to evolve, the future of drug use in Britain will likely reflect the values and priorities of the emerging generations.

Source: WRD News

Drug Enforcment Administration

It comes as no surprise to any non-substance using person who is able to look past the pro-drug propaganda permeating our media and takes but a cursory glance at the drivers behind this continuing cartel chaos – that it is ever increasing \’permission models\’ that fuel the ever-growing demand. Demand that in turn, fuels the supply of these utterly deadly psychotropic toxins. Once dependency and the, all but inevitable, addiction emerge, then your \’demand metric\’ is almost set in concrete – cement that requires not the \’hardening agent’ of faux decriminalization or worse legalization, it requires something much better to rescue a culture in the grips of social suicide, parading as progressive libertarianism.

Excerpt from Executive Summary:

Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced, killing nearly 38,000 Americans in the first six months of 2023 alone. Fentanyl and other synthetic drugs, like methamphetamine, are responsible for nearly all of the fatal drug overdoses and poisoningsin our country.2 In pill form, fentanyl is made to resemble a genuine prescription drug tablet, with potentially fatal outcomes for users who take a pill from someone other than a doctor orpharmacist. Users of other illegal drugs risk taking already dangerous drugs like cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine laced or replaced with powder fentanyl. Synthetic drugs have transformed not only the drug landscape in the United States, with deadly consequences to public health and safety; synthetic drugs have also transformed the criminal landscape in the United States, as the drug cartels who make these drugs reap huge profits from their sale.

Mexican cartels profit by producing synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl (a synthetic opioid) and methamphetamine (a synthetic stimulant), that are not subject to the same production challenges as traditional plant-based drugs like cocaine and heroin – such as weather, crop cycles, or government eradication efforts. Synthetic drugs pose an increasing threat to U.S. communities because they can be made anywhere, at any time, given the required chemicals and equipment and basic know-how. Health officials, regulators, and law enforcement are constantly challenged to quickly identify and act against the fentanyl threat, and the threat of new synthetic drugs appearing on the market. The deadly reach of theMexican Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels into U.S. communities is extended by the wholesale-level traffickers and street dealers bringing the cartels’ drugs to market, sometimes creating their own deadly drug mixtures, and exploiting social media and messaging applications to advertise and sell to customers.

The Sinaloa Cartel and the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (also known as CJNG or the Jalisco Cartel) are the main criminal organizations in Mexico, and the most dangerous. They control clandestine drug production sites and transportation routes inside Mexico and smuggling corridors into the United States and maintain large network “hubs” in U.S. cities along the Southwest Border and other key locations across the United States. The Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels are called “transnational criminal organizations” because they are not just drug manufacturers and traffickers; they are organized crime groups, involved in arms trafficking, money laundering, migrant smuggling, sex trafficking, bribery, extortion, and a host of other crimes – and have a global reach extending into strategic transportation zones and profitable drug markets in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.

For Complete Report – Click Here to Download

Also see \’Resiliency, Substance Use & Sustainable Development Goals\’

EXCLUSIVE: AMA’S SUPPORT FOR DRUG DECRIMINALIZATION SHOULDN’T BE MISCONSTRUED

By Stuart Gitlow, MD, MPH August 5, 2024

For 30 years I’ve treated thousands of patients with the disease of addiction. My primary focus has been on patients with opioid use disorder, and, thankfully, there are effective and long-lasting forms of treatment available. Many individuals suffering from other chronic life-threatening illnesses are less lucky. If you told me that a treatment for diabetes was relatively inexpensive, easy to take, and works nearly all the time, my expectation would be that I would very rarely encounter someone with abnormal blood sugars. However, despite there being a treatment for opioid use disorder that is relatively inexpensive, easy to take, and works most of the time, the opioid-related death rate has been rising.

Addiction is a brain disease that impacts 10 to 15 percent of the population. Individuals with the illness, at their baseline, are uncomfortable. They seek out a specific substance because it is perceived as the only way to address this discomfort. Figuring out how to get people into treatment is the key to reducing the mortality rate.

To promote greater access to drug treatment, the American Medical Association (AMA) recently put forward a new policy to support the elimination of criminal penalties for drug possession for personal use. Current drug policies, which label people who use certain drugs as criminals, lead to negative stereotypes, social isolation, and significant collateral harms, especially for people of color. Such policies can also stigmatize people to the point of extreme shame, leaving them little motivation to seek help.

Sadly, nearly all of my opioid-using patients are criminals under the law. Sometimes it is due to their behavior stemming from opioid use, while for others it is merely the use of substances – the direct product of their illness. Most have spent time in jail or prison. They are stigmatized by employers, landlords and others, often facing significant financial difficulties. This creates great emotional pain and severe obstacles to long-term well-being. It also leaves patients with difficulty accessing care, finding treatment, and living a problem-free life once they are in recovery.

Removing criminal sanctions against drug users does not mean there is no role for the criminal justice system. But it must be a different role.  Many individuals with addiction end up in the criminal justice system for nondrug crimes because of their disease. Thus, it is important to create a strong partnership between public safety and public health. Everyone’s journey to recovery looks different. For some, drug treatment courts, which incentivize recovery and encourage treatment, may be the best path. For others, drug treatment programs that are implemented during incarceration may have greater success. But simply criminalizing drug users helps no one.

It’s important to note that not all decriminalization efforts are alike, and there are important distinctions that should be made. The AMA’s policy position was careful to ensure that removal of criminal penalties does not take place in a vacuum. It recognizes the challenges faced in places like Oregon and British Columbia, like increased overdose rates and public disorder, followed their decriminalization policies. But those policies were not accompanied by increased accessibility to treatment.

This new policy position is not meant to downplay the costs of addiction to the family and wider community. Rather, it indicates that the removal of criminal penalties should be a component of a larger set of related public health and legal reforms that include funding and facilitation of access to appropriate care, prevention, early intervention, treatment, harm reduction, and other supportive services, all based on individual needs and with availability in all communities.

Non-criminal sanctions remain important. and these could include driving restrictions/suspensions, restricting access to firearms, civil fines, and community service.  It’s widely understood that such sanctions can be important incentives to encourage individuals to seek treatment. Of course, without a fully funded and fully accessible treatment system, we cannot expect removing criminal penalties alone will lead people to treatment.

Barriers to care run deep and they are not necessarily easy to overcome. Primary care clinicians require training that would allow them to provide appropriate basic care. Increased availability and access to addiction specialist physicians is necessary. Clinicians should not feel at risk legally simply by virtue of their being a high prescriber of the controlled substances often necessary for the treatment of this patient population. Communities should be able to develop public support programs without fear of federal prosecution. These systems are not difficult to develop because they exist for other chronic conditions, but they must be replicated.

A stepwise process in any policy change would be reasonable. Studying the outcome each step of the way and ensuring that adequate treatment availability is present ensures efficacy. Adjustment of various treatment aspects might be necessary, development of civil sanction might be required, and alteration of existing laws with respect to treatment approaches is necessary. All of this could take place to various extents in different communities.

We need to celebrate and promote recovery from substance use disorders. Patients should not live their lives with the shadow of felonies looming over them just because they suffer from a particular disease. Just like patients with hypertension, patients with addiction should be able to access care, obtain treatment, get better, and live productive, healthy lives. Ensuring the alignment of public safety and public health systems is central to this goal.

Dr. Stuart Gitlow is a Past President of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and Past Chair of the AMA’s Council on Science & Public Health.

© 2024 – The Drug Report | Contact Us | Become a Sponsor |  TDR Podcast

Also see Re-tasking the Judicial Educator to Rehabilitate Not Incarcerate

“It’s not that difficult to overcome these seemingly ghastly problems [drug addiction]… what’s hard is to decide to do it.” Robert Downey Jnr

Cocaine Use on the Rise in Europe

JULY 13, 2024 BY WRD NEWS TEAM

According to the European Drug Report 2024, cocaine is the second most commonly used illicit drug in Europe, after cannabis. The report found that cocaine use is highest in Western and Central Europe, and that men are more likely to use cocaine than women. People who use cocaine are also more likely to come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The report also discusses the health effects of cocaine use. Cocaine is a stimulant drug that can cause a variety of negative health consequences, including heart problems, respiratory problems, and mental health problems.

The report found that the availability of cocaine in Europe appears to be increasing. This is likely due to increased trafficking from South America. Cocaine is a highly addictive drug, and the increase in availability is a cause for concern.

Measures to Address Cocaine Use

The European Drug Report 2024 calls for a number of measures to address the problem of cocaine use in Europe. These measures include:

• Increased investment in prevention and treatment services
• Stronger law enforcement measures to disrupt cocaine trafficking
• Improved education and awareness campaigns

Cocaine use is a serious problem in Europe. The measures outlined in the European Drug Report 2024 are essential to address this problem.

If you or someone you know is struggling with cocaine use, please seek help from a healthcare professional.

Source WRDNews

#cannabisculture not a \’just\’ one!

JULY 9, 2024

Dr. Kevin A. Sabet’s recent column in the Baltimore Sun, titled “Pardons Prove Marijuana Legalisation Isn’t About Social Justice,” discusses Governor Wes Moore’s recent pardon of over 175,000 prior marijuana convictions in Maryland. The piece delves into the complexities of marijuana legalisation and its implications on social justice, critiquing the marijuana addiction-for-profit industry.

Governor Wes Moore’s Recent Pardons

Last week, Governor Wes Moore pardoned more than 175,000 prior marijuana convictions, affecting over 100,000 individuals. This historic move came nearly two years after Maryland voted to legalise marijuana. While Moore’s decision is a step in the right direction, it is seen by some as a belated acknowledgment that marijuana legalisation does not inherently address social justice issues. The charges pardoned were related to low-level possession and paraphernalia offences.

Moore’s action mirrors President Joe Biden’s 2022 federal pardons for low-level marijuana possession. Moore described his decision as “the most sweeping state-level pardon in any state in American history.” Despite the magnitude of this pardon, it will not lead to the release of any prisoners, nor will it expunge the criminal records of those convicted.

The Narrative of Marijuana Legalisation

Sabet argues that the narrative pushed by marijuana profiteers—that legalising marijuana addresses systemic injustices—is misleading. Statistics show that people of colour are almost six times more likely to be arrested for all drugs, including marijuana, than whites. This disparity persists even with legalisation, which has given rise to a multi-billion-dollar industry.

Impact on Communities

The commercialisation of marijuana has exacerbated many underlying contributors to systemic injustice. Rather than reducing inequities, legalisation has created new economic disparities and public health issues. The impact of marijuana legalisation on communities, particularly communities of colour, remains contentious.

Sabet emphasises that the fight against the harmful impacts of marijuana legalisation is far from over. He encourages continued advocacy and education to combat the narratives promoted by the marijuana industry, aiming to protect vulnerable communities and promote genuine social justice.

Source: DB Recovery Resources

Won\’t Change Usage Patterns???

Rising Cannabis Use in the US: Mirror of Changing Legislation and Potential Impact

JULY 1, 2024

The key takeaway: changes in cannabis legislation significantly impact use patterns.

The study reveals a clear increase in cannabis use, particularly regarding daily use, which now surpasses reported daily alcohol use. These trends, alongside growing awareness of cannabis toxidromes (adverse reactions), hold valuable insights for healthcare professionals evaluating patients with altered mental states.

Global Cannabis Policy Shift and US Trends

As numerous countries contemplate cannabis policy revisions, this US-based study offers valuable insights. Researchers aimed to quantify long-term cannabis use trends and compare them with alcohol use patterns.

The analysis involved secondary analysis of data from the NSDUH and its predecessors, encompassing a total of 1,641,041 participants across 27 surveys conducted between 1979 and 2022.

Measurements and Key Findings

The study examined self-reported cannabis use rates and trends in usage days. Four pivotal years were compared:

• 1979: First available data and conclusion of the relatively liberal cannabis policies of the 1970s.
• 1992: Marking the end of 12 years under conservative cannabis policies of the Reagan-Bush era.
• 2008: The last year before the Justice Department signalled non-interference with state-level legalisations.
• 2022: Reflecting the most recent data available.

The findings paint a clear picture:

• Reported cannabis use dipped to a low point in 1992, with a partial recovery by 2008. Since then, a substantial surge has occurred, particularly in measures reflecting more intensive use.
• Between 2008 and 2022, the past-year use rate per capita climbed by 120%, and reported use days per capita soared by 218% (translating to an annual equivalent increase from 2.3 billion to 8.1 billion days).
• Notably, the per capita rate for daily or near-daily use saw a 15-fold increase from 1992 to 2022.

Shifting Landscape: Cannabis Now Tops Daily Use of Alcohol

A striking shift is evident:

• In 1992, daily or near-daily alcohol users outnumbered cannabis users by a factor of 10 (8.9 million vs. 0.9 million).
• By 2022, for the first time, daily and near-daily cannabis users surpassed alcohol users (17.7 million vs. 14.7 million).

It’s important to note that while alcohol consumption remains more widespread, high-frequency drinking is less prevalent. In 2022, the median drinker reported consuming alcohol 4-5 days per month, compared to 15-16 days for cannabis users. Additionally, past-month cannabis consumers in 2022 were nearly four times more likely to report daily or near-daily use (42.3% vs. 10.9%) and over seven times more likely to report daily use (28.2% vs. 3.8%) compared to alcohol users.

Source: WRD News

What You Need to Know Now!

REVIEWS, TESTIMONIES

NEW BOOK PROVIDES PLATFORM TO WARN OTHER PARENTS

JULY 9, 2024 EDITOR

We’re sick and tired of being ridiculed, ostracized and shamed by those who deny the way marijuana can ruin lives!  At last, the parents have a platform in print! When your child has a drug problem — and that drug is marijuana — they may not know it. But there is no limit to the entire family’s suffering. 

For Laura Stack, the outcome was the worst, the death of her son Johnny. Laura told that story in her book, The Dangerous Truth About Today’s Marijuana.  She also gave valuable insights into the science behind the harms of cannabis. 

Johnny’s Ambassador Publishing recently released its second book, The Impact of THC on Our Children: A Parent’s Worst Nightmare. In the new book, twenty-four other parents or families tell their story of the THC nightmare. Amazon.com sells the book in paperback, hardcover, Kindle and audible formats. The stories reveal the dangers of THC use and addiction on teens and young adults. The outcomes include severe mental illness, psychosis and suicide.

While marijuana advocates blame us for “bad parenting,” these stories prove the parents’ earnest efforts to stop the descent into mental illness and addiction.  Laura Stack’s Youth Marijuana Prevention conference begins tomorrow, July 10, and continues on July 11. There’s still time to register.

What the stories reveal

Many stories repeat a common scenario:  hospitalization, treatment centers, relapses and more hospitalizations. Some of the victims recovered, but it was never a straight or easy path. In so many cases, the children were adamant that it wasn’t the cannabis that caused their problems. For some, only the stint in jail gave them the chance to become sober.

In the same vein, Newsweek published a riveting story two weeks ago, I Lost my Sweet Son to Cannabis, It Devastated Him. In her article, Laura Balboni Craciun explains, a common condition called anosognosia, when a person who has delusions person is unaware of their illness and need for treatment.   (Her son is in jail; Nick stopped his marijuana use, but the delusions stay.) She wishes every parent knew that marijuana can cause psychosis.

A theme that runs through many stories is parents’ ignorance of cannabis-induced psychosis.  Most of the parents did not believe in “Reefer Madness” before it fell upon their own. One of the writers admitted to being a current cannabis user when her son fell into psychosis.  Some first learned of their child’s cannabis use only because of hospitalization.  Fortunately, more psychiatrists recognize cannabis-induced psychosis as a serious problem.

Another theme running through the book is the inadequacy of the system for treating cannabis-induced psychosis.  This inadequacy can be attributed to our broken mental health care system; lack of education; denial of the problem, and a drug policy that places primacy on harm reduction over prevention and treatment.

Two stories in the book were told by writers of our testimonies, but most of the testimonies are new to us. In the book, the stories are longer and more detailed. 

Who are the Parents and Why Now?

Since the Biden Administration’s erroneous move to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, the lessons from these stories must be shared. Our country was foolish to allow Colorado and other states to legalize pot. That so many of the stories come from Colorado should not surprise the reader. (Johnny Stack’s family lives in Colorado.)

“We tell our stories so no other young adult falls victim to these effects,” Stack said. “I hope readers find this book helpful in their efforts to guide their children to prevent or stop THC use before it’s too late. I wish there had been a book like this for me.”

Today’s marijuana is much stronger than in the past, and the THC concentrates can have 90%+ THC content in dabs, oils and edibles compared to the 1% in cannabis in the 1960s. With the legalization of marijuana and high-potency THC in states across the nation, there are strong misperceptions about the safety of the drug. When teens smoke, vape, dab, or use edibles to get high, the effects have a strong impact on brain development. The brain does not stop developing until age 25 or older, so using cannabis before brain development is complete can be especially devastating.

What’s New in the Book?

Christine L. Miller, PhD. provided two important appendices to the book. Appendix I presents “The Bradford Hill Analysis of Causation Applied to Cannabis Use and the Development of Chronic Psychotic Disorders.” Written with Catherine Antley, M.D. and Dean Whitlock, editor, an earlier version appears on the IASIC website.  Carsten Hjorsthoj, PhD, Associate Professor at the Copenhagen Research Center for Mental Health, contributed.

The authors show that cannabis use can be an independent factor in the development of a chronic psychotic disorder.  Had they not previously used cannabis, some people who develop schizophrenia would not have the illness.

Dr. Miller wrote a second Appendix, Applying the Bradford Hill Criteria for Causation to the Relationship Between Marijuana Use and Suicidal Behavior. Step by step, she shows that it is not just correlation, which is often the first criterion required to indicate causation. Those who still disagree need to tread the book! The two appendices quote a multitude of scientific sources.  

In 1965, Sir Bradford Hill developed a set of tests designed to reveal causal relationships in epidemiology.  The Bradford Hill criteria were applied to determine the relationship between smoking cigarettes and the development of lung cancer.

Johnny’s Ambassadors

Johnny’s Ambassadors has been on a mission to educate parents, teens and communities about the dangers of THC products. Laura Stack is holding a conference this week, Marijuana Facts Week.

To learn more about their youth THC prevention education, visit www.johnnysambassadors.org.  July 10 is “Stop Dabbing Day,” as pot advocates use the date of 710 (OIL backward) to promote cannabis oil, i.e., “dabs,” a dangerous method of consuming THC.

Poppot recommends that parents read both of Laura Stack’s books, follow her website, Poppot.org, MomsStrong.org and EveryBrainMatters.org.

(\’Education\’ works – Both Ways! Anti-booze and pro-weed, see\’s usage shift)

JUNE 17, 2024 EDITOR

For the first time, more Americans are using marijuana daily or near daily than are drinking alcohol daily. This monumental shift, spanning more than three decades, reflects the consequences of legalized recreational and medical cannabis.  

The increase was foreshadowed by the alarming rise of daily teen pot use during the last decade.

In real terms, a much larger proportion of the US population drinks than uses cannabis.  But the proportion of alcohol users who have a problem with it seems to be considerably smaller than the proportion of marijuana users with a Cannabis Use Disorder.  Regular pot users are more likely wake-n-bake, while most daily drinkers don’t drink all day.  

Rise in Daily Teen Marijuana Use

By 2016, daily pot use among high school seniors reached 6 percent. It has continued hover around 6 to 6.5 percent since time. In contrast, daily drinking by teens remains around 2 percent or slightly less.

When NIDA and University of Michigan’s Monitoring the Future Study demonstrated the rise in daily teen pot use, we sounded the alarm.  Our warning in late 2016 was:

“Many of these young, habitual tokers, are potential addicts–if not yet addicted.  They may stick to marijuana which is extremely potent today–5x more potent than it was in 70s.  Or they may go onto other drugs, or slide into alcoholism as they turn the legal age to buy booze.”  At the same time opioid and heroin use were going down with teens.

The number of drug overdose deaths have more than doubled since that time, now counting around 108,000 a year. How could this happen after Harm Reduction became widespread? One part of the answer is fentanyl, currently the main driver of the overdose crisis. But — as we’ve shown previously — many teens graduate directly from marijuana use to fentanyl. Often they don’t know what’s in the pill. Although marijuana lobbyists deny the gateway effect, marijuana remains the gateway for those who use other drugs and die from drugs.

Our warnings were prescient.  Marijuana drives both the mental health crisis of today and the addiction crisis!

Concerning Numbers

According to a recent analysis of national survey data, conducted in 2022, an estimated 17.7 million people reported using marijuana on a daily or near-daily basis, compared to 14.7 million who reported similar levels of alcohol consumption.

This stark contrast marks a significant departure from 1992, when less than one million individuals reported daily marijuana use during a period of relative decline.

While alcohol remains more widely consumed overall, the emergence of daily marijuana use surpassing daily alcohol intake in 2022 is a watershed moment, as highlighted by Jonathan Caulkins, a leading cannabis policy researcher at Carnegie Mellon University.

Caulkins noted, “A notable 40% of current cannabis users are engaging in daily or near-daily consumption, a pattern reminiscent of tobacco use rather than traditional alcohol consumption.”

From 1992 to 2022, the per capita rate of reporting daily or near-daily marijuana use surged dramatically, increasing fifteen-fold.  Although legalizers dress their arguments in political terms such as “freedom” and “regulation,” it’s entirely about using political donations to sway public opinion and create a new addiction industry.

Changing Attitudes

Caulkins acknowledged the possibility of heightened reporting as societal attitudes toward marijuana become more accepting, potentially inflating the observed increase.

In real terms there are far more users of alcohol in the USA than cannabis users (65-69% of adults used alcohol at least once in the past year vs. 15-20% who used cannabis) According to Naomi Schaefer Riley, an estimated 20% of men now use cannabis, and 14% of women use it.

We take caution with these figures because problematic alcohol users can hide the extent of their use, while current cannabis users push its popularity in order to legalize it nationally.  

Current cannabis users push the idea that it is safe and not addictive.  DENIAL is a frequent trait of those who abuse substances, but no one denies alcohol’s or cocaine’s addictiveness the way they deny the addictiveness of marijuana. 

Long-Term Consequences

Dr. David A. Gorelick, a psychiatry professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, emphasized the hazards associated with daily marijuana use, including addiction and the development of severe mental illness.

“High-frequency use also increases the risk of developing cannabis-associated psychosis,” a loss of reality, Dr. Gorelick said.  Cannabis-induced psychosis can prefigure the development of schizophrenia, but the legalization of the drug has not 

What Can We Learn From This?

With an increasing number of individuals engaging in daily marijuana consumption, the potential for problematic use and adverse health outcomes is a growing concern.

This new information highlights the sobering and inescapable fact that expanded marijuana legalization leads to greater – and more frequent – use of an addictive mind-altering gateway drug that contributes to worsened mental health.   Mental health in our country has been getting worse since before the pandemic, and now we contend with the turbocharged pot of today. 

Daily use of ANY intoxicant is generally considered problematic – alcohol, illicit drugs, opioid painkillers, but cannabis has the most negative effects on the brains or our youth.

The new information shows just one more reason why this drug should not be rescheduled.  We urge our readers to oppose rescheduling marijuana, using SAM’s handing form.

(SOURCE: Daily Marijuana Users in the US Outnumber Daily Drinkers – Parents Opposed to Pot (poppot.org))