There is still much we don’t know about the risks and benefits, and lawmakers don’t always take into account what we do know.
Since 2017, a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine entitled The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids has served as a warning, even though cannabis has become legal. This systematic and comprehensive review states that the lack of rigorous research on the health effects of cannabis poses a risk to public health. In other words, research to date has not provided a clear answer as to whether cannabis is safe or dangerous when it comes to its long-term health effects in areas such as heart disease risk. The lack of evidence about the various health effects of cannabis users leads to confusion among patients, health professionals and policy makers.
Although cannabis research has made significant progress over the past five years, the translation of evidence at the bedside has sometimes left an important step. During my own research in South Florida, most of our new users did not know that there are many things in the cannabis sector in general, each with its own health effects. During an interview, one participant said that hearing about the pain-relieving cannabis salve made him start smoking. This example is not unique.
It’s not that the health benefits are said that the dangers of cannabis are hidden from the American public. Cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in particular, have sparked discussion among health professionals, patients and the public. But I have noticed right away how many people who use cannabis understand what they are consuming. In our sample, only 4% know the composition of the cannabis product or flower they use, both in terms of cannabinoids and fillers.
The results of our study and others suggest a disconnect between the peer-reviewed information provided by scientists and the knowledge of the general public. Lack of public awareness includes knowing the risks and benefits of using cannabis. From a public health perspective, it is important that education be based on scientific findings rather than word of mouth. Unfortunately, people’s desire to try cannabis exceeds their desire to understand its long-term health effects. For this reason, legislators should take an appropriate approach to cannabis-related health care and health impact research and the development of policies and regulations.
Colorado is an example of a state that successfully turned public health concerns into regulations. According to a report published last year in National Health, a publication of the American Public Health Association, Colorado law requires the Department of Public Health and the State to regularly review scientific data on the effects of cannabis on health, in addition and drug use. monitoring and reporting process. States that have already integrated these strategies into national policies and plans should continue this process. For states that have not done so, such as Illinois, steps should be taken to ensure that funding is invested in public health research on cannabis and research on its long-term health effects. The overall objective should be to ensure the improvement and keep people healthy and disease-free. The first step to achieving this is to understand that not all cannabis is created equal, and its users are not the same.