The recently reinstated chair of the Cannabis Control Commission is questioning a study linking legalized marijuana in Massachusetts to an increase in mental health issues for young people. Cannabis Control Commission Chair Shannon O’Brien said she’s not convinced recreational marijuana is the problem, despite findings from a study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine that 5 Investigates first told you about in November. Researchers examined health records from more than 7,000 people treated by Mass General’s psychiatric emergency service. They focused on those who tested positive for THC, comparing visits before recreational dispensaries opened to visits during the first year recreational marijuana was sold.The impact on young people was clear.”From 5% to nearly 20% of teenagers who had cannabis detected in their urine when they were coming in for a psychiatric emergency,” said Dr. Cheryl Foo, one of the authors of the study. That’s a 300% increase, an increase that was not present in other age groups.”Cannabis commercialization, the increasing availability of cannabis and high potency cannabis is disproportionately affecting a vulnerable subgroup of teenagers and youths, particularly those who have mental health challenges,” Foo said. But CCC Chair O’Brien believes unregulated products could be the root of the problem.”There may be a timing correlation, but it sounds like the way that these kids are getting at these products, it’s the unregulated market. It’s the illegal market. It’s the hemp-based gas station weed,” O’Brien said. 5 Investigates’ Mike Beaudet pushed back.”But top doctors, Mass General, Children’s Hospital, they’re telling us their patients are getting legalized weed and that’s what’s causing the problem,” Beaudet said. “Right. And that’s why we need to do the public education program,” O’Brien replied. “Do you think this study is legitimate?” Beaudet asked. “I think that you can’t get anything better than the gold standard in Massachusetts, but I can do, hopefully, additional work,” O’Brien said. “How can we address these issues, including how do we, one, keep it away from kids, but two, how do we understand what the true sources of these problems really are?” O’Brien points to other studies that she says show young people are mostly accessing unregulated hemp-based products, not regulated marijuana, which you have to be 21 to purchase. But the studies the commission sent 5 Investigates did not distinguish whether young people were more likely to be using unregulated or regulated cannabis.
BOSTON —
The recently reinstated chair of the Cannabis Control Commission is questioning a study linking legalized marijuana in Massachusetts to an increase in mental health issues for young people.
Cannabis Control Commission Chair Shannon O’Brien said she’s not convinced recreational marijuana is the problem, despite findings from a study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine that 5 Investigates first told you about in November.
Researchers examined health records from more than 7,000 people treated by Mass General’s psychiatric emergency service.
They focused on those who tested positive for THC, comparing visits before recreational dispensaries opened to visits during the first year recreational marijuana was sold.
The impact on young people was clear.
“From 5% to nearly 20% of teenagers who had cannabis detected in their urine when they were coming in for a psychiatric emergency,” said Dr. Cheryl Foo, one of the authors of the study.
That’s a 300% increase, an increase that was not present in other age groups.
“Cannabis commercialization, the increasing availability of cannabis and high potency cannabis is disproportionately affecting a vulnerable subgroup of teenagers and youths, particularly those who have mental health challenges,” Foo said.
But CCC Chair O’Brien believes unregulated products could be the root of the problem.
“There may be a timing correlation, but it sounds like the way that these kids are getting at these products, it’s the unregulated market. It’s the illegal market. It’s the hemp-based gas station weed,” O’Brien said.
5 Investigates’ Mike Beaudet pushed back.
“But top doctors, Mass General, Children’s Hospital, they’re telling us their patients are getting legalized weed and that’s what’s causing the problem,” Beaudet said.
“Right. And that’s why we need to do the public education program,” O’Brien replied.
“Do you think this study is legitimate?” Beaudet asked.
“I think that you can’t get anything better than the gold standard in Massachusetts, but I can do, hopefully, additional work,” O’Brien said. “How can we address these issues, including how do we, one, keep it away from kids, but two, how do we understand what the true sources of these problems really are?”
O’Brien points to other studies that she says show young people are mostly accessing unregulated hemp-based products, not regulated marijuana, which you have to be 21 to purchase.
But the studies the commission sent 5 Investigates did not distinguish whether young people were more likely to be using unregulated or regulated cannabis.