Even though marijuana is about to become legal, it’s still a drug that has negative effects on the body.
That was the key message at the Truth about Marijuana education forum held at the Golden Age Centre March 4.
“It’s unsafe even though it’s going to be legal”, said Kama Bauer, with the local addiction services. “It can cause long-term side effects that are lifelong.”
Those long-term effects include brain damage – especially the developing brains of those under 25, lung damage, immune system suppression, impaired growth and development of a fetus, decreased testosterone and abnormal sperm.
There’s also cannabis-induced disorders like psychotic disorders, anxiety disorders and disorders causing irregular sleep patterns. It’s some of these that have the addiction counsellors worried – and it was noted that they are seeing more and more people in their twenties affected by them. In some cases, they require strong, potentially life-shortening drugs to treat.
There’s also the short-term effects, which include pleasant sensations, more intense sound and colours, changes in behaviour, changes in perception of time, heart beating faster, dry mouth, increased appetite, lack of motor control and bloodshot eyes.
Cst. Scott Stuart, the Tisdale RCMP’s drug recognition expert, also spoke at the event, telling the audience how they determine if somebody’s impaired. To determine that requires a test that’s an hour long that includes interviewing any officers that were first on the scene, taking pulses, examining how the eyes react, and physical tests like walking on a line and standing with one leg to determine balance and if there’s tremors.
“We’re always dealing with impaired driving whether the substance is legal or not,” he said. “We’ll have to learn the new legislation changes and it will affect how we conduct our impaired driving investigations, especially with some of the new changes.”
The officer said he hopes the legalization of marijuana won’t result in an increase in impaired driving. He said education will be key, just like how people have to be told not to drink and drive.
Those driving with people smoking marijuana in the car do need to be aware the smoke could impair them without meaning to.
The RCMP are looking into devices that will examine if somebody is impaired due to marijuana.
