My first reaction to the article revolves around the use of cannabis and its health effect on its users. While it is claimed that cannabis and its derivatives enhance results for various diseases, they have been shown to have detrimental side effects such as decreased short-term memory, a changed judgment that promotes hazardous conduct, and impaired driving. Similarly, long-term use of cannabis among adolescents increases their risk of developing brain impairment and cannabis dependency. As a result, although cannabis might be good for some individuals, it has severe adverse effects if abused or not regulated well.
Correspondingly, when it comes to the data on the association between recreational licensing and cannabis consumption in grownups, it helps to think about how frequency and intensity can actualize cannabis consumption. That is, among adolescents, youths, and adults. Research has found increased use of cannabis among adults compared to youths, especially in the states where there are recreational legalizations and increased intensity of use in youths compared to adults. Likewise, there is crucial evidence to illustrate the increased usage of cannabis in recreationally legalized states compared to medical marijuana (Haffajee & Mauri, 2021). As a result, legalizing medical marijuana has a negligible impact on the number of people who report using the drug regularly. Marijuana use may vary widely depending on one’s age group, and the implications used to evaluate cannabis usage might be impacted by legalization without modifying the prevalence of its usage.
The relationship between cannabis legalization, the increased abuse of cannabis, and the increased hospitalizations due to cannabis has helped me understand more about what I am supposed to do when I become a medical counselor. This is because, since the legalization of recreational marijuana, hospitalizations have increased. The use of recreational marijuana could lead to increased levels of anxiety or depression, majorly among youths. Thus, as a counselor, I will need to do more research regarding the impacts of legalizing marijuana to shape my practice approach. By understanding the relationship between legalization and usage, I will see things from users’ perspectives and determine the best way to help them how to help them. In this way, I will help them address problems such as worsened schizophrenia, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. Ultimately, as a medical counselor, I should help reduce the increased number of hospitalizations among the youths caused by marijuana dependency.
As a counselor, I believe it is vital to understand the interaction between cannabis and other commonly abused substances. In my view, this understanding can help in shaping the public health perception of legalizing marijuana. The impact of cannabis legislation on alcohol consumption is contentious for both teens and adults, indicating both replacement and additive interactions. Evidence from medicinal cannabis regulations shows that the association between cigarettes, alcohol, and cannabis depends on the degree to which regulatory restrictions are enforced and the age of the population who consumes cannabis. In a similar vein, an increasing number of jurisdictions recognize opiate addictions as a necessary criterion for access to medical cannabis. The association between cannabis and other substances such as alcohol, tobacco, or opioids is dependent on the degree to which policies are restricted and the age of the user demographic.
Cannabis has a variety of negative impacts on the individual due to its legalization. Therefore, as a counselor, I will major in training on the effects of marijuana legalization by changing my approach while dealing with patients. This will involve seeing things from their perspective and how to help them avoid severe issues such as schizophrenia, depression, and suicidal thoughts; in turn, I will help reduce the increased number of hospitalizations.
Reference
Haffajee, R. L., & Mauri, A. F. (2021). Cannabis legalization in the US: Population health impacts. Health Affairs.