You can't send my ass to rehab for just WEED! Part 1—It's NOT harmless

With marijuana legalization expanding across the country, one of the arguments regularly presented is that marijuana should be legal because it is neither harmful nor addictive.

Both are completely false. Marijuana might not have as many negative health consequences as crystal meth or PCP. Or alcohol, for that matter. Addiction might not develop as quickly as addiction to cocaine and heroin, and withdrawal might not be deadly. However, marijuana is still a substance with wide-ranging effects on the body (including the brain). Users definitely develop a tolerance to its effects, and when use stops suddenly, withdrawal ensues.

In the outpatient substance abuse clinic, we had a difficult time convincing our clients that marijuana could indeed be addictive and harmful.

“It's a herb, Miss! It grows from the ground. It's natural,” said Carlos, in early recovery group. My response: “Would you smoke poison ivy? It grows from the ground too.” This generated laughter but had little effect on their convictions.

After hearing the same story for several weeks in a row, I brought in an informational handout about the negative health consequences of long-term marijuana use to my next early recovery group. I was hoping my clients wouldn't be aware that, for example, male marijuana users were prone to lowered sperm count and sex drive.

But the most electrifying moment of the session came when, starting at the top with the brain and central nervous system, we moved down the page and read about the effects of marijuana on the heart: "Speeds up heartbeat as much as 50%, increases blood pressure, and poses great risk to those with hypertension and heart disease."

“Dat 'appen to me de las' time I smoke weed!” Clinton burst out. He was an eloquent Caribbean immigrant with a fabulous accent. His service in the U.S. army, he believed, had led to him developing a very unhealthy drinking problem. He was grateful to to develop tools to maintain sobriety from alcohol, but he wasn't as willing to stop using marijuana. For him, it was part of a healthy breakfast.

“Where I come from, in de marnin', you get up and get a big glass of orange juice and a blunt (thick marijuana cigarette), and you sit outside in de sun and you plan your day, drink de juice and smoke de blunt and figger out what you need to do,” he told the group.

Lyrical as his description was, I needed a way to show him that marijuana is a lot more dangerous than a bowl of corn flakes. So I was excited to see Clinton have an “aha!” moment.

He elaborated, “De las' time I smoke I was wit' my girl, and I feel my 'eart start beatin' faster and faster. I put 'er 'and on my 'eart and say, 'Do you feel dat? Feel 'ow 'ard my 'eart poundin'!'” He illustrated by thumping his chest with a fist several times.

Clinton was similarly moved to learn that marijuana increases risk of throat cancer, since he had an uncle with an electronic voice box subsequent to a laryngectomy. He treated us to an impression of his uncle trying to convey emotion while sounding like a robot.

“But 'e smoke cigarettes every day from the time 'e 11 or 12,” he said. “Chain-smoke 'em. Smoke a lot more tobacco than weed.”

“When are you going to quit smoking, Clinton?” I asked. Almost all of our clients used tobacco. He grinned sheepishly.

Moving down the body, we learned that marijuana impacts the reproductive system, leading to lower sperm count and motility and smaller testicular size. “It's not on this handout,” I said, “but there are several studies linking marijuana to testicular cancer.”

The group, almost all male, stared back at me. “You makin' that up, Miss,” Carlos protested feebly.

“I'll bring in proof next week,” I said. They cringed.

“Marijuana can be used as a medicine for lots of serious diseases,” said Jamal. “AIDS, cancer, stuff like that.”

“That's true,” I said. “It's a powerful plant. But people use it recreationally. Healthy people don't take high doses of powerful medication. You don't see someone rolling up to a hospital and saying, 'I got a big weekend planned—can you give me a nice dose of chemo?'” I was proud of this metaphor, but they weren’t swayed.

“It's not addictive, though,” protested Nicole, one of the few females in the group.

“Actually, it is,” I replied. “Last year I had to send someone to rehab for marijuana because he couldn't stop using.”

I've worked with several clients who couldn't stop using marijuana. Three in particular stand out in my memory: one I sent to rehab, one refused to go, and one went on the run from parole. In the next two articles, I'll describe why they couldn't or wouldn't stop using marijuana.