How much do you know about cannabis? When I was growing up, the DARE program at school ultimately placed all marijuana facts into the category of unsafe, illegal, and “just don’t do it.” As I got older, there weren’t many reputable, unbiased sources to learn about cannabis since nowhere in America was it legal. But what I later realized is that, like anything else, cannabis has upsides and downsides - none of which classify it as good or bad as a whole. Cannabis currently falls into a gray area since scientists are still uncovering tons of new information about cannabis every single day. Based on what we do know, though, there are several pieces of information out there that even I was intrigued to learn.

Cannabis Myth #1 - Cannabis Smoking Causes Lung Cancer

In theory, smoking anything can cause damage to your lungs and body. However, since cannabis is often used to help cancer patients, it’s a bit more complicated than, say, tobacco use. “Studies that have looked for a direct link between the two have conflicting results -- some found evidence that ties marijuana to lung cancer, while other data show little to no connection.” (Seed, 2021). 

One of the reasons this myth is hard to pinpoint is that it was illegal years prior. Therefore, information regarding whether or not cannabis causes lung cancer was hard to define. Most who offered information regarding their cannabis use did so without knowing dosage, strain or variant, factors such as tobacco use mixed with cannabis, etc. Now that cannabis is becoming more legal widespread, in theory, studies can become more conclusive in determining whether cannabis does or does not, in fact, cause lung cancer.

Cannabis Myth #2 - Cannabis Is Not Addictive

Technically, cannabis can be addictive to some. I say some is because of factors such as mental health, family history with substance abuse, how young the cannabis user was when they started ingesting cannabis, etc. “Research suggests that about nine percent of marijuana users became clinically dependent at some point, compared to 15 percent of cocaine users and 24 percent of heroin users.” (Budney, 2007). Nine percent is still enough to warrant saying yes; cannabis can be addictive. Most cannabis users feel confident that they can successfully quit at any time. But for those who do get addicted, the withdrawal of THC can cause symptoms such as irritability, restlessness, and trouble sleeping.

This makes total sense why in past times that I quit smoking, my insomnia kicked into high gear and prevented me from sleeping peacefully for months. “While cannabinoids do not have the addictive tendencies of compounds like opioids, your body will adjust to the influx of THC by desensitizing the receptors in your brain. When THC is suddenly removed, your body needs time to resensitize the receptors which no longer have THC to stimulate them.” (Felman, 2020).

Cannabis Myth #3 - Legal Cannabis Users Can’t Get a DUI

This one is extra sticky. Testing a driver on the amount of cannabis in their system is more complicated than alcohol. The reason why is because cannabis usage can stay in one’s system for days to a month, depending on how often and how much they ingest. How testing is done for a DUI case is typically through blood testing. “There currently is no breath test designed to measure for the presence of marijuana, so the driver would have to submit to blood testing. The blood test results would not be immediately known and typically are provided to the defense at the defendant’s arraignment as part of the initial discovery packet. The blood test results would show the THC concentration in the defendant’s blood sample. If the THC concentration is high, the prosecution will use this as additional evidence of the driver’s level of impairment.” (Kraut Law Group, nd). However, the bottom line is that if any individual is suspected to be driving under the influence of any legal or illegal substance, there are grounds for testing and potential consequences. This applies to legal cannabis as well. 

Even though some of these cannabis myths are still a gray area, cannabis is continuously being studied to learn more and help gain acceptance. While there are upsides and downsides to cannabis use, the same can be said of using one thing repeatedly. You wouldn’t eat only oranges every day and expect your body to remain healthy, just as you wouldn’t smoke cannabis all day every day and expect to be at your all-time healthiest either. Just as with anything in life, moderation and balance are key. 

Resources:

Budney, Ph.D., Alan J., et al. Marijuana Dependence and Its Treatment. US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. 2007 December 4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2797098/

Felman, Adam. 9 Myths About Weed That Simply Aren’t True. Greatist. 2020, June 28. https://greatist.com/play/myths-about-marijuana.

Kraut Law Group. How can the Police Prove Impairment in DUI Marijuana Cases?. nd. https://www.losangelescriminallawyer.pro/how-can-the-police-prove-impairment-in-dui-marijuana-cases.html.

Seed, Shawna. Marijuana and Your Risk of Lung Cancer. WebMD. 2021, November 17. https://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/guide/marijuana-lung-cancer-risk.