New report shows useful, troubling, effects of cannabis

A new report cautions that cannabis can cause breathing problems and depression, while the drug does have some useful effects.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine has reviewed the body of scientific researched since 1999 and written a new report on the health effects of cannabis and cannabis-derived products like marijuana. The committee’s 2017 report explores everything from cannabis’ therapeutic value to its implication in causing certain cancers, mental health disorders, diseases and injuries.

An average 22.2 million Americans and 12 and older admitted in a recent nationwide survey to using cannabis in previous 30 days. This widespread use is largely non-medical.
Just 10 percent of users reported they use cannabis for medical purposes. The drug is prescribed in some areas for treatment of chronic pain, muscle spasms related to multiple sclerosis, and nausea from chemotherapy.

On the other hand, there is evidence, says the committee, that smoking cannabis is linked to frequent episodes of chronic bronchitis and worsening respiratory symptoms like chronic cough and phlegm production. It is unclear, says the committee, whether cannabis is associated with respiratory diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.

There was more definitive evidence of the impact of cannabis and cannabinoids on mental health. The committee found that cannabis use was likely to lead to an increase in the development of schizophrenia, social anxiety disorders and to a lesser extent, depression. Those who use cannabis heavily, says the report are more likely to report thoughts of suicide than people who don’t use and sufferers of bi-polar disorder show more increased symptoms of the disorder than non-users.

The study also found increased use of vehicle accidents where drivers were under the influence of cannabis.