The article below appeared recently in The Washington Post, as a review of current research on those who use cannabis products on a daily or near-daily basis.
That’s the segment of users we would expect to be at highest risk for problems related to cannabis use. And it seems as if they are.
5 ways daily cannabis use can affect your body and mind
Proponents say the drug can help with sleep and pain, but there’s little research surrounding potential long-term effects of daily use
The experts acknowledge that “daily” consumption can vary markedly between individuals. As one put it, “If you’re puffing on your vape pen 60 times a day, that’s very different from a medical cannabis patient taking 2½ milligrams of a gummy at night to fall asleep…” No argument there.
Currently, an estimated 40-42% of marijuana users report daily or near-daily consumption. That lands us in the neighborhood of 18 million Americans. It’s more than the number who admit daily drinking, but fewer than those who acknowledge using tobacco products on a daily basis.
Most daily cannabis users report having begun as young teenagers, usually in the context of socializing with peers — the same way kids start out with alcohol and tobacco and move on to other things. It’s evidence of the normalizing of marijuana use in American society.
“I don’t really think of it as a drug, not like cocaine or pills,” explained a 16 year-old. “I don’t know anybody my age who hasn’t at least tried it.”
Anyway, a couple of the cannabis-related health issues mentioned in the Post article:
Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS). This is sometimes referred to as “scromiting”, to reflect the screaming and vomiting that accompany it. A weird phenomenon that appeared in Colorado emergency departments not long after legalization in 2014, it’s ordinarily found among heavier users, the sort who smoke multiple times during the day and tend to favor higher THC-content pot products.
Per JAMA, ”Emergency department surveys independently estimate that at least 2.75 million Americans and 6% of all US cannabis users experience the syndrome annually.” That’s surprising enough, but the actual number of persons with CHS may well be much higher, as those with mild to moderate symptoms or infrequent episodes of CHS are unlikely to seek emergency treatment and wouldn’t be counted.
They’re still out there puffing on joints and taking hot showers to control their nausea.
Pain management: chronic pain being the single most common reason given for enrollment in a medical marijuana program. Oddly enough, the article notes that “…One 2023 study found daily cannabis use may help with pain in the short term but make it worse in the long term by reducing tolerance to pain.”
Not so unusual in addictions — a substance that once relieved discomfort eventually makes it worse.
By the way, the article offers something of special interest to those preparing for upcoming surgery (this includes you, Seniors). A quote:
“If you are having surgery, tell your anesthesiologist about your usage. Daily cannabis users may need up to 30 percent more anesthesia and higher doses of opioids for pain control after surgery.”
