Cannabis: when medicine becomes poison?

I was flabbergasted – it was almost beyond belief.

Last week, the New York Times recited a litany of horror stories about cannabis causing severe health issues.

Of course, as a clinician, I’ve always been aware that – as with any agent for good – cannabis can also be problematic when overused or habitually used. But the overwhelming scale of the issue brought out in the NYT is startling.

I even asked my colleague and friend, Lex Pelger, a scientist who reviews and reports on cannabinoid science through his popular Substack blog, “Cannabinoids & the People”. I wanted his opinion on the article suspecting it might be a “hit piece” since the NYT has historically not been favorable towards the plant.

But Lex said, “Most people aren’t going to like my answer… It [the NYT article] seems fine to me. That’s about where the data lines up and these anecdotes match to what I’ve heard.”

The surge in severe health issues (such as anxiety, depression and psychosis) is frequently blamed on the escalating potency of the plant, which commercial growers have been steadily increasing to produce quicker, more intense highs. By comparison, according to the Times piece, what we used to smoke in the 1990s typically contained about 5% THC. Today’s products, like concentrates, can contain an astonishingly high THC content, reaching up to a staggering 90%, with flower as high as 30% (some cultivators claim it’s even higher).

This is why I personally refer to these products as “crack cannabis” and warn people to avoid it like, well, crack.

Often people I consult with about my emotional release work say they avoid using cannabis for medication or therapeutic purposes because it triggers overwhelming anxiety for them.* I believe it’s often (not always) because the THC content is too high.

The judicious use of this plant medicine has been a potent addition to my emotional and trauma release method for more than 10 years. It supports the deep inner exploration of buried emotions, processing and releasing them. I always suggest a ratio of at least twice as much CBD as THC. Many of my students, clients, and participants often go with even more expansive ratios… up to 20 times more CBD than THC. The CBD relaxes the fight or flight response while that little bit of THC amplifies the emotion(s) they want to work with. You can read more about it here.

Despite its massive critique, the NYT reporters did weave in a few acknowledgements of the plant’s benefits:

• Tens of millions of Americans use the drug, for medical or recreational purposes — most of them without problems.

• In interviews, they [doctors and researchers] acknowledged that marijuana can offer substantial health benefits for certain patients.

• While the drug can assist the endocannabinoid system, alleviate some symptoms of disease and otherwise make people feel good, regular heavy doses of it can also throw the system off balance. 

What are your thoughts on this? Have you experienced the difference between the cannabis of back then and the cannabis of today? Drop down to the comments section and let me know!

With Love,

Becca

*when people work with me, if they wish to use an alternative plant medicine, we go with microdosing psilocybin.