There’s been a lot of conversation in the media recently about marijuana use — both medicalization & legalization. This is just one example of the conversation, and it puts a fine point on the complexities of the topic.
I can only share my experience at Cumberland Heights. I have found that the majority of young people admitted for treatment of addiction identify marijuana as the beginning of their substance use. In fact, most young people today use marijuana before they take their first drink.
While marijuana use doesn’t pose the threat of overdose death like the epidemic of opioid use, it it not without risk. It’s well documented that young people with developing brains are particularly at risk with marijuana use. And the increased potency of today’s marijuana also significantly increases the risk of developing an addiction to the drug.
The bottom line, is that marijuana is an addictive drug, legal or not, and is not an option for a person in recovery.
Dr. Chapman Sledge, MD
Chief Medical Offier at Cumberland Heights
