By the time you read this, it may already be too late.
The Senate Judiciary Committee reviewed legislation this week that would allow advertising the sale of recreational cannabis, or marijuana by Rhode Island’s new dispensaries. Similar legislation passed the RI House of Representatives on May 9.
Makes sense? It’s legal, after all, so what harm can advertising do?
Lots. It paves the way for full-blown advertising and marketing for recreational marijuana, which will increase exposure and messaging to our children that if it is for adults, it must be harmless and OK to use. While it may be legal for adults, this will be devastating for the mental health of our children and young adults. What a body of substance use prevention research shows is that when marijuana or any other drug is seen as socially acceptable and not harmful, the use of the substance increases in our children and adolescents. This is why we outlawed the Marlborough Man and the advertising of cigarettes many years ago. More recently we had to ban the marketing and sale of flavored vaping products because it was targeting kids and increased their use. Marijuana is no different.
As a mental health professional, I have personally seen the negative effects of the use of marijuana in adolescents. Worsening school performance, decreased motivation, problems with memory, attention and learning. Multiple studies show that use of marijuana negatively impacts adolescent and young adult brain development. Increasingly new studies show regular marijuana use by adolescents and even young adults is associated with changes in the prefrontal cortex of the brain and it increases the incidence of mental health disorders including anxiety, panic attacks, depression, attention disorders and psychosis.
“Perceptions exist among youth, parents, and educators that casual cannabis use is benign,” said lead study author Ryan Sultan, MD, assistant professor of clinical psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia, and a pediatric and adult psychiatrist, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “We were surprised to see that cannabis use had such strong associations to adverse mental health and life outcomes for teens who did not meet the criteria for having a substance use condition.”
Dr. Richard Whalen, medical director at Newport Mental Health, sees this right here in our community. “I regularly see the harmful effects of recreational marijuana. In many cases, it exacerbates already existing psychiatric conditions, and in other cases predisposes clients to new onset of severe anxiety and psychosis.” Dr. Whalen goes on to state, “We know that in the under-26 population, there is a particular vulnerability of cognitive losses that affect day-to-day functioning”.
Recreational marijuana was legalized in RI as of December 2022. The state’s Cannabis Control Commission will be responsible for advertising regulations, but this group is still not fully set up and operating. Meanwhile, R.I. dispensaries are not allowed to advertise in the general public, such as on billboards. Passing this legislation would allow them to widely advertise and market during a transitional period before the Commission is operational.
Surely, you’ve seen the huge billboards on sections of Route 195 and other spots, advertising Massachusetts marijuana dispensaries “just over the line.” It is legal there. Rhode Island’s dispensary operators argue that this puts them at an unfair disadvantage. Let’s not put profits over the welfare of our children. As our state becomes more dependent on the tax revenues marijuana and legalized gambling generate there is no turning back. Let’s do what is right now while we can and not legalize the advertising of recreational cannabis products.
What can you do? Call or write to your state legislator now as this issue is likely to be decided next week.
Jamie Lehane is president and CEO of Newport Mental Health in Middletown. Peace of Mind, which is co-written with Mary Alexandre, runs in The Daily News and online at newportri.com.
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