The Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene has come out in opposition to the proposed legalization of recreational marijuana.
The local government agency based out of Mayville released a statement Wednesday saying it does not support the legalization or use of marijuana because of negative effects marijuana has on the brain, including what it says is a negative impact both brain function and brain development. The agency specifically points to the adolescent brain, which it says is particularly vulnerable to the effects of marijuana.
The agency also points out that marijuana not only has immediate effects like distorted perception, difficulty problem solving, and loss of motor coordination, but also effects with long-term use such as respiratory infection, impaired memory, and exposure to cancer-causing compounds.
The purpose of the county’s Mental Hygiene Department is to plan, develop, and provide accessible, comprehensive, integrated, outcome-based mental hygiene services of the highest quality to residents, maximizing all available resources in the most efficient and cost effective manner.
The Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services is also opposed to the legalization of recreational marijuana, as is the New York State Association of County Health Officials.
“Moving swiftly, without building in essential protections and providing resources necessary to mitigate the impact of legal marijuana, could create another preventable public health crisis caused by the use of a legal drug. More scientific research is needed to determine the true public health risks which could result from legalization,” the release stated.
Advocates for marijuana legalization, such as NORML, say scientific conclusions of the majority of modern research directly conflicts with the belief that marijuana is a highly dangerous substance worthy of absolute criminalization, although the group also acknowledges it should not be viewed as a ‘harmless’ substance and also acknowledges marijuana may produce a variety of physiological and mood-altering effects.
NORML says there may be some populations that may be vulnerable to increased risks from the use of cannabis, such as adolescents, pregnant or nursing mothers, and patients who have a family history of psychiatric illness or who possess a clinical high risk for developing a psychotic disorder. Patients with a history of cardiovascular disorders, heart disease or stroke may also be at an elevated risk of experiencing adverse side effects from marijuana, particularly smoked cannabis.
Still, advocate groups like NORML say marijuana should be legalized and regulated the same way alcohol is. As for the impact on health, advocates say it is helpful for the treatment of a variety of symptoms, ranging from chronic pain and PTSD.
Those seeking addiction services including medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorder can call either of the Chautauqua County Behavioral Health Clinics to make an appointment for an assessment, or in an emergency, stop in for open access services. The Jamestown Clinic can be reached at (716) 661-8330 or call the Dunkirk Clinic at (716) 363-3550. Please reach out to the clinics for further information about services available to the community and to schedule an appointment for services.
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