21 states have legalized recreational marijuana use since 2012, and conventional wisdom says that marijuana isn’t addictive. But psychoanalyst and parent-coach Erica Komisar tells KMOX that information is outdated — and legal marijuana has caused increased mental health issues among teenagers.
In Komisar’s recent Wall Street Journal op-ed “Legal Weed Feeds the Teen Mental Health Crisis,” Komisar writes that the connection between weed legalization and teen mental health doesn’t get enough attention. She tells KMOX that the weed being sold today is different — and more potent.
“It is not the weed of previous generations. And it is addictive. So you know, we're all under the impression that it's the same as the 60s and it's not,” she said.
Komisar said that because teens’ brains are still developing, they’re extra sensitive to marijuana — or any hallucinogen.
“Developmentally, it keeps them from learning how to self regulate. So it keeps them from learning how to deal with adversity, how to become resilient,” she said. “And so when they do try to get off of it, they're flooded with negative emotions. And often that can lead to break down or withdrawal.”
She added that in her practice, she’s seen suicide attempts related to marijuana use. And because weed has been “legitimized” for adults, she said, it’s become more available to kids.
Komisar said she believes that legalizing weed has made it so that kids aren’t scared of weed, and that her 21-year-old son has friends who smoke pot 10-12 times a day. Hear more of her thoughts on the teen mental health crisis and its relation to legal marijuana:
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