California bill would require mental health warnings on marijuana products

As more states across the country legalize recreational marijuana, some doctors and lawmakers are raising alarms about the risks of certain mental health conditions associated with the product’s use.

In California, Senate Bill 1097, the Cannabis Right to Know Act, would mandate mental health warnings be included on existing cannabis labels, similar to the health risks currently seen on tobacco products. Under the bill, an assessment of the labels’ efficacy would be conducted every five years.

Similar measures have been proposed in Oregon, Colorado and New York.

Although cannabis use has been linked with the development of mental health disorders like schizophrenia, it is unclear to what extent the substance actually causes conditions. According to the National Institutes of Health, “the strongest evidence to date concerns links between marijuana use and psychiatric disorders in those with a preexisting genetic or other vulnerability.”

After California legalized recreational marijuana in 2016, emergency department visits and hospital admissions related to cannabis use increased by 89 percent by 2019.

But frequency of ingestion, potency of the substance and the age at which individuals consume cannabis can all factor into risk profiles.

Severe cannabis use disorder is more common among adolescent users than adult users, and is more common among those with poor mental health. Frequent use of high potency marijuana has also been linked to poor memory, psychosis, and suicidal ideation.  [Read more at The Hill]