Cannabis & Mental Health - New Report from the MHCC
The Mental Health Commission of Canada and University of Calgary have released a report, "Cannabis and Mental Health: Priorities for research in Canada." This report is based on an environmental scan and scoping review by a University of Calgary research team that looked at existing research into the relationships between cannabis use and mental health outcomes.The report was led by the O’Brien Institute’s Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Unit.
The report aims to guide the development of future research and policy development by drawing attention to knowledge gaps in the cannabis and mental health literature.
I just scanned the report and as a person with lived experience MHA I was disappointed to read terms like “mental disorder”. I thought we as Canadians had accepted using proper accessible language.
This report also appeared to be one sided focused on THC effects of cannabis on mental health and I did not see mention of comorbidities such as chronic pain. How CBD for chronic pain may effect an existing mental health disorders.
Some of us with lived experience have few choices for chronic pain management and without the research, don’t want to risk our mental health by experimenting with CBD because the seller says it doesn’t affect the dopamine system. It may not affect dopamine in the same way as THC, but what about the rest of the brain and central nervous system that is altered by psychotropic drugs, anticonvulsants, etc...
Theres a lot more research to do, and I think it’s sad that it wasn’t done first.
I knew less about cannabis and mental health bonding. I read some articles about cannabis effect in mental health. But I am not satisfied with their research.