A group of medical students from NOSM University (Northern Ontario School of Medicine) have produced a YouTube video that warns teenagers about using cannabis.
A news release from NOSM said the fourth-year students were inspired by statistics from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) that said Northern Ontario has the highest rates of cannabis dependence among high-school students across the province. This was based on a CAMH survey done in 2020.**
The five minute video was created as part of NOSM's advocacy curriculum. The project was awarded the Paediatric Resident Advocacy Education Grant by Healthy Generations, an Ottawa-based fundraising group.
“Our goal with this project was to create a captivating, information-packed video to educate youth about cannabis and share harm reduction strategies using reliable resources from the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) and the Government of Canada,” says Kelsey Pitre, fourth-year NOSM University medical student.
“We are hoping that our video answers questions that kids may have about cannabis, and facilitates open discussions. Ultimately, if youth still opt to use cannabis, I hope this video will provide them with strategies to use it more safely.”
The video consists of several illustrations accompanied by a voice-over that makes statements about concerns some medical practitioners might have for young people experimenting with cannabis.
"Cannabis can make you high, just like alcohol can make you drunk," said a statement in the opening minute of the video.
"This means you can't think or function as well as you could if you weren't using cannabis," said the video.
The video also claims that getting high could be a dangerous thing because people might choose to do unsafe things such as drive a vehicle or send a risky text message over their cell phone.
From the medical point of view, the video also has a warning that regular cannabis use can lead to unhealthy eating habits, difficulty breathing and difficulty sleeping. Cannabis use could also lead to depression, anxiety and psychosis, said the video.
The video further states that cannabis use among teens is risky because a person's brain continues to grow until the age of 25.
"Regular cannabis use before this age can make it hard to learn or to make important decisions," said the video.
This can lead to poor academic performance, a lower IQ (Intelligence Quotient) and make it less likely for regular users to finish high school.
It also said excessive cannabis use could lead to other long-term medical problems.
Acknowledging that many teens will "dabble" with cannabis, the video also published a list of things people can do to be safe when it comes to using cannabis.
This includes using products with the lowest THC content, obtaining cannabis products from a reliable source, don't use it alone, choose less harmful options such as edibles instead of smoking, and avoid it altogether if you or a family member has a history of mental illness, said the video.
Viewers were also advised that if they choose to use cannabis products, they should consult with their doctor first.
Jeni Glassford, another member of the group said she felt there is a need for the information to be provided to young people.
“This video delivers ‘heavy’ information about cannabis use in an easily digestible manner for youth and teens. I think there is a need for more youth-friendly content like this," she said.
"It isn’t just a laundry list of ill effects of cannabis use, the video acknowledges that some youth may still decide to use cannabis despite the risks. We drew attention to this and dedicated the video to harm reduction strategies," Glasford added.
The team acknowledged Dr. Tara Baron, NOSM University Paediatrics Residency Program Director and Associate Professor, and Pediatrician at NEO Kids in Sudbury, who supervised this project and served as a source of guidance and support, said the NOSM news release.
**Information provided by NOSM for this story attributed the data used to a survey by the Canadian Mental Health Association. The information provided was incorrect. The survey was actually conducted by the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health. The information has been corrected.
