Minto Theatre was packed with Ottawa residents who came to hear about the effects of cannabis on the developing brain at an Oct. 26 public lecture by Zachary Patterson—a neuroscience instructor at Carleton.
The lecture was hosted by the Neuroscience Society, in the wake of nationwide cannabis legalization on Oct. 17.
Jessica Drodge, the president of the Neuroscience Society, said the society hosted the event to tackle the spread of misinformation about the drug.
“Sometimes, you’ve got to strip it down to the basics and hear it from neuroscience professionals,” Drodge said.
A 2018 Statistics Canada report found that almost a quarter of cannabis users are university-aged students. The same report said 24 per cent of current cannabis users are more likely to consume daily due to legalization.
Patterson said his research on drug policy suggests that the use of cannabis has to do with how harmful society perceives it to be.
“When perception of harm goes down, rate of use goes up,” he said, adding this should be taken into account when advertising cannabis. “We have to be careful around what our messaging is.”
Patterson explained that the human brain can be in its developmental stages until the age of 30, which is why exposure to cannabis can stunt neurological development.
“Starting young and using frequently may disrupt brain development,” he said.
He added that the area of the brain that is the last part to mature is also the area that controls decision-making, priority-setting, planning and impulse controls in humans.
During the question period of the lecture, an audience member asked if the effects of cannabis differ between smoking versus edible consumption.
Patterson said the method of consumption does not change the effects of the product, adding that research shows about half the people using cannabis consume the drug by smoking it.
“A lot of the negative health outcomes associated with cannabis have a lot to do with how you’re getting the stuff into your body,” he said. “If you light something on fire and breathe it in . . . it’s just not good for you.”
Patterson said during his time working at the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, his team was asked to put forth recommendations for what age is appropriate for legalization. According to his recommendations, the legal age for cannabis consumption should not be 18 or 19 but rather 25.
Tanisse Teale, a second-year neuroscience student who attended the lecture, said as an infrequent user of the drug herself, events like these are important to create awareness about its effects.
“It doesn’t matter whether you like it or don’t like it, it is going to happen,” Teale said. “I think it’s awesome that we’re actually promoting this type of information . . . so you can decide whether or not you want to [use].”
While the recreational use of cannabis was legalized across Canada, Carleton has maintained a strict ban on consumption in any form on campus.
Photo by Meral Jamal
