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College students must realize the negative effects of marijuana use, which is now at its highest in 35 years among teens and young adults in the United States. As states and elected officials push to decriminalize and legalize the drug, researchers have presented conflicting information about its safety.

Syracuse University is known as one of the U.S.’s top party schools, and marijuana use is common among students at these schools. It’s easy to get absorbed into the social norm of smoking without realizing its greater risks.

“I think it would be hard to find someone who would say ‘I solely came to SU for the party scene,’ but it definitely is at the back of people’s minds. The way the party scene is set up, it does encourage using substances, whether it’s alcohol or marijuana,” SU sophomore Nikita Goswami said. 

Smoking increases one’s risk of cancer, said Dessa Bergen-Cico, a professor of public health and a coordinator of the addiction studies program at SU.

“Just like with drinking, you have to moderate and fulfill your priorities,” Bergen-Cico said. “One of the things with cannabis is that it is psychologically addictive. People can be psychologically dependent on it, and they can have difficulty sleeping once they stop using it regularly.” 

The risk of becoming dependent on marijuana is often overlooked, as it’s seen as safer than alcohol or tobacco. But just because something is less dangerous doesn’t mean it’s harmless.

Smoking weakens your immune system by making your lungs vulnerable to infections easily. Marijuana can also make your heart work harder, which can be harmful to people with existing cardiovascular conditions. Heavy marijuana use is also connected to low bone density.

Along with marijuana use, vaping is also common among college students and has adverse effects on lung health. Illegal vapes that include tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical from cannabis that creates the majority of its psychological effects, have also been the subject of health concerns. 

Everything has its pros and cons, and the same goes for marijuana. Students should step back, look at the risks and reconsider if marijuana is safe enough for them. There are also resources available from SU for students experiencing substance use disorders.
Sourov Rayhan is a sophomore English major. Their column appears bi-weekly. He can be reached at srayhan@syr.edu.

Published on October 25, 2020 at 11:10 pm