By Jaimie Seaton
Ask a room full of people if cannabis is safe or addictive, medically helpful or harmful, and you’ll get myriad answers. Some will swear medical marijuana is the only thing that relieves their pain, some will say all cannabis is unsafe and others will say they smoke pot recreationally and don’t see a problem. Still others—including medical clinicians and social workers—might confess that they don’t know much about it.
One reason is that there is limited research into cannabis, despite the fact that, according to the latest government statistics, cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug in the U.S., and in 2023, nearly one in four adults 18 and over reported using it. Even with this dearth of research, one 2024 survey found that 80% of those who have tried marijuana and 58% of Americans overall believe that it is very or somewhat safe to use. Pew research from 2024 found that 88% of Americans believe marijuana should be legal for medical or recreational use.
As the country moves toward legalizing cannabis on a federal level, social workers and other experts are issuing a wake-up call about its potential dangers. From teenagers to octogenarians, people across the country are struggling with addiction and other serious physical and mental health issues associated with marijuana use. While some experts believe cannabis has legitimate health benefits when used under the right conditions, they also say using cannabis does not come without risk—and they advocate for more research into the short- and long-term effects of its sustained use. To this end, some argue that legalizing cannabis nationally would allow it to be regulated, making it safer and easier to study.
Read the full story in the NASW Social Work Advocates magazine.
