Stats complied by Flowhub, a cannabis tech company, report that from early 2020 to late 2021, cannabis sales to female customers increased by 55%. When it came to new customers, 48% were female in 2021, a 10% increase from 2018, when the study was first conducted.

iStock Photo.

Women sometimes use cannabis to cope with depression and anxiety.

Americans are now smoking more marijuana than cigarettes, Gallup reported. In a 2022 Gallup poll, 16% of Americans currently smoke marijuana, while 11% reported smoking cigarettes, which is a new low compared to the mid-1950s, when 45% of Americans smoked cigarettes.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) marijuana, which can also be called cannabis – was used by 48.2 million people in 2019.

A study published in 2016 that examined gender differences with cannabis use reported that most women used cannabis for pain relief and were more likely than men to use it to treat a range of symptoms, including anxiety, pain, depression, nausea, and spasticity. Spasticity is a condition where muscles tighten or stiffen, which prevents normal fluid movement.

Reasons for using cannabis differ from person to person. Niqs Islam, 22, said, “My relationship with cannabis has been an enlightening one. I feel like cannabis has allowed me to explore a lot of aspects of creativity, relaxation, mental clarity, and focus.”

The 2016 study also found that while men were more likely to use and become dependent on cannabis, women progressed more rapidly from first use to cannabis use disorder.

Cannabis Stigma

While more people are talking about their cannabis use, many women still feel the need to hide it because of the stigma that surrounds using cannabis. In 2017, Van der Pop, a cannabis company tailored to a female audience, released a report stating that 66% of women were hiding their cannabis use. There is a lack of female representation in the cannabis industry and in cannabis research, which may change as the country continues to legalize its usage, the report said.

Negative attitudes attached to cannabis use stem from a wide variety of social factors, ranging from concerns about it being a detriment to employment, to religions that prohibit its use, and stereotypes attached to those who use cannabis, studies say.

When Islam initially used cannabis, she felt she needed a justification for it but now feels differently. “It’s brought a ton of different positive effects in my life, and I’ve stopped thinking about whether or not I needed a reason or justification to use it. I know at the end of the day, everyone chooses how to live their life the way they please. For me, that just includes cannabis in the whole mix of other things I like to do.”

As of October 2022, recreational marijuana use is legal in 19 states, Washington D.C. and Guam, and medical use is legal is 38 states, but, on a federal level, it remains illegal and is considered a Schedule 1 substance. This contributes to the stigma, which may explain why many Americans are still split on whether its use is beneficial.  Based on another 2022 Gallup poll, 49% of respondents believed cannabis had a positive effect on society and 50% believed cannabis had a negative effect on society.

In Massachusetts, adult-use of cannabis became legal in 2016, while recreational dispensaries opened in 2018, the first adult-use dispensaries on the East Coast. Since then, Massachusetts have more than 80 dispensaries and have made more than a billion dollars in sales. The University of Massachusetts Amherst and WCVB, a Boston TV station, released a poll in 2021 showing that only a fraction of residents believed that cannabis has negatively impacted the state.

Of 750 respondents, 61% said legal adult-use cannabis has been positive for Massachusetts, 25% remained neutral, and 13% said it has been negative.

As Connecticut moves to recreational sales, Gov. Ned Lamont recently announced the launch of an educational campaign to encourage responsible cannabis use by adults. Topics will include on how to safely store and dispose of cannabis and what to do if a child or pet consumes cannabis.

The state approved the use of medical marijuana in 2012. The qualifications for receiving a medical card largely relegated access to those with debilitating medical conditions such as cancer, glaucoma, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD).

Retail cannabis sales may begin later this year in the state.

Ariana McNulty graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. She enjoys writing about health, wellness and women’s issues.  To reach her, email arianamc22@gmail.com

“We get calls about this daily. Absolutely,” Doyon said. “There was even a day two weeks ago, where we had five children in different hospitals in the state of Connecticut, all with edible marijuana exposures. Five at the same time—that was a record for us.”

Cannabis can be made into gummies, chocolate, hard candy, chips, lollipops and more.

Now that Connecticut has made the possession of recreational cannabis legal as of July 1, Doyon fears that the number of calls to CPCC for cannabis exposures will only increase: “The numbers are going to go up.”  Her anxieties are not unfounded; data from poison control centers across the country substantiate Doyon’s predictions.

A new study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that regions with legalized recreational cannabis reported higher rates of calls to poison control centers for cannabis exposure than in states where recreational use was illegal.

In 2019, cannabis exposure calls per 100,000 residents increased by 48% in areas where cannabis use was legal. The study found a call rate of 4.36 per 100,000 people in legalized regions and a rate of 2.95 calls per 100,000 for cannabis exposure in states where recreational cannabis was illegal.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), extreme doses of THC, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, are not likely to cause a fatal overdose. However, THC consumption can result in “extreme confusion, anxiety, paranoia, panic, fast heart rate, delusions or hallucinations, increased blood pressure, and severe nausea or vomiting.”

Doyon said that cannabis is even more toxic for children and leads to gastrointestinal and neurological problems, and often results in admittance to a hospital. She said that it usually takes two days in the hospital for a child to recover. In Connecticut, Doyon said that poisonings from edible cannabis products occur most often in children under age 5 with a peak age of 18 months.

“These are little children … It’s a very normal behavior for very young children and toddlers to put things in their mouth. These little edibles are just ingested by these children. And let’s face it, they do look like candy and there’s usually more than one available so the children get into more than one of them,” Doyon said. “We want them to keep these products away from children, just like we keep cleaning products away from children.”

Cannabis can be made into gummies, chocolate, hard candy, chips and more. Packaging sometimes mimics well-known candy brands like Sour Patch Kids, Starburst and Skittles. Popular homemade edibles include brownies, cookies and other baked goods. To a hungry youngster, these THC-potent products look like tempting snacks.

Connecticut’s new cannabis law includes provisions to deter children from using cannabis products. The law “prohibits cannabis product types that appeal to children” and mandates opaque child-resistant packaging. Additionally, each dose of edibles must be individually wrapped. These regulations will go into effect once recreational sales of cannabis begin in May 2022. Doyon said it is up to the state Department of Public Health (DPH) to implement the guidelines.

“We want child-resistant packaging. We want opaque packaging. We want the edibles to not be attractive to children. No nice colors, no nice shapes, no nice smells, no nice flavors, making [edibles] clear and unappealing would be a great thing,” Doyon said.

Doyon added that individual wrappers for each edible dose will likely be the key to decreasing the number of children who suffer from cannabis poisonings each year and that packaging should clearly label the amount of THC in each dose.

“It makes it much more difficult for children to get into multiple edibles if they are individually wrapped. Little children just don’t have the dexterity to open multiple packages like that in a short period of time,” Doyon said. “We have a lot of evidence to show that when we package things properly to prevent pediatric ingestion, we are successful … No state is doing this right now. We have the opportunity because the regulations are being thought up and written up as we speak to impact the packaging.”

Doyon said that in preparation for Connecticut’s cannabis legalization, the CPCC contacted other states with recreational markets. She said that the CPCC staff is undergoing training and modifying policies now that recreational cannabis is legal. Doyon advised users to keep cannabis products locked away, and added that people should not eat edibles in front of children who might try to mimic the behavior. If a child — or anyone — overdoses on cannabis products, call the poison control center immediately at 1-800-222-1222, Doyon said.

“We have true experts answering the phone, and they will guide you to the best of their ability as to what the next steps should be,” Doyon said. “We are interested in saving lives.”

The science says “No” and “We don’t know,” respectively. Arguments for and against legalization often misrepresent the medical effects of cannabis, some experts say.

Several bills proposed in the 2017 session of the General Assembly would make recreational use of marijuana legal in Connecticut. Medical marijuana use for conditions ranging from post-traumatic stress disorder to cancer has been legal in the state since 2012, though dispensaries did not open until 2014. As it stands now, marijuana is legal in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Colorado, Nevada, Massachusetts, Maine, and Washington, D.C., for recreational purposes.

Mark Litt, professor of behavioral sciences at the University of Connecticut, discusses his cannabis addiction treatment program with Colleen Shaddox.

Here are some of the facts:

Is marijuana a gateway drug?

That’s unproven, according to the National Academies of Science. The group has called for more research to answer that question

The National Academies recently reviewed 10,000 studies to determine what we do and do not know about marijuana. Its report found that evidence was “limited” to suggest that marijuana causes users to go on to try most other drugs, though the association with tobacco smoking was stronger. The panel also found that cannabis users were more likely to be heavy drinkers, but it did not find that marijuana causes heavy drinking. Some people who use marijuana do progress to using other illegal drugs—but most don’t.

Can you get addicted to marijuana?

Yes, according to the American Psychiatric Association (APA).

Cannabis use disorder is included in the APA’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. A 2015 study shows that 30 percent of users may have some level of the disorder, with people who start at a young age being more likely to become dependent.

Does marijuana cause cancer?

No, according to multiple studies reviewed by the National Academies.

Some believe that since marijuana is commonly smoked, it would contribute to all the same illnesses that cigarettes do. The National Academies’ review did not find a conclusive link between pot smoking and cancers. It also found strong evidence against a connection to lung cancer, as well as head and neck cancers. But use can lead to a chronic cough and other respiratory illnesses, the report concludes.

Does marijuana have medical uses?

Yes, but scientists say much more research is needed.

“It’s like trying to do a study with heroin,” said Mark Litt, a professor of Behavioral Sciences, Community Health and Psychiatry at UConn Health. Litt runs a treatment program for people addicted to marijuana. Because marijuana is illegal at the federal level, it has been difficult to get funding to do clinical trials with the drug, let alone legally obtain it, though rules are relaxing. There have been studies showing its usefulness in relieving chronic pain, the spasms associated with multiple sclerosis, and vomiting and nausea caused by chemotherapy.

Medical marijuana is already legal in Connecticut for adults with a long list of debilitating illnesses, ranging from post-traumatic stress disorder to cancer. The list of qualifying illnesses for people under 18 is much shorter

Is marijuana bad for your brain?

Chris DeFrancesco Photo.

Professor Mark Litt.

Yes. “Short-term use of marijuana is associated with short-term memory deficit. So even if you use it just a bit, your short-term memory is going to be affected,” Litt said. “Long-term use is associated with a variety of cognitive impairments, particularly frontal-lobe issues, which involve executive functions—decision making, problem solving, judgment, and inhibition; that is, ability to inhibit oneself, which is a major part of emotional control and behavioral control.”

Research shows marijuana users earn less than their peers, are more likely to be involved in workplace accidents and are less likely to graduate from high school or college.