Cannabis users are pushing back against new federal warnings that link marijuana use to mental illness, calling the messaging confusing, exaggerated and inconsistent with their own experiences, according to a Health Canada report.Blacklock's Reporter says the Department of Health commissioned 30 focus groups to test updated labels warning that daily marijuana use can increase the risk of psychosis, schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, memory loss, and heart and lung disease — particularly for users under 25. But many participants expressed skepticism and confusion.“I’m confused,” one user said when asked about the new warnings, according to the report. Others questioned the scientific basis and timing of the claims, more than seven years after cannabis was legalized in Canada. “What studies are these based off?” asked one participant. Another said, “Does it cause lung cancer?”.The feedback, detailed in Focus Testing Cannabis Consumer Information Documents For Medical And Non-Medical Purposes, found many users felt the warnings painted an overly negative picture of cannabis. Participants also wanted to know whether risks varied depending on frequency of use or method of consumption.Some users challenged the credibility of the warnings outright. “A few felt the overall tone of the information in this section hinted at fear mongering,” said the report, noting concerns over words like “toxic” and “life threatening,” which participants felt were more appropriate for harder drugs..Others said their personal or observed experiences with marijuana contradicted the new warnings, with some claiming cannabis had helped improve mental health.The federal government spent $164,873 on the study, conducted by Ottawa-based Quorus Consulting Group Inc. The new health messaging stands in contrast to earlier government positions. In 2018, as Canada prepared to legalize cannabis, the Canadian Medical Association warned senators of the risks to youth. “There are very negative effects on the health of young people,” said then-president Dr. Laurent Marcoux.“The government has a responsibility to the public,” Marcoux told a Senate committee at the time. “Its focus should be first and foremost to protect Canadians, especially young people.”
