Author Biography

Kaitlyn Jensen is a sophomore at Utah State University, double majoring in Psychology and Religious Studies. She has always been drawn to topics that make most people uncomfortable because she wants to know why they elicit that discomfort. She spent 7 years helping her family care for her grandmother who suffered from Alzheimer’s until her passing, something that has heavily influenced her school career. Since she got an intimate look at the dying process and how it affects loved ones, she plans on studying death and grief so she can be the resource for other families that hers did not have. She wants to bridge psychological processing with spirituality and religion, as she believes these things can alleviate and soothe death anxiety. On a lighter note, she has a variety of hobbies including makeup artistry, gaming (many, many games!), tarot reading, and finds much enjoyment in studying and learning as much as she can about everything she can.

This essay was composed in August 2023 and uses MLA documentation.

If you were to ask sixth-grade Kaitlyn what she thought she would be when she grew up, she would probably (realistically) say “I don’t know.” Honestly, even nearing 30, I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. What I can tell you though, is that sixth-grade Kaitlyn would have never imagined that she’d find herself passionate about alternative medicine, let alone something like cannabis.  After all, cannabis and other drugs are evil, right? That is what D.A.R.E. taught us (D.A.R.E.). Yet, I’ve found myself working at a clinic that helps people access this medicine and I’ve seen it change lives. I’ve seen it change mine, too. I’ll say it proudly.

Even I have to admit, D.A.R.E. has the right intention in mind. We do need to educate children on drug use. In fact, I think everyone needs to be educated on this issue – I believe that education is one of the best ways to combat the stigma that these substances carry. The problem lies within the depth of this education, and the fact that most of it is misguided and uninformed, and it’s constructed this way for a reason. Access to balanced education is paramount to the success of medicinal cannabis programs and patient well-being. Being aware of both the risks and the benefits is critical.

Due to the anti-drug campaigns of the not-so-recent past, cannabis in particular has earned a reputation for being a “gateway drug” that inevitably leads to living in the gutter with an addiction. Or worse, you could be labeled a criminal – everyone you know would associate you with being a “junkie” or a “pothead”, and that’s if you’re lucky enough to not be incarcerated on top of it. We’re even told that it kills brain cells, and yet the only advice and education given basically boils down to: “Just don’t do it! It’s bad because I said so!” (Reagan. D.A.R.E.) I’ve also encountered people who think we (clinics, dispensaries, etc.) are just trying to get people high when that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The War on Drugs itself, despite claiming the intention to rid the country of “public enemy number one: drug abuse” (Nixon), did the exact opposite. It caused many issues in the United States with tight regulations, new drug classifications and schedules, and mass incarcerations – most of which are people of color. Sadly, while we no doubt feel the effects of this “war” in America, the damage done beyond our borders is immeasurable and honestly, brutal. (Smith) It would not be an exaggeration to say that millions of lives, American and otherwise, have been lost or suffered because of the lies surrounding drug policies.

I want to address some of these misconceptions, spread awareness, and destigmatize cannabis. However, I want to make one clarification before moving on: I am choosing to exclude injustices based specifically on race in this essay because I think that topic deserves an entire commentary in its own right. This issue is completely steeped in racial injustice, and I want to make my acknowledgment of that clear. Additionally, my goal is to explore perspectives that I see often in my own work – mothers and elders specifically.

To understand the scope of this issue, it’s important to first explore the history of the infamous “War on Drugs”. (Nixon) In 1970, President Nixon signed into law the Controlled Substances Act, a law that places drugs on special “schedules” based on medical use, potential for abuse, or safety and dependence liability (CSA). While there were previous laws criminalizing drugs, Nixon’s 1971 declaration was the first time anyone had acknowledged a drug problem. Unfortunately, this acknowledgment was the real antecedent to all of the violence, crime, and stigma that drugs like cannabis carry today.

Furthermore, not only did the Nixon administration paint BIPOC and “hippies” as the problem, they did it knowingly. In 2016, a document containing a 1994 interview with John Ehrlichman, Nixon’s advisor, became public. In the interview, he was asked how the United States managed to get involved in this prohibition of drugs:

“The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people. You understand what I’m saying? We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.” (Baum)

Despite the confirmation that Nixon’s War on Drugs was launched under false pretenses, the stigma that it created has been maintained. Not long after Nixon’s declaration of war, Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign emerged, along with the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program started by LA Police Chief Daryl Gates. (Reagan. D.A.R.E. DPA.)  Both of these programs highlight a particular theme: abstinence. There is heavy exaggeration on just saying no and not giving in to peer pressure, but students aren’t given tools to navigate a complex social situation like that. It’s easier said than put into practice, especially when the audience is only 10 or 11 years of age to begin with. This style of education just isn’t effective, and mounting research is beginning to confirm that.

In fact, a meta-analysis of D.A.R.E.’s curricula (Ennett et al.) concluded that it was not only ineffective, but the negative stigma attached to cannabis remained, although it should be noted that the author recognizes the limitations of their analysis. (Clobes, et al. 1) Hopefully, as cannabis laws evolve and legalization makes research easier to access, we will get more definitive answers that can ease minds – patients and public alike.

Needless to say, the stigma surrounding cannabis still has a firm grip on the public and no one is completely immune from it. This can dissuade people from seeking a treatment that could genuinely benefit them. It hasn’t been an uncommon experience to talk to mothers who have expressed that they feel like they’re “bad moms” because they have used cannabis in the past. They explain that they only ever use it responsibly, only when the kids are safely in bed or away,.  The shame that this stigma evokes in people makes them launch into an entire justification for why they are seeking help as if they’re doing something wrong for doing so. Many times they try it once and, despite having positive results, put it down and suffer because of the stigma.

Luckily, there are women who are coming forward, telling their stories, and sharing how they have overcome the toughest of trials with the aid of cannabis, even claiming that using it helps them be better mothers to their children. In an article intended to reassure mothers that it is okay to fill the role of a good mother while using cannabis, Mindy Madeo, lead pharmacist of a local Utah dispensary, gives advice for using it safely and responsibly. Additionally, she mentions several other benefits mothers get from cannabis use, such as connecting with their partner and loved ones more, having better sex, exercising more often, to even getting off heavier medications because it’s a healthier alternative (Madeo.). While I’m not a mother, I do hope to join these women by telling my own healing cannabis story one day.

An interesting (and sometimes restrictive) element of Utah’s cannabis laws are the qualifying conditions in which a patient can be certified. (DHHS.) Currently, the qualifying conditions contain maladies that affect older individuals more often than not. Aside from Autism or chronic pain, cannabis treats a variety of diseases that debilitate aging adults like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, or ALS. As a result, the majority of patients that I meet are actually older! Many people are surprised to learn that this generation is receptive to cannabis as an option – another result of that stigmatization. Oftentimes, they tried it in their youth, inevitably quit, and have come back because it is the only thing that helps them. Although, I have met a few of those older “hippie” women – the ones who have been smoking cannabis their entire lives almost – they’re delightfully funny because they are shameless about their use; something that I think is desperately needed right now. We need as many voices as possible.

In a survey among adults ages 65+ in Philidelphia, a researcher wanted to find out how older generations of people perceive cannabis use and whether they think it is a legitimate treatment. (Kleidon 4). The participants of the survey generally concluded that they agreed with its legitimacy, but they acknowledged that they did not know much about it – like how it interacts with other prescriptions they may be taking, or that there are a number of consumption methods that have nothing to do with smoking.

This study reflects my own experiences with older patients, too. Generally speaking, the people I meet are curious and open to the idea, but they have little to no information. And, despite most of us having the world and its knowledge at our fingertips, a lot of these older folks don’t use technology often, let alone know where to find accurate information. That is why it is paramount for clinics and providers to be educated – they need us to be.

Lack of education can be harmful, not only from an informational perspective, but in a literal sense as well. For example, while it is extremely unlikely to overdose to a fatal degree, you can overdose and make yourself sick. Educating patients on dosing needs like this is critical to them getting the best result possible – managing their symptoms, not getting high. Otherwise, there’s the potential that they try it, have a negative experience, and put it down again and they lose out on something that may help.

By now, there’s a central thread that connects all of these points together: education. Or lack thereof, rather.  As someone who works in healthcare, I see firsthand how misconceptions and faulty stigma can affect the lives of people. Even as the acceptance of this treatment is increasing, there are still patients that are hesitant to explore it because they are worried about what their family, friends, partner, or even provider thinks of them.

So, what can we do to combat the stigma that cannabis carries? One of the best way to help is by simply talking about it! More often than not, fear, hesitation, and even defensiveness  come from a lack of understanding, not intentional malice. In her podcast “Casually Baked”, Johanna Nuding creates an atmosphere that rivals the feeling of hanging out in your friend’s basement, talking about the meaning of life. Her goal is to normalize conversations around cannabis, and she gives great advice on how to casually bring the topic up among friends and family. (Nuding. Ep. 6)

Reading books, articles, watching documentaries, or even talking to a local qualified medical provider are all great ways to learn more about cannabis. In his book “Medical Cannabis: A Guide for Patients, Practitioners, and Caregivers”, Dr. Michael Moskowitz gives an easy-to-digest overview of how cannabis works in the body, what can be treated with cannabis, and concludes with a wealth of information on consumption methods and dosing. The information is presented in a way that is easy for anyone to understand, but still manages to capture the complexity of the plant and this treatment without losing the reader in medical jargon.

Implementing balanced education for the public, patients, and providers is one of the best ways to combat the stigma that follows cannabis and its use as a medical treatment. Most of the misconceptions people have come from ignorance and purposeful anti-drug misinformation and can be addressed easily by a provider who is knowledgeable. Luckily, we are able to do more research than before as more states legalize it in one form or another. As we learn more, we are able to pass that knowledge on to others who can use it to better their lives.

Works Cited

Baum, Dan. “Legalize It All”. Harper’s Magazine. April 2016 Issue. Harper’s Magazine Foundation. April 2016. https://harpers.org/archive/2016/04/legalize-it-all/ Date Accessed: 9 August, 2023.

Clobes, Thomas A, et al, The impact of education on attitudes toward medical cannabis. Elsevier. Science Direct.  PEC Innovation. Vol. 1. December 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecinn.2021.100009Accessed July 15, 2023.

D.A.R.E. https://dare.org/education/ Accessed 9 August, 2023.

DEA. “The Controlled Substances Act.”Drug Enforcement Agency, 25 July, 2018, https://www.dea.gov/drug-information/csa Accessed 9 August, 2023.

Fullmer, Cole. “Utah Patient Profile: Back to Normal”. (2022) Salt Baked City Magazine. https://saltbakedcity.com/utah-patient-profile-back-to-normal/. Accessed July 20, 2023.

Kleidon AM, Peterson AM, Warner-Maron I, Glicksman A. Attitudes, Beliefs, and Perceptions on Cannabis Among Older Adults Aged 65 and Older: A cross-sectional Survey. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health. 2023;14. doi:10.1177/21501319231177284

Madeo, Mindy. “It’s OK to Be a Mom and Use Cannabis”. (2022) Salt Baked City Magazine. https://saltbakedcity.com/its-ok-to-be-a-mom-and-use-cannabis/. Accessed July 15, 2023.

Moskowitz, Michael H., MD, MPH. “Medical Cannabis: A Guide for Patients, Practitioners, and Caregivers”. Koehler Books. (2017).

Nuding, Johanna. “Potcast 6: Cannabis Closet” Casually Baked Podcast. Spotify. June 2017. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2WwhexSq49TWpWgxmHJ6Ji?si=340451d19391478d Accessed August 2, 2023.

President Nixon Declares Drug Abuse “Public Enemy Number One”. April 29, 2016. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8TGLLQlD9M Date accessed: 9 August, 2023.

Reagan, Nancy. “Just Say No.” School Safety, Issue 3. Spring 1986. United States Department of Justice. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/just-say-no Accessed 9 August, 2023.

Smith, Benjamin. “New Documents Reveal the Origin’s of America’s War on Drugs”. Time Magazine. August 24, 2021. https://time.com/6090016/us-war-on-drugs-origins/ Accessed 9 August, 2023.

Utah DHHS. “Utah Medical Cannabis Law”. Utah Department of Health and Human Services. 2023. https://medicalcannabis.utah.gov/resources/utah-medical-cannabis-law/ Accessed 9 August, 2023.