As part of Alcohol and Other Drugs Awareness Week, the Habif Health and Wellness Center hosted “What’s up with Weed?” a panel designed to create an open dialogue and inform students about any questions they may have about cannabis on Wednesday, April 10.

The panel featured Dr. Rick Grucza and Dr. Arpana Agrawal, Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) professors, Jacob Borodovsky, Ph.D. and Brandon Costerison of the St. Louis chapter of the National Council of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NCADA).

The panel especially wanted to address any confusion surrounding the fact that medical marijuana was legalized in Missouri.

Myth #1: It’s impossible to be addicted to cannabis

“The myth that I grapple with is that there is no marijuana addiction syndrome,” Agrawal said.

According to the panelists, it is very possible to be addicted to cannabis, although at much lower rates than many other drugs. They maintained that, contrary to popular belief, cannabis can create a dependency.

Myth #2: Legalization works in similar ways nationwide

“Look up the laws,” Borovsky said. “In each state, everything is different. There are many state-specific idiosyncrasies. It depends on the state that you’re in.”

Although medical marijuana has been legalized in Missouri, along with 32 other states, what will be legal in one state, may be illegal in another, so make sure to do your research before it’s too late.

Myth #3: CBD/THC is beneficial for your health

Overall, there is very little research available regarding the validity of the chemical’s actual health benefits. The panelists warned against trusting CBD as a catch-all for any medical ailments, as they may be effective, but also may not be.

“Any time someone wants to make a healthier decision, that should always be encouraged. Someone making an unhealthy decision does not make them a bad person,” Costerison said.

All in all, the panel provided an informative look into the less-publicized side of cannabis, but the panel shouldn’t be the end of students’ research.

“Be an informed consumer when you’re purchasing CBD,” Agrawal said. “You need to make sure you’re doing your research.”