Remove marijuana ads
Emblazoned on the side of a building in the Loop is an advertisement for marijuana sold by Cresco Labs, one of the country’s largest marijuana companies. “Excellent Everyday Cannabis,” the mural reads, with a jar of marijuana superimposed over the all-caps “everyday,” a word that is repeated nine times. This promotes daily use of an addictive product — clearly violating Illinois’ marijuana advertising regulations against encouraging “overconsumption.”
As an addiction psychologist, I — along with others in the addiction and drug use prevention fields — warned about the commercialization of marijuana as it pertains to the addiction-for-profit nature of the marijuana industry. Those of us who opposed this policy change firmly believe this new industry will continue the trend we have seen in other states of promoting heavy use of marijuana — particularly the use of today’s new, high-potency forms. Cresco’s advertisement underscores this fact.
Millions of Americans have trusted science to help guide us through the pandemic. It’s time we place the same trust in the science that tells us marijuana use is harmful.
A recent study out of Denmark found that the proportion of schizophrenia cases linked with regular, heavy use of marijuana has dramatically risen over the past two decades. Furthermore, a National Institutes of Health study found that marijuana use among young adults was linked to greater odds of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts.
When it comes to marijuana advertising, data show that ads further normalize marijuana and are influential in driving up youth acceptance and use. Because of this, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in June called for a global ban on marijuana advertising.
Simply put, the marijuana industry should not be able to advertise its highly potent and addictive products, much less actively encouraging daily use.
The city should do the right thing for public health and remove murals that promote marijuana and its use.
— Aaron Weiner, addiction specialist, Lake Forest