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opinion: cannabis use amid covid a big concern

sixty per cent of young canadians are confident they know the risks of cigarettes, but majority thinks cannabis is safer.

by george habib

mar 16 2021

3 minute read

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opinion: mental health is the top reason for not cutting cannabis

the lung foundation's 'the toker' campaign aims to raise awareness of mental health and cannabis use. supplied

contending with a novel virus that attacks our breathing has forced society to shift in massive ways. but even as this predominantly respiratory illness is front-and-centre in our minds, lung health is still not getting the attention it deserves. in fact, this pandemic has created a perfect storm of new lung health challenges, which includes everything from the temporary closure of lung-strengthening exercise programs, to devastating diagnosis setbacks.

the impact, however, isn’t all physical.

for canada’s young adults, some behaviour changes brought on by the pandemic could have long-term lung health consequences that will affect their breathing later in life.

mental health challenges are on the rise — and for many 18- to 25-year-olds, that has led to leaning on cannabis. specifically, a june 2020 survey from the canadian red cross found that people who used cannabis were indulging more frequently. among those who had used cannabis in the past month, 27 per cent reported using more than they previously had. in fact, the lung health foundation’s own research has also uncovered that mental health is the top reason for not cutting back on cannabis use.

the spike in use is understandable — but also extremely worrisome — especially given that smoking remains the most common form of cannabis consumption. our national research has revealed that while 60 per cent of young canadians are confident that they know the risks associated with cigarettes, the majority still think smoking cannabis is significantly safer than tobacco.

that’s despite studies showing that heavy smoking of cannabis may lead to chronic bronchitis and a worsening of chronic lung disease symptoms. smoking cannabis may also lead to symptoms including cough, excessive sputum, wheezing, and a decline in lung function.

all of this is why we undertook a new phase of our education campaign, “ the toker .” first launched in 2019, the campaign included a series of humorous animated videos featuring a not-so-super superhero, whose toking made him struggle to breathe in the moments it mattered most. as more young canadians reported in overindulging during the pandemic, we brought the toker back for a sequel.

let me be clear: this was not an anti-cannabis campaign. with legalization, we can only expect cannabis use to become more common. however, smoking it remains the top consumption method by far among 18-to-25-year-olds. we believe they deserve the ability to make informed choices about their present and future lung health.

so, we used humour — not fear — to help young people understand the risks, and that approach got results. among those who had seen the campaign in the first year, the majority were interested in learning more about the risks smoking cannabis poses to their lungs. even more importantly, 62 per cent have begun reconsidering their behaviour around smoking cannabis.

while we’re proud of the strides we have made through innovative campaigns like the toker, we know there is more to do to educate canadians of all ages about their lung health.

between asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd) and lung cancer, one in five canadians experiences some form of lung health issue. pandemic or not, lung disease places an enormous burden on our overall health, and our healthcare system.

and yet, these challenges still don’t get the attention, funding and support they deserve. even worse, they magnify the inequities and barriers within our healthcare system that prevent people from getting the care they deserve and should be able to expect.

it’s too early to say what the long-term implications of the pandemic might be. but it’s not too early to breathe new life into canada’s lung health strategy, and start critical conversations about protecting the lung health of all canadians. that’s why our work — including the toker campaign — is so important.

as covid vaccinations roll out and we look towards the future, canada needs a comprehensive strategy for improving lung health, across every province and down to the patient level. it starts with education, so that as individuals, we can become more aware of our breathing — and advocate for a system that supports it.

george habib, is president and ceo of the lung health foundation.

to learn more about the lung health foundation and its mission to improve the lung health of canadians, visit lunghealth.ca.

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opinion: cannabis use amid covid a big concern

sixty per cent of young canadians are confident they know the risks of cigarettes, but majority thinks cannabis is safer.

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