Workshop Description:

In the last few years there has been an explosion of teenagers and adults who are using medical marijuana. Clinicians are being asked to weigh in about the validity, safety, and efficacy of using THC and CBD products. They also need to ethically decide if they want to work with clients who insist on using these products, rather than well established and regulated drugs, to self-medicate and treat anxiety, depression, PTSD, or chronic pain.

In this workshop we will look at the current research regarding the acute and chronic medical and mental health impact and consequences of short and long-term use. Participants will get the most up to date information about the dangers and risks of medical marijuana. We will also process the ways in which kids and teens use THC products and the indicators of substance use and abuse in young clients.  Participants will also have the opportunity to process case examples as well as their own experiences with clients who have been using THC products. The presenter will also share case examples of clients who were self-medicating with medical marijuana, and the trajectory of their clinical symptoms while they were using, and when they stopped.

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Learning Objectives:

1. Identify at least four risk factors associated with acute marijuana use.

2. Identify at least four risk factors associated with chronic marijuana use.

3. Explain the impact that THC has on anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

4. Describe at least three ways that kids and teens are using marijuana, and at least four  red flags that let parents know their child is using TC products.

5. Explain the impact that THC has on a developing adolescent brain.

6. Describe at least two ethical dilemmas that clinicians face in their work with clients who use or want to use THC and CBD as a part of their therapy treatment.