Nashua Democrat Rep. Deb Stevens Insults Constituent on Mental Health Issue

A constituent of Democrat New Hampshire House Rep Deb Stevens sent her an email. She asked that she oppose HB481—a bill to legalize, tax, and regulate cannabis. The constituent pointed out her concern about the connection between marijuana and schizophrenia. Rep. Stevens was not very kind in her reply.

Here’s the email sent to Rep. Deb Stevens.

Please vote ITL on HB481 which would allow for commercial sale of marijuana in the state. Marijuana is already legal and available in the state for people who need it for medical purposes, such as cancer patients who need it to treat nausea. HB481 would take it to an extreme, allowing highly potent marijuana and marijuana products, like edibles, waxes, and shatters to be sold. This would make it attractive to our young people, potentially causing serious harm to their physical and mental health. And studies show that marijuana use by young people is associated with an increase in schizophrenia, a very serious illness indeed.

Here is Rep. Stevens’ response.

On Mon, Feb 25, 2019 at 1:55 AM deb stevens <debstevens4ward7@gmail.com> wrote:

I will vote in favor of HB 481.
I’m so sorry you are ignorant about the causes of schizophrenia.

TY for sharing your views with me.

Thank you for proving that I am smarter than you. That’s what it sounds like. Stevens even fashions herself some sort of mental health expert when it comes to firearms. But what Democrat doesn’t? And now cannabis. Well, let’s see about that.

The Bill and the Ill

HB481, “establishes procedures for the legalization, regulation, and taxation of cannabis; the licensing and regulation of cannabis establishments; the regulation of hemp and hemp products; and makes appropriations therefor.” And while Democrats are probably drooling over the opportunity to tax and regulate regardless, there is medical evidence of a connection between marijuana use and schizophrenia.

After an exhaustive review, the National Academy of Medicine found in 2017 that “cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychoses; the higher the use, the greater the risk.” Also that “regular cannabis use is likely to increase the risk for developing social anxiety disorder.”

And,

In 2014, people who had diagnosable cannabis use disorder, the medical term for marijuana abuse or addiction, made up about 1.5 percent of Americans. But they accounted for eleven percent of all the psychosis cases in emergency rooms—90,000 cases, 250 a day, triple the number in 2006. In states like Colorado, emergency room physicians have become experts on dealing with cannabis-induced psychosis.

And,

[R]esearch from Finland and Denmark, two countries that track mental illness more comprehensively, shows a significant increase in psychosis since 2000, following an increase in cannabis use. And in September of last year, a large federal survey found a rise in serious mental illness in the United States as well, especially among young adults, the heaviest users of cannabis.

Is this Science Settled?

The Imprimis piece is loaded with references to studies all across the globe that connect cannabis to psychosis and violence. So, the point here is that there is enough scientific research to suggest a connection. More than enough. One that leads to psychosis and violence. And if violence is a concern, then why not this?

Because of the potential tax revenue to grow the government? A rise in regulatory power? The opportunity to ‘legally’ disarm marijuana users?

New Hampshire has already addressed medical access. Shouldn’t further availability be concerning? Not to Democrat NH House Rep. Deb Stevens. 

So, we’ll close with this snippet for Dr. Deb!

Dr. Jacqueline Berenson— a senior psychiatrist at the Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Institute in New York State, is the wife of the author of the Imprimis piece. Mid-Hudson Forensic is where New York incarcerates the criminally insane. People judged not guilty by reason if insanity.

A couple of years ago, Jackie was telling me about a patient. In passing, she said something like, Of course he’d been smoking pot his whole life.

Of course? I said.

Yes, they all smoke.

Rep. Stevens’ “I’m so sorry you are ignorant about the causes of schizophrenia.”