Title: Social Analysis Project

Class & Section: Global Citizenship

GNED 500-010

November 5th, 2024

Group Members:

Eric Rendon

Christine Manuel

Michelle Huang

Cecilia Transfiguracion

Favour Oseji

Dynamics and Scope of the Social Problem:

Cannabis addiction in Canada is a growing problem, even after the legalization of it in 2018.
The cannabis Act focuses to regulate the use of cannabis and lessen the illegal selling of it,
but it also led to a lot of problems like the increased consumption especially to young people.
From what I researched almost 6.8 percent of Canadians starting by age of 12 have
experienced cannabis use disorder, making it a very common substance use issue.

One of the most common problems is the impact of it on mental health, regular use of
cannabis leads to a lot of mental issues like anxiety, depression and panic disorder
especially to younger people that use it.

Some of the ways to address cannabis addiction are treatment programs and public health
campaigns. But the economic cost is increasing because of the high cost of healthcares and
lost productivity.
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-medication/cannabis/health-
effects/addiction.html

Overview of the Triangle Model:

Cannabis addiction is influenced by several ideological and factors that shape individual
behaviors and community dynamics.

Ideology: Since the legalization of cannabis in Canada, there has been a shift in societal
perceptions, where cannabis use is increasingly seen as acceptable and normal. This shift
influences individuals' attitudes towards consumption, reducing the perceived risks
associated with addiction also, the discourse around cannabis as a 'natural' or 'medicinal'
substance can downplay its potential for addiction. This is further reinforced by the
promotion of cannabis for therapeutic uses, which may overshadow awareness about its
addictive properties.

Institutions: The legalization and regulation of cannabis impact its accessibility and societal
acceptance. Legalization has created a regulated market, but it has also led to challenges in
managing addiction rates as the substance becomes more widely available. A way to fix this
is by organizing school programs and public education campaigns about the risks of
cannabis use are vital. These institutions are responsible for disseminating accurate
information and fostering healthy attitudes towards drug use.

The portrayal of cannabis in media, including advertisements, news, and entertainment,

significantly influences public perception. Positive portrayals can contribute to normalization,
while negative coverage may stigmatize users, affecting their willingness to seek help.
Additionally, the influence of cannabis companies through lobbying and marketing can shape
policies and public attitudes, often overshadowing public health messages due to their
significant resources.

Using the Triangle Model to analyze cannabis addiction provides an understanding of the
interplay between ideology, institutions, and their impact on individuals and communities.
This approach allows for the development of targeted interventions and recommendations
that address the root causes of addiction and promote social justice.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-cannabis-legalization-survey-
1.5324651

Case Study:

In Prince Edward Island, a woman who works for the government, is a mother and is
involved in her community struggled with cannabis addiction. Her addiction first started with
smoking joint. She was out with a group of friends having drinks when they started passing
around a joint which then she took a puff of. As she began meeting with her friends often,
she started smoking more which led her to daily smoking. She also mentioned that this was
pre-legalization of cannabis, however, she was still able to obtain cannabis from friends who
smoke often or from those who grew it.

Once she hurt her back hence, she went to the doctor and asked if cannabis would help,
there she obtained a prescription. However, this prescription not only did not help her, but it
only increased her addiction more. Not only this affected her work but also her relationship
with her family especially with her husband who is a non-user and her kids. To feed her
addiction, she would go onto her home’s deck to smoke cannabis and would avoid her kids
because of the smell. Later, with the legalization of cannabis she experimented with
cannabis oil. She first started taking it in small amounts, but she did not think the effect was
working hence she started taking more. However, while she was out shopping with friends
and her kids, the drugs took effect which led her to a panic attack.

As her addiction started becoming worse, she sought for help through PEI mental-health
walk-in clinic, in which she was referred to an addiction counsellor. She is now in recovery
and has joined a gym and is enjoying the adrenaline she gets from exercising. Additionally,
she also has a group of encouraging friends.

Cannabis addiction is also referred to as cannabis use disorder which is the use of cannabis
daily. In Price Edward Island, cannabis addiction is common as in 2018 to 2019, they saw an
increase of 50% of people who sought help because of cannabis addiction. Cannabis
addiction can lead to another issue which is cannabis dependence of needing larger
amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. Overall, cannabis addiction can have serious
negative impacts on your health both mentally and physically.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-cannabis-addiction-health-
amanda-hudson-1.5353141

Recommendations:

1. Accessible and Effective Addiction Treatment for every individual:

The government of Canada must provide an improved and equalized treatment and
restoration program for drug addiction that is easily accessible not only to high-income
individuals but also to vulnerable ones. We all know that the cost of rehabilitation and
treatment for drug addiction is not affordable, and that is why it’s one of the top concerns
why people don’t get proper treatment. The rehabilitation program costs range from $ 15,000
to $27,000 (Sreenivas, 2024), and you’re lucky enough to have health insurance but what
about homeless or jobless people? It will be challenging for them to seek immediate
treatment especially when they can’t even afford the basic needs.

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/substance-use-disorder-treatment-access

2. Banning of Cannabis Consumption within School Vicinities:

The banning of drug consumption sites within 200 meters of school is a great approach to
ensure the safety of children, this will also prevent them from early exposure to drug use.
According to Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, the local communities,
families, and parents in Ontario are aware that the existence of drug consumption sites near
schools and daycares will result in major safety risks for their children that’s why the
government need to strategies to protect the public particularly the young children (Adamo,
2024).

https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1004955/ontario-protecting-communities-and-supporting-
addiction-recovery-with-new-treatment-hubs#resources
3. Raising Awareness to Young People:

Educational institutions must integrate programs that are related to drug addiction and its
negative impacts to promote a deeper understanding. Programs about drug consumption
should be included in the curriculum of every school so that at an early age, youth will know
the potential harmful effects of the use of drugs leading to more serious individual and
societal issues.

4. Reduce Stigma and Discrimination:

The government must implement initiatives to minimize the discrimination related to

cannabis addiction resulting in more serious health and well-being problems for individuals.
This stigma is also concerning those people who use cannabis for medical and recreational
purposes only and do not have substance use disorder. This unequal disparity stops people
from getting appropriate care resulting in more alarming issues.

https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/stigma-discrimination

References

Ontario Protecting Communities and Supporting Addiction Recovery with New Treatment
Hubs. (2024). https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1004955/ontario-protecting-communities-
and-supporting-addiction-recovery-with-new-treatment-hubs

Sreenivas, S. (2024). Why some have less access to addiction treatment:

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/substance-use-disorder-treatment-access

Stigma and Discrimination. (June 2022). National Institute of Drug Abuse:

https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/stigma-discrimination

Fraser. S .(2024 November 18th). Cannabis addiction is real. Here is one mother’s story.
CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-cannabis-addiction-
health-amanda-hudson-1.5353141

Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-

medication/cannabis/health-effects/addiction.html