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Mental-health counselor urges council to oppose local cannabis shop, cites studies linking adolescent cannabis use to depression and suicidal behavior
Summary
A local clinical mental health counselor told Sunnyside City Council that allowing a cannabis retail shop in town would increase youth access to marijuana and could worsen mental-health outcomes. She cited national public-health data and an academic meta-analysis presented in the meeting.
A local clinical mental health counselor told Sunnyside City Council on Monday that allowing a cannabis retail shop in Sunnyside could increase youth access and exacerbate mental-health problems among adolescents.
Lede: Britney Weaver, a clinical mental health counselor at Weaver Family Medicine and a Sunnyside resident for 15 years, urged council to consider the mental-health impacts of increased marijuana availability near schools and said evidence links adolescent cannabis use with higher risk for depression and suicidal behavior.
Nut graf: Weaver cited a Centers for Disease Control summary on rising suicide statistics and referenced a 2019 systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Psychiatry that, she said, found adolescent cannabis consumption associated with increased risk of later depression and suicidal behavior. Weaver warned that local proximity to a retail shop "sends the message that marijuana use is harmless" and that students are already reporting the presence of marijuana on school grounds.
Council response Council did not take action on the matter at Monday’s meeting. Staff and council members later discussed scheduling additional public forums to gather community input on cannabis retail policy.
Ending City staff told council they will host additional community forums and may explore an advisory vote if the council asks for that option in future discussion.
