CSUN On Point

Proposition 64 passed on November 8, 2016 in the state of California. As a result, adults over the age of 21 can possess and privately use marijuana. In 2018, commercial sales and production of the substance also became part of California’s economy. It has become a rapidly growing industry, but the new laws have not erased the confusion and controversy around the substance, and how it can be legally and safely used.

Last year, the Los Angeles Times reported that California has the largest legal marijuana market in the world, with more dispensaries, recreational users and consumer choices than ever before. But the new legalities did not erase the past completely.

“[Many people] thought that prior convictions they had would be cleared,” said attorney Lisa Mattern, who specializes in marijuana cases. Thousands have been overturned in California, but the process is not simple or automatic, and the debate over when and whether to overturn those convictions continues.

Mattern also said law enforcement officers still face challenges when pulling over drivers who are under the influence of marijuana. NBC Los Angeles reported last year “an increase of up to six percent in the number of highways crashes in states where recreational use of marijuana is now legal, compared to states where the same use is illegal.”

Mattern said when an officer smells marijuana in a vehicle,  the DUI investigation begins. But the substance can remain in a person’s body long after the effects have worn off, making the results of field tests problematic. The varying levels of THC in cannabis products also deliver mixed results when consumed. There are no standardized limits or tests yet, but data does show that marijuana impairs driving.

“[Police] don’t have the tools [to test for it],” Mattern said. “They don’t have any field sobriety tests.”

Aside from the legal issues, there are also health issues remaining for many recreational users. Despite a common belief that they can’t, some marijuana users do develop dependency, and, according to Healthline.com, can exhibit “mood swings, a lack of energy, and cognitive impairment.” when they stop using.

“There’s an assumption that because it’s legal, it means that there are no risks that come along with it,” said CSUN University Counseling Services Drug and Alcohol Liaison Dr. Steve Silver. He said a lot of users are misinformed about the effects of the drug.

New methods of consuming marijuana, like edibles and wax, can alter the time it takes for effects to be felt, and the magnitude of those effects. “It can be quite unsettling,” Silver said, when a reaction is stronger than anticipated. Levels of THC can vary greatly. The risk is ever-present to become dependent on the substance, or experience discomfort while consuming it.

California is among 21 states that have legalized the recreational use of marijuana. But the future of legalization remains uncertain due to the lack of support from the federal government, a growing range of properties and strains, and inevitable comparisons to alcohol regulations in the nation.

Producer: Alex Guerrero

Anchor: Brittany Smith

Social Media Editor: Brittany Smith

Reporters: Alex Guerrero, Cindy Rodriguez and Brittany Smith

Many college campuses across the nation are ill-equipped to deal with the surge of students seeking help for mental health issues.

According to the California Faculty Association, the ratio of students to counselor should be about 1,000:1. But of the 23 California State University campuses, only three meet this recommendation, with most campuses having more than 2,500 students to one counselor.

“Every place could always use more staff, and we have a desire to support people as best we can,” said Dr. Steve Silver, from CSUN’s University Counseling Services. Silver said CSUN counselors are readily available to students who are in crisis. Still, the average student may have to wait two weeks to book a first appointment.

Depression, anxiety and social anxiety were three of the most common issues reported by college students. They face many of the same problems as their predecessors: exams, new environments, peer pressures. They also face some new issues: uncertainty about the future, job opportunities, and financial burdens on a larger scale, in the wake of the Great Recession and with the increase in student debt nationwide.

Between 2009-2015, the number of college students seeking on-campus counseling rose by 30 percent. Many colleges and universities are struggling to keep up with the demand, meaning many students have to go elsewhere for help.

But those students who do seek treatment off campus often find that the lack of counseling services is not just a college problem. “It can definitely get to a point where it feels there aren’t enough of us,” Associate Marriage and Family Therapist Amani Williams said. “It can definitely get hard [for us] to see everyone at the same time, and try to be effective still.”

Once students find treatment off campus, they still have to pay for it. Therapy sessions can cost upwards of $150, and many students find they just don’t have the funds necessary to pay for them.

“Money should never be a barrier to getting help, or to getting any mental health treatment,” Clinical Director of ACT Health and Wellness Dr. Megan McDonald said. “There are so many resources for those people who don’t have insurance, or those who don’t have a lot of money.” Many practices don’t charge a co-pay, and others offer patients the opportunity to pay on a sliding scale, where the cost is dictated by the patient’s ability to pay. McDonald said there are resources out there, if students know where to look.

One silver-lining, as more students flock to campus counseling services, is the de-stigmatization of therapy. “I think people are seeing therapy more for what it is, which is the ability to get support from a caring individual who is trained to help support people,” Silver said. “People are experiencing therapy as a more grounded thing, instead of a mysterious thing that happens behind closed doors.”

This is a growing trend not just among college students, but in the larger population as well, as more Americans feel comfortable talking about their mental health with family, friends and on social media.

CSUN students may have to wait a little longer for the situation to improve in the CSU. But if they are in need of help, they can find resources for group therapy sessions, workshops and individual services at Bayramian Hall.

Moderator: Manny Luissi

Producer: Manny Luissi

Anchor: Liliana Ramirez

Social Media Editor: Lilibeth Mireles

Reporters: Bea Barros, Manny Luissi, Lilibeth Mireles, Preston Mitchell, Liliana Ramirez and Candice Romero