Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Higher THC Concentrations Linked To Psychosis, Schizophrenia, Addiction
MedPage Today: Potent Cannabis Products Linked To Psychosis, Mental Health Risks
Cannabis products containing high concentrations of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) -- the main psychoactive compound in marijuana -- were linked to psychosis, schizophrenia, and addiction, a systematic review found. Across 99 studies examining the effects of high-concentration THC products on mental health outcomes, 70% of the nontherapeutic studies (i.e., those not attempting to treat a medical condition or symptom) showed an unfavorable association with psychosis or schizophrenia and 75% found a relationship to cannabis use disorder (CUD). (Firth, 8/25)
In other mental health news —
Higher Ed Dive: Half Of College Students Say Their Mental Health Is ‘Fair’ To ‘Terrible,’ Survey Finds
Half of college students rate their mental health as fair, poor, or terrible, according to a recent survey from The Steve Fund, a nonprofit that focused on the mental health of young people of color. The survey also found about 40% of students were “very or extremely stressed about maintaining their mental health” while in college. About 1 in 5 students said the same about connecting with other students and finding their niche in college. (McLean, 8/26)
SciTechDaily: Owning A Smartphone Before 13 Linked To Alarming Mental Health Declines, Global Study Finds
A worldwide study involving more than 100,000 participants has found that receiving a smartphone before the age of 13 is linked with weaker mental health and lower overall wellbeing in early adulthood. The research, published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, reported that individuals aged 18 to 24 who first owned a smartphone at 12 or younger were more likely to experience suicidal thoughts, heightened aggression, feelings of detachment from reality, difficulties with emotional control, and diminished self-worth. (8/25)
KUTV: Audit Finds Utah Families Struggling With ‘Ghost Providers’ In Mental Health Care
A legislative audit has uncovered a troubling gap in Utah’s mental health care system, leaving families desperate for treatment for their children. The audit found that nearly 70% of providers listed in insurance directories are not actually accepting new patients. Lawmakers call them “ghost providers.” “They called up 180 providers in insurance directories and found out 69% of them were ghost providers, meaning they’re not accepting patients,” Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, said. “That’s a false promise.” (Harrison, 8/26)
AP: AI Inconsistent In Handling Suicide-Related Queries, Study Says
A study of how three popular artificial intelligence chatbots respond to queries about suicide found that they generally avoid answering questions that pose the highest risk to the user, such as for specific how-to guidance. But they are inconsistent in their replies to less extreme prompts that could still harm people. The study in the medical journal Psychiatric Services, published Tuesday by the American Psychiatric Association, found a need for “further refinement” in OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude. (Ortutay and O’Brien, 8/26)
The New York Times: Michael Phelps, Jay Glazer Bonded Over Mental Health. It Became A Star-Studded Support System
Though no one in the group is a mental health professional or has had training in the field, their personal experiences have allowed them to build a community. More than that, it’s tapped into a transformative idea: People often underestimate just how much they will enjoy deep conversations with other people. “Not because they fail to appreciate that having a meaningful conversation is something that they will enjoy personally,” said Nicholas Epley, a professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago. “But because they underestimate how positively other people will respond to it. We underestimate how much power we actually have to make ourselves and other people feel better — notably better — by connecting with them.” (Devlin, 8/26)
On mental health care for first responders —
WABE: Marietta Police Trying Horse Therapy To Combat Officer Stress, Improve Mental Health And Policing
The Marietta Police Department recently started having officers take part in a horse therapy program to help their mental health and improve policing. (Mador, 8/24)
CBS News: Colorado Family Speaks Out About Mental Health Among First Responders After Northglenn Police Officer Dies By Suicide
Paul Gesi, a Northglenn police officer, died by suicide earlier this month after a long battle with PTSD. "Within probably the past year we started to see it weighing on him heavier as he would come home. and then it really got 'bad' really within the past two months," said Emily Gesi. "We saw signs of anxiety and depression. (We) never saw our father bring work home, but a little bit towards the end he started to talk about it a little bit more, about how he was starting to feel the darkness that he has been dealing with in his 41 years of being an officer." (Vidal, 8/25)
