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Latest News Around the Web

Using Medical Or Recreational Marijuana To Ease Symptoms Of Numerous Mental Health Conditions Doesn’t Work, Analyses Find

CNN (3/16, LaMotte) reports, “Using medical or recreational marijuana to ease symptoms of numerous mental health conditions doesn’t work, according to two new analyses of existing gold-standard research.” One study, published in Lancet Psychiatry, “analyzed results from 54 randomized controlled trials published between 1980 and 2025.” Meanwhile, “a recent JAMA paper…also explored the effectiveness of natural and synthetic forms of CBD and THC on mental health conditions.”

Related Links:

— “Scientists say marijuana doesn’t ease anxiety or other mental health conditions,”Sandee LaMotte, CNN, March 16, 2026

Digital Media Use Associated With Risks To Child And Adolescent Mental Health And Development, Review Finds

HealthDay (3/13, Solomon) reported a systemic review and meta-analysis of 153 studies found that “digital media use is consistently associated with risks to child and adolescent mental health and development globally.” The researchers observed that “social media use was associated with higher depression, externalizing and internalizing behaviors, self-injurious thoughts, problematic internet use, and substance use. There were also negative associations with lower academic achievement, poorer self-perception, and less positive development.” Additionally, “there was an association between video gaming and higher aggression and externalizing behaviors and higher attention/executive functioning. Digital device use and messaging/communication media were associated with depression.” The review was published in JAMA Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— “Digital Media Tied to Risks for Child, Adolescent Mental Health and Development,”Lori Solomon, HealthDay, March 13, 2026

Closing arguments begin in landmark social media addiction trial

The AP (3/12, Huamani, Ortutay) reports that closing statements began Thursday in the trial on whether Meta and YouTube “should be liable for harms caused to children using their platforms.” The case, “along with two others, has been selected as a bellwether trial, meaning its outcome could impact how thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies are likely to play out.”

Related Links:

— “Lawyers in landmark social media addiction trial make final appeals to the jury,”Kaitlyn Huamani And Barbara Ortutay, AP, March 12, 2026

Youth Exposed To Trauma Likely Have Long-Lasting Symptoms Of Depression, Study Finds

Psychiatric News (3/12) reports a study found that “children and teenagers who have been exposed to trauma are very likely to experience clinically significant symptoms of depression in the aftermath of the trauma, with many of them continuing to experience symptoms a year later.” The research team “pooled data on 2,006 trauma-exposed youth ages 7 to 18 across four countries who completed measures of depression symptoms across acute- (>24 hours to 1 month), short- (>1 to 3 months), intermediate- (>3 to 6 months), and/or long-term (>6 to 12 months) windows.” They observed the “prevalence of children who likely had ‘clinically significant depression’ was 38.7% in the acute-, 57.9% in the short-, 47.1% in the intermediate-, and 41.8% in the long-term window.” The study was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

Related Links:

— “Youth Exposed to Trauma Often Have Long-Lasting Symptoms of Depression, Psychiatric News, March 12, 2026

Reducing parental stress might decrease risk of childhood obesity

HealthDay (3/11, Thompson) reports a study found that “children were more likely to eat healthy and not gain weight if their parents participated in training to help manage stress.” The investigators “recruited 114 parents with overweight or obese children ages 2 to 5 and assigned them to one of two groups. One group underwent a mindfulness training program focused on managing stress and avoiding unhealthy behaviors along with education on healthy nutrition and physical activity. The second group only got the education on eating right and exercising.” Study results showed that “only the mindfulness group experienced lower parental stress, improved positive parenting and less unhealthy eating among their children by three months after the classes ended. On the other hand, children in the control group had a six-fold higher risk of overweight or obesity within three months of the classes.” The study was published in Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— “Lowering Parents’ Stress Can Reduce Risk Of Childhood Obesity,”Dennis Thompson, HealthDay , March 11, 2026

Foundation News

Seeking Nominations for 2023 Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award

The annual Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry (MFP) Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award recognizes a worthy piece published in a major newspaper that accomplishes one or more of the following:

  • Shares with the public their experience with mental illness in themselves, a family member, or in the community.
  • Helps others to overcome their inability to talk about mental illness or their own mental illness.
  • Imparts particularly insightful observations on the general subject of mental illness.

The article should be published during the period from January 15, 2022 to January 15, 2023. A Maryland author and/or newspaper is preferred. Click here for past winners and published articles.

The award carries a $500 prize, which is given at the Maryland Psychiatric Society annual meeting in April. Please send nominations to mfp@mdpsych.org no later than January 16, 2023.

Foundation Talks About New 9-8-8 Suicide Lifeline in PSA

Like the national emergency number 9-1-1, the US now has a new National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number: 9-8-8. The Foundation says it is for anyone experiencing any acute mental health crisis, whether that be suicidal thoughts, a substance abuse problem, or any needed emotional support. The lifeline can be used by family and loved ones to call for help with someone they know how is having a crisis.

Dial 988 for the National Suicide Prevention LifelineDial 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, MP3, 1.2MB

You can listen to the ad using the player in the upper right of the website’s homepage. All past public service spots are also available for listening or to download on our Radio Advertisements page.

Deepak Prabhakar, M.D. to Receive MFP Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award

Deepak Prabhakar, M.D. will be awarded the 2022 Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry (MFP) Anti-Stigma Advocacy Prize for his Op-Ed column, “Biles is leading a new generation of athletes who prioritize mental health,” which was published in the August 2, 2021 print issue of The Baltimore Sun.  The MFP board of directors felt that it very effectively expressed important ideas such as that the best athletes with “steely” inner strength can nevertheless be vulnerable to mental ill-ness, that people should not feel ashamed to seek treatment when needed, and that everybody should routinely check on friends and family to make sure they are okay, and encourage them to seek professional help when needed.

The Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award carries a $500 prize and will be formally presented at the Maryland Psychiatric Society annual meeting on April 28.

The Foundation established this annual prize for a worthy media piece, preferably local or regional, that accomplishes one or more of the following:

  • Shares with the public their experience with mental illness in themselves, a family member, or simply in the community.
  • Helps others to overcome their inability to talk about mental illness or their own mental illness.
  • Imparts particularly insightful observations on the general subject of mental illness.

Click here for information about past winners.

New Foundation PSA Examines Possible Silver Lining of the Pandemic

They say every dark cloud has a silver lining. Though the COVID pandemic has had many devastating impacts, there have been some positive consequences for mental health care.This PSA looks at the growth of TeleHealth to make and attend appointments online from the comfort of their own rooms. Unprecedented government funding for mental health was also mobilized. Listen to hear more developments.

Positive Consequences From the Pandemic For Mental Health CarePositive Consequences From the Pandemic For Mental Health Care, MP3, 1.2MB

You can listen to the ad using the player in the upper right of the website’s homepage. All past public service spots are also available for listening or to download on our Radio Advertisements page.

Latest PSA From Foundation Examines Rise in Suicide Among Black People

The COVID pandemic has highlighted racial disparities in health and healthcare. Suicide has mistakenly been seen as a problem primarily for white people, but now upward trends have been seen among black people, particular black adolescent girls. This new PSA from the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry, Inc. examines the reasons for this and calls for further research.

Racial Disparities Seen in Suicide StudiesRacial Disparities Seen in Suicide Studies, MP3, 1.4MB

You can listen to the ad using the player in the upper right of the website’s homepage. All past public service spots are also available for listening or to download on our Radio Advertisements page.