Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 18, 2021, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE C3 C 3ARTS ● LIFE I ENTERTAINMENTMONDAY, JANUARY 18, 2021 ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM Weed out the hyperbole, focus on cannabis facts I T’S time for polarizing positions on cannabis to go up in smokeWeedless Wednesday, which takes place Jan. 20 as part of National Non-Smoking Week, is a fitting time for hardcore opponents and advocates of cannabis alike to set aside deeply entrenched positions in favour of an evidence-based discussion. Although we’ve come a long way since the campy 1936 anti-marijuana film Reefer Madness and its over-the- top warnings of “a new and deadly menace lurking beyond closed doors,” there are still opponents who embrace old-school approaches over facts. On the other side of the spectrum are some weed activists who may have dif- ficulty acknowledging the known risks associated with its use and who claim it as a natural, non-addictive cure for everything from depression to cancer. My advice has always been to throw out the strident, moralistic arguments on both sides of the debate in favour of the current scientific evidence. In years past, prevention messaging about cannabis was both exaggerated and punitive. For example, scientific evidence has failed to uphold the “gate- way drug” hypothesis — the belief that use always or usually leads to use of “heavier” drugs. The reality is most marijuana users will not go on to use drugs like heroin, cocaine or metham- phetamine. It pays to remember that while can- nabis has been legal in Canada since late 2018, “legal” is not synonymous with “safe.” According to the Cana- dian Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, cannabis use can have both short- and long-term effects on health — particularly for adolescents, whose brains have yet to fully develop (some- thing that typically occurs between the ages of 21 and 25. It can affect thinking and physical co-ordination, and increase the risk of accidents, injuries, reproductive issues and mental-health problems. With increased use comes a higher risk of schizophrenia, anxiety disor- ders, depression and amotivational syndrome — a psychiatric disorder characterized by emotional states such as detachment, blunted emotion and drives, reduced memory and attention, disinterest, passivity, apathy and a general lack of motivation. Contrary to popular opinion among its supporters, cannabis use can also result in dependency. In a comprehen- sive review of 20 years of research, the Washington County (Oregon) Depart- ment of Health reported in 2014 that research shows approximately nine per cent of people who experiment with marijuana will become addicted and that the number goes up to 17 per cent for people who start using as teens, and up to 50 per cent for those who smoke marijuana daily. Today, the conversations we have about cannabis should be similar to those we have about alcohol, especially in terms of harm-reduction. Parents should lead by example and use facts over hyperbole when discussing these topics with their children. When I was in high school, the messaging was, “don’t do it or you’re going to die.” Clearly, that kind of messaging won’t work today. Parents are encouraged to take an evidence-based approach, avoiding catastrophic and unscientific language and perspectives. The Canadian Centre for Addiction and Mental Health offers these 10 evidence-based recommendations for reducing the health risks associated with cannabis use: ● Remember that every form of can- nabis use poses risk to your health. While the only way to completely avoid these risks is to abstain, lower-strength and less-frequent use will bring lower risks. ● The earlier in life you begin using cannabis, the higher your risk of seri- ous health problems. Teenagers, par- ticularly those younger than 16, should delay using it for as long as possible. ● Higher-strength or more powerful cannabis products are worse for your health. If you use, choose low-strength products, such as those with a lower THC content or a higher ratio of CBD to THC. ● Don’t use synthetic cannabis prod- ucts, which are stronger and more dangerous. ● Smoking is the most harmful way of using cannabis because it directly affects the lungs. Non-smoking options such as vaping or consuming edibles are safer, keeping in mind that the alternatives aren’t risk-free. ● Avoid inhaling deeply or holding your breath. These practices increase the amount of toxins absorbed by the lungs and body and can lead to prob- lems. ● Try to limit use as much as possible. The more frequently you use canna- bis, the more likely you are to develop health problems, especially if you use on a daily or near-daily basis. ● Cannabis impairs your ability to drive a car or operate other machinery. Don’t engage in these activities after using. ● Pregnant women and people with a personal or family history of psychosis or substance-use problems should not use cannabis at all. ● Avoid combining any of the risky behaviours described above or using other addictive substances in conjunc- tion with cannabis. The more risks you take, the greater the chances of harm- ing your health. For more information, and tips on how to talk with your kids or others, visit the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction at ccsa.ca, the Cen- tre for Addiction and Mental Health at camh.ca or the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba at afm.mb.ca. If you need help controlling your cannabis use, contact your doctor or another health professional, or the Manitoba Addiction Helpline at 1-855- 662-6605. Daniel Dacombe is acting supervisor of the Prevention Education Team with the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba and has nearly a decade of clinical experi- ence in the addictions field. DANIEL DACOMBE E XCUSE me for bragging, but it turns out I have far more in com-mon with Hollywood superstar George Clooney than you might think. It’s not that people get me confused with the famously silver-haired, beard- ed dreamboat when I’m standing in the frozen-food aisle at Safeway, although I am not ruling that out. It’s just that Clooney and I are both willing to publicly admit that we have, on occasion, cut our own hair. I’m not saying I have cut Clooney’s hair, or vice versa. No, I’m saying that, while in differ- ent locations, we have engaged in some serious hair removal in an effort to be as presentable as humanly possible if we are ever allowed to appear in public again. I became aware of Clooney’s hair- styling prowess recently when he ap- peared on late-night TV and confessed to host Jimmy Kimmel that, for the past 25 years, he has been cutting his hair with (insert dramatic pause) a Flowbee. For you youngsters in Generation Z, a Flowbee is an electrically pow- ered vacuum cleaner attachment that became popular during the infomer- cial boom of the 1980s. Invented by a guy who used an industrial vacuum to suck sawdust out of his hair, it allowed people with the brain power of cinder blocks and the hand-eye co-ordination of Labrador retrievers to give them- selves really bad haircuts while sitting in front of the TV. The way it works is you essentially bunny-hop the Flowbee attachment over your head while it sucks up your hair, munches on it with clippers, then sucks the trimmings into the canister. What could go wrong? The point is the 59-year-old actor made headlines around the world after appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and demonstrating how easy it is to groom yourself with a vacuum cleaner attach- ment. “You turn the vacuum on. You turn the buzzer on. You go to town, like this on your hair,” Clooney explained as he dragged the roaring device over his head. “You do it that fast?” Kimmel asked as he attacked his locks with another Flowbee. “Can’t hear ya, I’m Flowbeeing!” Clooney yelled back at the comedian. I am mentioning this because I have been giving serious consideration to purchasing a Flowbee because I have been unable to visit the (bad word) hair salon for more than nine weeks due to code-red restrictions to stem the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the record, the one and only time in my life wherein I cut my own hair occurred back in St. Paul’s High School on the day my basketball team was scheduled to pose for team photos. At the time, my hairstyle resembled a woodland creature that had climbed on top of my head and suffered a heart attack, making it difficult for me to see out from behind my long and fuzzy locks. So, being an idiot, I grabbed a pair of my mom’s scissors and hacked away enough hair so that I would be able to look at the camera for our team photos. “OHMYGAWD!” is what my coach roared at the time. “WHO DID THAT TO YOUR HEAD? “ So my initial foray into home-based personal grooming did not go as well as I had hoped. Which is why, dur- ing the current lockdown, I started thinking the following thought: “If it’s good enough for George Clooney, then maybe a Flowbee would be the way to go for me.” The problem is that after Clooney’s endorsement, it has become almost impossible to find a reasonably priced Flowbee online. It turns out they have been flying off shelves faster than hand sanitizer, if you can imagine that. In truth, my main problem is not the fact the hair on top of my head is now longer and curlier than the hair protruding from my ears and nostrils, although a friend on a recent Zoom call felt compelled to snort: “Hahaha! You look like the leader of some backwoods hillbilly religious cult!” The real problem for me is the fact I have a beard that would be described as scraggly at the best of times, but has become increasingly deranged with every day we remain in lockdown. Which is why I visited the drug store down the street from my house in search of some manner of manly electrical grooming appliance. U NFORTUNATELY, when I wan-dered into the aisle where they keep the blow dryers and hair trimmers, the shelves were sealed with yellow caution tape to prevent the hir- sute from buying non-essential items. Fortunately, when I inspected the nearby racks where they keep all the regular razors and blades, I stumbled on something called the Gillette 3-in-1 Styler, which is a battery-powered ra- zor that lets you trim, shave and edge your facial hair. Considering I was starting to look like The Beast in a high-school production of Beauty and The Beast, I coughed up $31, took it home, and made my wife read the instructions. As she looked on, I attached a little plastic guard and cautiously ran the battery-powered device over my chin, thereby transforming myself from a 300-pound columnist with unsightly whiskers into a 300-pound columnist with designer stubble. “How do I look, honey?” I demanded. “Not bad, dear,” my wife replied with a whisper of a smile. “But you’ll never be George Clooney.” Which is what happens when you don’t go with the Flow. doug.speirs@freepress.mb.ca Today on Pandemic Self-Care with Doug... Taming the Beast DOUG SPEIRS IN THE DOUG HOUSE George Clooney gives himself a haircut. T HE Avengers have dealt with cosmic supervillain Thanos. How bad could a live studio audience be? Heroic witch Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and her android love Vision (Paul Bettany) hurtle through decades of TV sitcom history in WandaVision (streaming first two episodes Friday, then weekly), the first of several Disney Plus stream- ing series that expand the big-screen Marvel Cinematic Universe. Olsen and Bettany were at ground zero for this new evolution, taping the first, Dick Van Dyke Show-inspired episode of WandaVision in front of a crowd. Olsen confesses to being “ter- rified” beforehand. “I was really thinking back in my head, ‘Yeah, but if we really mess up, we’ll get to do it again.’” Bettany says he was also “really resistant. I tried to get out of it.” But by the time the audience was laugh- ing, “we all felt fearless after having made that tonal decision and leap into the unknown.” WandaVision drops its main characters into seemingly idyllic, black-and-white 1950s suburban Westview. Vision goes to work — though he doesn’t exactly know what he does — Wanda is a magical housewife and they have a kooky nosy neighbour named Agnes (Kathryn Hahn). Each episode finds Wanda and Vision in a wacky setup, like doing a magic act at the town talent show, mimicking TV comedy eras, with nods to series from Bewitched and The Brady Bunch to Family Ties and Malcolm in the Middle, complete with faux commercials. “We aren’t trying to satirize or parody the sitcoms. We’re trying to authentically recreate them, even as absurd as The Brady Bunch is,” Olsen says. “They decide to just take it on the chin and go along with it,” Bettany adds of the main couple. “As they start through the American century at breakneck speed through differ- ent sitcoms, Vision is the first to go, ‘Wait a second. There’s something wrong about this town. This can’t be right.’ So he starts to investigate and the audience comes along with him.” It wouldn’t be a Marvel project if everything were normal. Both Wan- da and Vision notice strange things in their retro life, hinting at the slow-burn mystery that’s “completely connected to Wanda and Vision and how we know them,” Olsen teases. The show also finally puts the spot- light on these two characters, who spent years playing supporting roles to more high-profile personas such as Chris Evans’ Captain America and Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark in blockbuster Marvel movies. Bettany has been in the Marvel Cinematic Universe from the begin- ning, first as the voice of Stark’s helpful AI J.A.R.V.I.S. in 2008’s Iron Man and then, under a whole lot of makeup, as the powerful Vision in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. That film also featured Olsen’s first appearance as Wanda, initially as a vengeful antagonist and later a reluctant hero. There’s even a mo- ment where a flying Vision swoops in to save Wanda, with a look between them that acts as an Easter egg to their romance in the comic books and a tease of their relationship to come in the movies. “We did that because we knew if we got the chance, we’d love to keep building on that,” says WandaVision producer and Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige. After being introduced as “this omnipotent but totally naive being,” Vision ironically became one of the Avengers’ most human characters, Bettany says. “And now we just throw in a little Dick Van Dyke and Bryan Cranston. That was the spe- cial sauce.” The British actor grew up watching American sitcoms, so he appreciates throwback WandaVision storylines, as when Wanda cooks a last-minute dinner for Vision’s boss, or her out-of-nowhere pregnancy is quickly followed by a three-week-old baby. “It feels so accurate. And also, I look like I went back in time in a DeLorean and wrestled Robert Red- ford to the ground, shaved his head and stuck it on mine.” Olsen, who showcases many differ- ent sides of Wanda, was inspired by the likes of classic sitcom actresses Elizabeth Montgomery (Bewitched), and Mary Tyler Moore, as well as the more modern Modern Family star Ju- lie Bowen. She’s “this straight, serious character, and the husband is the one freaking out all the time,” she says. “There’s lot of that dynamic consis- tent as a trope through our sitcoms.” WandaVision kicks off a sizable slate of Disney Plus shows that will tie into the growing Marvel Cinemat- ic Universe. The first salvo is cen- tered on recognizable faces: Falcon and the Winter Soldier (premièring March 12) features Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan’s title superhe- roes, and Loki (due in May) returns Tom Hiddleston’s trickster god. They “all had amazing moments and sto- rylines in the movies, but we weren’t able to focus as much time as we thought those characters deserved,” Feige says. WandaVision might be seen as a risk, but Bettany reminds us that, in retrospect, Marvel’s casting of Downey as Iron Man was “a maver- ick decision that paid off. They have usually been rewarded by taking big swings.” By design, the show also happens to be essential fan viewing: It ties directly into the upcoming Marvel sequel Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (due in theatres March 25, 2022). “It would be foolish to pretend that the barrier between film and television isn’t getting less and less tangible with every year,” Bettany says. “We’re going to have a Mar- vel Cinematic Universe that moves through (both) with ease and a multi- media platform now for telling these stories. And that is really cutting- edge of them.” — USA Today Standard sitcom tropes get be-witched by Marvel TV PREVIEW WANDAVISION Starring Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen and Kathryn Hahn ● Episodes released weekly on Disney Plus BRIAN TRUITT MARVEL STUDIOS Paul Bettany, left as Vision, and Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda, Marvel characters thrown into a world of sitcom suburbia. C_03_Jan-18-21_FP_01.indd C3 2021-01-16 6:02 PM ;