Marijuana: Medicine or Snake Oil? Marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug.

This means that it has no medical use, but does have a high potential for abuse. Some people want to reclassify marijuana, claiming that marijuana is a medicine. These people base their claims on ?anecdotal? evidence. They are relying on anecdotes, or stories, that they have heard from people who claim to have received medical benefits from smoking marijuana. To understand why DEA is opposed to reclassifying marijuana, it is important to know how drugs become medicine. All drugs to be used as medicine must pass through a comprehensive review before they appear on the market. The proposed drug must be tested on animals and humans; the safety and effectiveness of the drug must be assured; the drug?s sponsor must provide information on how the drug is made and quality maintained. It must be determined that the side effects of the drug do not outweigh its usefulness. For example, in the 1960s, many people?doctors included?found thalidomide to be effective in treating morning sickness in pregnant women. However, the side effects of using thalidomide were tragic. Women who had taken the drug bore children with severe birth defects, such as missing limbs. Because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration did not approve thalidomide in this country, many American families were spared the tragedies that women in other countries faced. What does science say? Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the major mind-altering component in marijuana. Research has resulted in the development of dronabinol, (marketed under the name Marinol), a product containing synthetic THC for the control of nausea and vomiting caused by some cancer treatment, and to stimulate appetite in AIDS patients. Marinol does not contain the harmful side effects that smoking crude marijuana causes.

Marijuana smokers experience the same health problems as tobacco smokers such as bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchial asthma. Other side effects include increased heart rate, dry mouth, reddening of the eyes, impaired motor skills and concentration. Extended use increases risk to the lungs and reproductive system as well as suppression of the immune system. Marijuana as medicine is not endorsed by the American Medical Association, American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Cancer Society, National Eye Institute, National Institute of Dental Research, National Institute on Allergy and Infectious Diseases (HIV-AIDS), or theNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (Multiple Sclerosis). Why would anyone want to make marijuana legal and available if it is so harmful? Behind the movement to make marijuana available for ?medical use?are people who use illegal drugs and want to legitimize their actions as well as those who are simply misguided. The movement to simply legalize drugs failed several times, but has been more successful when hidden behind the euphemisms of ?compassion? and ?harm reduction.? In fact, members of the pro- legailzation movement have stated that the medical use of marijuana is an integral part of the strategy to legalize marijuana. Everyone wants to be seen as having compassion on those who are suffering, so many people have supported the legalization movement without knowing the true facts behind it. To further understand the real motive behind the movement to allow marijuana to be used for ? compassionate purposes,? look at the wording of the legislation passed in California and Arizona, and proposed in many other states. In California, one needs only a recommendation, not a prescription from a physician to use marijuana. The dose you use would be up to you. And there is no need to go to a pharmacy for this ?medicine;? it can be grown in your backyard. Have you ever

heard of growing your own heart medicine or headache remedy? In Arizona, marijuana is not the only Schedule I drug with alleged medical benefit. Legislation in that state makes all Schedule I drugs available with a doctor?s prescription, including LSD, PCP, and heroin. It is plain to see that the goal of the group advocating the medical use of marijuana is really the legalization of all drugs. What can we expect if marijuana is legalized? Studies have shown that when people believe that drugs are harmful, drug use declines. Conversely, when drugs are seen as benign, drug use increases. If marijuana is legalized, we can be sure that its use will increase. With increased drug use comes an increase in crime. The most recent Drug Use Forecasting (DUF) report indicated that, on average, 68% of arrestees in reporting cities had at least one drug in their system at the time of arrest. Data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics corrections surveys show that a quarter of convicted jail inmates, a third of state prisoners, and two-fifths of youths in long-term facilities admit that they were under the influence of an illegal drug at the time of their offense. We can also expect more carnage on our highways. In a recent study in Tennessee, 59% of reckless drivers who tested negative for alcohol, tested positive for marijuana or cocaine. Our health care costs will increase, and businesses will experience increased absenteeism and decreased productivity. Facts About Marijuana: ? Marijuana is a mood-altering drug capable of producing dependency. ? Marijuana contains a complex mixture of over 400 compounds, some of which are carcinogenic.

? In the 1960s, marijuana had a THC content between .5 and 1.5%. Today, the THC content of marijuana ranges from 8-20%, and has been recorded at a record 29.86% ? Marijuana impairs memory and learning. ? Some of the physical side effects of marijuana are bloodshot eyes, a speeded-up heart beat, and dry mouth. ? Other disorders associated with marijuana use include impaired judgment and motor coordination, anxiety, sensation of slowed time, social withdrawal, memory deficit and disorientation, hallucinations and delusions. ? Marijuana has triggered attacks of mental illness: schizophrenia and bi- polar (manic-depressive) psychosis. Users are six times more likely to develop schizophrenia than non-users. ? Marijuana use during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight babies. Children prenatally exposed to marijuana have more behavioral problems and decreased visual perception, attention span, language comprehension, and memory. ? Of those who use marijuana 3 to 10 times, 20% go on to use cocaine. Of those who use marijuana 100 times or more, 75% go on to use cocaine.