149 lines
8.0 KiB
Plaintext
149 lines
8.0 KiB
Plaintext
The Common Sense Series
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a publication of the National Organization
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for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
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on the matter of
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M A R I J U A N A A N D T H E H U M A N B O D Y
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The moderate use of marijuana is neither harmless nor devastating to
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the user. Unfortunately, the politics of marijuana has distorted research
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findings and made it difficult to find out the truth about marijuana's
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effect on human health. NORML believes that honest, verifiable information
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is the most effective tool to prevent the abuse of marijuana. This text
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examines the effects of marijuana on the human body, as described by a
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comprehensive report prepared for the Federal government by the most
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respected scientific body in the United States, the National Academy of
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Sciences. This text first examines some of the exaggerated claims made
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about marijuana and then provides the truth about marijuana's effects on
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human health.
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EXAGGERATED CLAIMS ABOUT MARIJUANA
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Despite evidence to the contrary, many individuals and organizations
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maintain that marijuana is an extremely dangerous drug. For example, the
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National Federation of Parents for Drug Free Youth attempts to reach its
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societal and legislative goals by making the following claims:
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1. Marijuana is a harmful substance because it has 421 chemicals.
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2. Marijuana is stronger than it was 10 years ago, and this new, potent
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marijuana presents dangers unrecognized years ago.
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3. Marijuana is far worse for the lungs than tobacco.
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4. Marijuana causes damage to the reproductive system.
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5. The psychoactive chemicals in marijuana are fat soluble and stay in
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the human body for a month, increasing the danger of exposure.
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6. Marijuana causes brain damage and a behavioral disorder known as
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amotivational syndrome.
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7. Any use of marijuana is abuse, and marijuana has no medical value
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whatsoever.
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The National Federation of Parents supports prohibition of marijuana
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because it believes that marijuana is so dangerous that no one can use it
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safely. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which supports
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the NFP, many parents welcomed discovery of reports suggesting marijuana's
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harmfulness because the claims reinforced their own instincts about
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marijuana.
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In fact, the reports used to justify the above claims have been found to
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be inconclusive by other researchers. Hence, warnings intended to dramatize
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the supposed ill-effects of marijuana are often couched with phrases like
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"marijuana can...". "Marijuana may...", or "If the experts are right...".
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THE TRUTH ABOUT MARIJUANA
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The Institute of Medicine of the NAtional Academy of Sciences conducted
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a 15-month study of the health-related effects of marijuana in 1982. They
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appointed a 22-member committee to analyze existing scientific evidence
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bearing on the possible hazards to the health and safety of users of
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marijuana.
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The report concludes: "the scientific evidence published to date
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indicates that marijuana has a broad range of psychological and biological
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effects, some of which, at least under certain circumstances, are harmful
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to human health". In a companion report providing policy recommendations
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to the Academy's National Research Council, regulation of the marijuana
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market is advocated as the most effective method of controlling marijuana.
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The National Academy of science's report rebuts many of the exaggerated
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claims made about marijuana.
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1. Of the 421 chemicals in marijuana, only 61 are unique to marijuana.
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The chemicals are known as cannabinoids. One of them, delta-9 THC,
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produces the psychoactive effect and is the focus of most research.
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The other 360 chemicals in the marijuana plant are found throughout
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other natural substances.
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2. The higher potency marijuana grown in the United States represents
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about half of all the marijuana consumed here. Because of it's higher
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potency many smokers use far less of it than less potent marijuana.
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3. Differences in dosage and frequency of consumption render comparisons
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between marijuana and tobacco consumption invalid, despite similarity
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in the composition of their smoke. Marijuana smoke irritates the
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lungs. Heavy exposure of the lungs to irritation such as smoke
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increases the likelihood of lung cancer and other lung problems.
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Marijuana speeds the heartbeat and is unhealthy for people with
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high blood pressure or other cardiovascular ailments.
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4. Marijuana does reduce the sperm count and obstruct sperm mobility in
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males within the normal range. These side-effects do not seem to
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affect human fertility, and are completely reversible thirty days
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after cessation of use. Marijuana, like other drugs, crosses the
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placenta. While the effects of this are unknown and there is no
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evidence that marijuana causes chromosome damage, we advise women
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to avoid the use of marijuana, tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs not
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prescribed by their physician during pregnancy and nursing.
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5. The intoxicating chemical, THC, is broken down by the human
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metabolism after two or three hours in the body. The by-products of
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this chemical breakdown are referred to as metabolites. These
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metabolites are fat soluble, and take 21-30 days to leave the human
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body via the urine. These metabolites exert no psychoactive effect on
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the human body.
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6. After reviewing all of the evidence, the Academy concluded: "There is
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not yet any conclusive evidence as to whether prolonged use of
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marijuana causes permanent changes in the nervous system or sustained
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impairment of brain function and behavior in human beings".
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"Interpretation of the evidence linking marijuana to 'amotivational
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syndrome' is difficult. Such symptoms have been known to occur in the
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absence of marijuana. Even if there is an association between this
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syndrome and the use of marijuana, that does not prove that marijuana
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causes the syndrome. Many troubled individuals seek an 'escape' into
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use of drugs: thus frequent use of marijuana may become one more in a
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series of conterproductive behaviors for these unhappy people".
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7. "Cannabis and it's derivatives have shown promise in the treatment of
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a variety of disorders. The evidence is most impressive in glaucoma,
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where their mechanism of action appears to be different from standard
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drugs: in asthma.... and in the nausea and vomiting of cancer
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chemotherapy... Similar trials have suggested cannabis might also be
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used in seizures, spasticity, and other nervous system disorders".
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N O R M L ' s V I E W
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1. NORML favors discouraging marijuana abuse and is opposed to
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adolescent drug use.
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2. Exaggerated claims about health hazards lack credibility and
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encourage adolescents to try marijuana and other drugs. Government
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research which relies on animal studies and studies of adolescent
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drug abusers presents a skewed perspective of marijuana's effects.
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3. The illegality of marijuana, because it equates use with abuse,
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discourages frank discussion of marijuana's effects on health within
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the family and with doctors and nurses.
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4. Over 35 million adult Americans use marijuana regularly because they
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find it a relatively safe way to relax. A regulated marijuana market
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would better protect their health than the unregulated black market.
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W H A T D O Y O U T H I N K ?
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For further information:
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National Organization for the Reform Of Marijuana Laws
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(NORML)
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1001 Connecticut
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Washington, DC 20036-1119
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(202) 483-5500
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Richard Cowen, National Director (1993)
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