Lothar121

Medical Marijuana Use is Not Going Away
Larissa Lytwyn | Eastern Courier | 07/29/2005

A few months ago I wrote a column advising readers not to underestimate the dangers of marijuana use.

The topic was inspired by my coverage of a school and community sponsored event on a variety of familial social issues, including substance abuse.

The keynote speaker was DEA agent Thomas Pasquarella, whose presentation included raw footage of individuals mixing rat poison and house cleaners with the "club drug" ecstasy.

Pasquarella also discussed the importance of underestimating the issue of marijuana use, stating that it could easily lead to experimentation with harder drugs.

In the column, I noted, "many people praise activist efforts to legalize marijuana in the U.S., purportedly for medical use."

The hackles on many hemp-friendly readers rose considerably at this statement. I received dozens of critical emails from people across the country.

My column was also the subject of many blogs; an Internet search connecting my name to the phrase "marijuana" scored numerous hits.

While much of the feedback was laced with vitriol, some of it was useful. I was moved to do more research on the topic of medical marijuana use.

Before I explore that issue, however, allow me to make clear that I am still very much against recreational marijuana use.

I know lots of people do it and still hold illustrious careers. But the point is that smoking marijuana harms lungs as much as tobacco, inhibits short-term memory and, according to voluminous studies, can easily lead to harder drug use.

An aspect of considerable debate is whether marijuana is truly addictive.

In a study conducted by the University of Vermont published in the 2001 "Archives of General Psychiatry," researchers concluded that the withdrawal effects of heavy marijuana users (using marijuana more than once a week) was "similar in type and magnitude" to nicotine withdrawal.

Now, let us move forward to the issue of marijuana use for medical reasons.

Medical marijuana advocates often cite research suggesting that marijuana is effective in treating the side effects of serious ailments including AIDS, glaucoma, cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and chronic pain.

While the American Medical Society opposes legalization of the sale and possession of marijuana, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana lists more than two dozen allied medical and health groups that support it; including the AIDS Action Council, the American Public Health Association and the Connecticut Nurses Association.

THC, marijuana's core psychoactive ingredient, is now sold in pill form as the prescription drug Marinol. But, according to the Connecticut chapter of the Marijuana Policy Project, a medicinal marijuana advocacy group, patients have complained that they absorbed too much or too little of the substance.

In a panel discussion on medical marijuana held a few years ago, Avram Goldstein, M.D., of the National Institute of Health stated, "The bio-availability is generally very good by the smoked route, and generally very predictable, while the oral route [pills] is both not good and not predictable. By the smoking route, the person can self-regulate the dosage."

While I generally do not advocate smoking marijuana, I believe an exception could be made for a critically ill person who has their doctor's authorization.

After all, a groundbreaking 1999 study conducted by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) noted that it would still be "several years" before a safe cannabinoid delivery system, such as an inhaler, would be available for patients.

This year, a Connecticut bill that would have protected medical marijuana patients from arrest and punishment passed the Senate 19-15 but was unable to garner a House vote because time literally ran out in the legislative session.

While the House could have sent S.B. 124 to Gov. M. Jodi Rell's desk, it chose not to.

The bill's sponsor was State Rep. Penny Bacchiochi (R-Somers), who bought marijuana off the street 20 years ago for her husband, who was dying from bone cancer.

She has publicly asserted that the marijuana was the only thing that eased his pain.

Science suggests benefits; if the substance is properly prescribed and monitored, I believe it would be prudent the legislature to bring this bill up again next spring.

In the meantime, our sister state, Rhode Island, is on the brink of joining Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington, D.C. in approving medical marijuana laws that remove state-level criminal penalties on the use, possession and cultivation of marijuana by patients who possess written documentation from their physician advising that they might benefit from the medical use of marijuana.

While Rhode Island's legislature passed a medical marijuana bill this spring, Gov. Donald Carcieri vetoed it.

The Rhode Island Senate voted 28-6 to override it; now the House is expected to follow suit.

While I want to make clear that I do not condone the recreational use of marijuana, the issue of medical marijuana is a compelling one.

At the very least, there are countless testimonies from severely ill adults who deserve our lawmakers' open minds and hearts.

This column reflects the opinion of Editor Larissa Lytwyn and does not necessarily represent the views of Hometown Publications.

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