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Lothar121

Report Shows Marijuana Users Growing Older
Mary Ann Greier | Salem News | 08/28/2006

An increase in drug-related deaths didn't surprise Columbiana County Prosecutor Robert Herron, but the age of marijuana users in the Coroner's annual report troubled him.

"These are people who have kids, and I think that's significant," he said.

Herron referred to a section in the recently released annual report of county Coroner Dr. William Graham which highlighted positive toxicology results by age.

The report said 75 percent of cannabinoid (marijuana) users were males in their early 40's, and out of 17 positive tests for drugs, 16 cases involved people ranging in age from 20 years old to 48 years old.

A pie chart showed people in the age groups 20 to 29 and 40 to 49 each with 35 percent of the positive toxicology reports, with 30 to 39 accounting for 24 percent and 6 percent in the 50 to 59 age group.

The people in the 40-something group are the ones using marijuana or still using marijuana.

"What type of example does that set?" Herron asked.

He acknowledged that some people don't believe marijuana causes any harm, but he said it's a gateway drug which can lead to the use of other drugs and a gateway the parents are creating for the kids. The problem is when they move on to something else.

"The mindset that parents have, it's creating a whole new culture in the next generation that it's okay to use drugs," Herron said.

One statistic he said the report doesn't include is the total number of survived drug overdoses, which considering it's a

report by the man who investigates death, it wouldn't include stats on the living.

"Obviously, there were a number of drug overdoses that didn't turn out to be fatals," Herron said.

Unfortunately, he doesn't have figures to show how many drug overdoses there were because hospitals don't report such information due to patient privacy laws. He was basing his observation on what investigators hear on the street in drug cases and what's he's informally substantiated.

Another interesting statistic he found regarding the positive toxicology reports was the distribution of drugs, with opiates (which would include heroin) at the same percentage as marijuana.

"For 2006, my prediction is that heroin will increase dramatically," he said, noting there's been an increase in it's usage according to drug investigations.

He said the number of deaths from heroin will increase. In the report for 2005, alcohol and cocaine were the most prominent drugs revealed in toxicology results.

Mary Ann Greier can be reached at mgreier@salemnews.net

 

Buzzby

This is one of the sillier articles I've seen.

Isn't it far more likely that there'd be more dead older people than dead younger people? Isn't it encouraging that only 1 out of 17 was a teenager?

Excuse me, Mr. Prosecutor, but marijuana is non-toxic -- it doesn't kill anyone.

That responsible adults use marijuana without incurring much of a problem?

Except that there's no evidence that marijuana is a "gateway" drug, except in the sense that you have to buy it from some of the same people who sell dangerous drugs, i.e. it's a prohibition problem, not a marijuana problem.

Wasn't that mindset created in the parents' generation? Illicit drugs have been a feature of American culture since the late 60s.

This is why the whole article is incredibly stupid: marijuana use has nothing to do with why these people died. You'd have to smoke 1,500 pounds in 15 minutes to kill you. A marijuana overdose is an oxymoron. (The prosecutor is just a regular moron.)

Which tells you that these figures mean absolutely nothing. People who use heroin are a much smaller minority, but they tend to die from it and related causes. A lot of people use marijuana and a few of them just happen to die.

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walstmonky

[quote]"You'd have to smoke 1,500 pounds in 15 minutes to kill you."[quote]

I really wish that this bogus statistic would quit getting thrown about. 1500 lbs of Mexican schwag or 1500 lbs grown from thorobred Cannabis Cup winner seed?

My Google searches tell me the LD50 for cannabis is 1270mg/kg for male rats, assuming it's equal for humans the median 80 kilo person would succumb after consuming about 103 grams of pure THC. Claims of 20+% THC abound on seed vendor web sites, that puts the LD50 at just over 500 grams which is little more than a pound. Even at 2% THC we're talking about 'only' a little better than 10 lbs. 1500 lbs of 2% THC would contain 13,620 grams of pure THC [(1500*454)*0.02)]. 20% would make it 136,200 grams. Of course bubble hash or honey oil extraction would put overdose within actual reach though extremely unlikely to happen other than by intent.

I wouldn't be shocked to learn the 1270mg/kg was manufactured propaganda but regardless, the LD50 is going to be a different weight depending on potency.

BTW, I'm assuming your victim died of a THC overdose, and not carbon monoxide poisoning. -g-

Buzzby

Here's where the "bogus" statistic originated:
This is based on the notoriously low-end pot supplied to the seven surviving recipients of the government's "compassionate use" trial of the 70s.

Whether the figure is five pounds or five million pounds, the point is that it is physically impossible to get a fatal dose of THC by smoking marijuana.

walstmonky

With all due respect to Mr. Young I believe that the statistic is bogus for the reasons I stated above. I do appreciate the cite, though I did know where the stat came from when you quoted it.

Did you know that NIDA uses a solvent to remove the THC, and then reapplies it to their preparation before distributing it to those in the US program so that the THC level is always uniform?

Sure, I'll accept that it's impossible to smoke yourself to (overdose) death, but for the fact that one would reach a blood level of THC which would induce sleep before death, it's hard to keep smoking when you're snoring. Have you ever heard about someone overdosing on nicotine from smoking too many cigarettes? That nicotine is a deadly poison and the amount in a pack of Marlboro's could kill more than one person if ingested quickly enough isn't even arguable.

 

carlover_36

I get so tired of all these scientists and Government officials trying to put marijuana in the same catagory as heroin,meth,and other toxic substances.Marijuana has to become seperated from this list before people will understand it's non-addictive and un-threatening properties.Education,not mis-direction.

xxdr_zombiexx

I just turned 46..so yeah, marijuana users are getting older.

I'm not dead yet. In fact...I want to go for a walk.

As far as what kind of example I set:[quote] I have a Master's degreee and a BA in PSychology. I am licensure -eligible (but totally fed up with managed care) I am a good guitarist, and I am professioanlyl successful. Currently I am a program director ofr a specialized program that helps people with developemntal disabilities learn to work. I have helped people my entire professional life and I stared smoking before I graduated from my undergrad program. I am treated with grerat repect in my field and am considered one of the best (yes...it IS scary).

This report is just more propaganda in a massive tsunami of anti-drug propaganda that Americans are currently floating in. All you need to do is just shut up and be afraid.

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Alien Space Signal

There's no money for your issue so long as we're squandering $50 billion a year on the DrugWar. Ben Masel

Fear became the ultimate tool of this government - V.