Does Marijuana have Medical Value?

• “No”

  

  “Smoking is Never a Good Idea”

• “Objection”

  

  “Medical Literature is Clear: Smoking is a Phony Argument”
  

Smoking is Never a Good Idea

Drug Free America Foundation

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Recommend (0) Comments (6)

Aren’t there patients who smoke their medicine because they need a different delivery system besides taking pills?

• Former director of NIDA – “There is no acceptable role in modern medicine for using burning leaves as a drug delivery system because smoke is inherently unhealthy.”

• Smoking is an ineffective and illogical way to deliver medicine – dosage cannot be regulated, and tar and other harmful compounds are delivered directly to the lungs along with any helpful cannabinoids.

• The lining of the lungs is inflamed by inhalation of the toxic substance.

• Marijuana cigarettes have no filter, and the smoke must be held in the lungs longer, increasing the exposure to the lungs and resultant inflammation from smoking.

Are vaporizing or eating safer ways to get the benefits of marijuana?

• No - because vaporizing does not filter marijuana – it still delivers the same cancer-causing tar and chemicals directly to the lungs.

• Eating delivers the same damaging compounds as well as the insecticides and fungi found in unmonitored marijuana crops.

* Note – Clinical research is very close to giving patients a controlled, tested, safe delivery system (that their doctors can prescribe and manage) of all of the cannabinoids of marijuana without any of the harmful chemicals or dangerous side effects.

Evidence

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Dr. Robert DuPont

Letter to New Jersey legislature, January 19, 2006

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Addiction

Taylor RD, Fergusson DM, Milne BJ, Harwood LJ, Moffitt TE, Sears MR, Poulton R. A longitudinal study of the effects of tobacco and cannabis exposure on lung function in young adults. Addiction 2002;97:1055-1061 (Use of marijuana reduced the lung function parameters FEV1/VC in young people who used marijuana on 900 or more occasions by 7.2%, 2.6%, and 5.0% over non users at ages 18,21,26 respectively. Tobacco was additive to the effect.)

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Tracheobronchial Histopathology in Habitual Smokers of Cocaine...

Fligiel SEG, Roth MD, Kleerup EC, Barsky SH, Simmons MS, Tashkin DP. Tracheobronchial histopathology in habitual smokers of cocaine, marijuana, and/or tobacco. Chest 1997;112:319-326 (smokers of cocaine, marijuana, or tobacco had greater abnormalities than controls and the effects were additive. The effects of marijuana were greater than tobacco.)

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Slate

Grim, R. What’s the best way to take medical marijuana? Slate; May 5, 2006.

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Journal of the American Medical Association

Verwej PE, Kerremans JJ, Voss A. Fungal contaminants of tobacco and marijuana JAMA 2000;284:2875 (Several species of Aspergillus and penicillium were cultured from tobacco and marijuana plants. Conclusion: tobacco and marijuana should be eliminated from patients with high risk to fungal spores.)

Next Argument

"No" Drug Free America

• Marijuana is Not the Answer
  0
• No Relief from M.S., Chronic Pain or Glaucoma
  0
• Smoking is Never a Good Idea
  0
• The Side Effects Aren't Worth It
  0
• Marijuana is Not Prescribed By Medical Professionals
  0

"Yes" Amer Alliance for Med Cannabis

• Marijuana Treats Anxiety Disorders
  18
• Marijuana Treats Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  14
• Marijuana Treats Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  17
• Marijuana Treats Depression
  15

"Yes" Marijuana Policy Project

• Marijuana Relieves Pain When Conventional Drugs Fail
  15
• Marijuana Lets Patients Continue Life-Saving Treatment
  11
• Marijuana is Safer than Many Legal Medicines
  12
• Existing Medicines are not Adequate Substitutes
  10
• Marijuana Has Been Recognized as a Medicine for 5,000 Years
  12

"Yes" ASA

• Cannabis (Marijuana) is a Safe and Effective Medicine
  8
• Marijuana Medicines are Legal in Other Countries: US Trials Ongoing
  8
• Americans Who are Ill Deserve the Most Health Options Possible
  8

Most Objections

• Marijuana is Not Prescribed By Medical Professionals
  0
• Marijuana is Not the Answer
  0
• No Relief from M.S., Chronic Pain or Glaucoma
  0
• Smoking is Never a Good Idea
  0

Is Marijuana a Medicine?

• Yes
• No

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