Does Marijuana have Medical Value?

• “No”

  

  “The Side Effects Aren't Worth It”

• No Objections Yet

The Side Effects Aren't Worth It

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Are there specific physical harms of smoking marijuana?

            Yes

*    Respiratory damage

*    Cardiovascular damage – it can dramatically increase heart rate

*    Reproductive damage in men and women

*    Immunosuppression

Does smoking marijuana cause psychological problems?

Yes. Marijuana use has been connected to psychotic disorders, specifically schizophrenia.

*    Paranoia

*    Emotional disorders

*    Increased risk of schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders

*    Memory loss

*    Loss of ability to concentrate

*    Increased tolerance to intoxication

*    Addiction

*    Leads to much higher use of other illegal drugs

*    Linked to more violent behavior

Evidence

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The Association Between Marijuana Smoking and Lung Cancer...

Mehra R, Moore BA, Crothers K, Tetrault J, Fiellin DA. The association between marijuana smoking and lung cancer: a systematic review. Arch Intern Med 2006; 166: 1359-1367.

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Triggering of Myocardial Infarction by Marijuana Circulation

Mittlemen MA, Lewis RA, Maclure M, Sherwood JB, Muller JE. Triggering of Myocardial Infarction by Marijuana Circulation 2001;103:2805 (Risk MI within one hour of use the risk of MI increased 4.8 compared to periods of non-use.)

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Effects of Marijuana on Testosterone in Male Subjects

Barnett G, Chiang CN. Effects of marijuana on testosterone in male subjects. J. Theor Biol. 1983;104:685-692.
Mendelson, J.H., et al. Marijuana smoking suppresses leuteinizing hormone in women. Journal of Pharm. Exp. Therapeutics. 1986;237:862-866.

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Delta-9-THC Injection Induces Cytokine Mediated Morality of Mice...

Klein TW, Newton C, Widen R, Friedman H. Delta-9-THC injection induces cytokine mediated mortality of mice infected with legionella pneumophila. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 1993;267:635-640. (THC injection increases blood levels of acute phase cytokines in infected animal were at least in part responsible for increased mortality.)

Link

Schizophrenia Linked to Dysfunction in Molecular Brain Pathway...

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Marijuana and Panic Disorder

Deas D, Gerding L, Hazy J. Marijuana and Panic Disorder J. Am Acad Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2000;39:1467 (Case of male adolescent with marijuana abuse who developed panic disorder after marijuana use.)

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Major Depressive Disorder, Suicidal Ideation...

Lynskey, M.T., et al. Major depressive disorder, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt in twins discordant for cannabis dependence and earlyonset cannabis use. Archives of General Psychiatry 61(10):1026-1032, 2004.

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Cannabis Use and Psychosis...

Van Os J, Bak M, Hanssen M, Bijl RV, De Graaf R, Verdous H. Cannabis use and psychosis: A longitudinal population-based study. American Journal of Epidemiology 2002;156:319-27 (Study of 4045 psychosis-free and 59 individuals exhibiting psychosis at baseline assessment. Use of marijuana predicted 2.76 times greater likelihood of any psychotic symptoms, predicted 24.17 times higher incidence of severe psychotic symptoms, and predicted 12 times higher need for clinical assessment and care for psychotic symptoms. Conclusion was that marijuana increases the risk of both psychosis in non-psychotic people as well as poor prognosis for those with risk or vulnerability to psychoses.)

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Self Reported Cannabis Use as a Risk Factor for Schizofrenia in...

Zammit S, Allebeck P, Andreasson S, Lundberg I, Lewis G. Self reported cannabis use as a risk factor for schizophrenia in Swedish conscripts 1969: historical cohort study. BMJ 2002;325:1199-1201 [This is a re-examination of the Swedish conscript study looking at confounding variables, etc. Conclusion is that there is an association with increased risk of developing schizophrenia consistent with a causal relationship. This association was not explained by personality traits or use of other psychoactive drugs.]

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Dose-Related Neurocognitive Effects of Marijuana Use

Bolla KI, Brown K, Eldreth D, Tate K, Cadet JL. Dose-related neurocognitive effects of marijuana use. Neurology 2002;59:1337-1343 (marijuana users termed as “heavy” who used marijuana an average of 7 days per week and 13 joints per day demonstrated changes in memory, executive functioning, psychomotor speed, and manual dexterity that persisted even after 28 days of abstinence. The more marijuana joints used per week, the greater the neurological impairment. Duration of marijuana use had little effect on results)

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Cognitive Function of Long-Term Heavy Cannabis Users Seeking...

Solowij N, Stephens RS, Roffman RA, Babor R, Kadden R, Miller M, Christiansen K, McRee B, Vendetti J. Cognitive function of long-term heavy cannabis users seeking treatment. JAMA2002;287:1123-1131 [long term use was an average of 23.9 years, Long term users showed problems with memory and attention, word retention, learning. These findings persist beyond the period of intoxication and worsen with increasing years of use.]

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Cerebrellar Hypoactivity in Frequent Marijuana Users

Block RI, O’Leary DS, Hichwa RD, Augustinack JC, Boles-Ponto LL, Ghoneim M M, Arndt S, Ehrhardt JC, Hurtig RH, Watkins GL, Hall JA, Nathan PE, Andreasen NC. Cerebellar hypoactivity in frequent marijuana users. NeuroReport 2000;4:749-753. (PET scanning of subjects mean use of marijuana 17 times per week for last 2 years. Found lower blood flow in a large region of the posterior cerebellum. Not only does this have implications on motor coordination and function, but also cognition, timing, processing sensory information, and attention.)

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Cannabis Use by French Adolescents

Chabrol H, Callahan S, Fredaigue N. Cannabis use by French adolescents. Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 2000;39:399-400 (Survey of French adolescents demonstrated that 41.4 % reported using marijuana occasionally or regularly. Among regular or occasional users, 47.2% fulfilled substance dependence criteria. Eighty two percent of dependent subjects reported higher levels of drug abuse than recreational users.)

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Marijuana Abstinence Effects in Marijuana Smokers Maintained in...

Budney AJ, Hughes JR, Moore BA, Novy PL. Marijuana abstinence effects in marijuana smokers maintained in their home environment Arch Gen Psych 2001;58:917-924 [upon cessation of marijuana use, withdrawal symptoms were identified including drug craving, decreased appetite, sleep disturbance, weight loss, and less consistently aggression, anger, irritability, restlessness, and strange dreams. Clearly marijuana use and cessation results in a withdrawal syndrome]

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Escalation of Drug Use in Early Onset Cannabis Users vs. Co-Twin...

Lynsky MT, Heath AC, Bucholz KK, Slutske WS, Madden PAF, Nelson EC, Statham DJ, and Martin NG. Escalation of drug use in early onset cannabis users vs co-twin controls. JAMA 2003;289: 427-433. [311 young adults median age 30 years, monozygotic and dizygotic same sex twins demonstrated that individuals who had used cannabis by age 17 demonstrated 2.1 to 5.2 times greater likelihood of drug or alcohol abuse or dependence.

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Violent Behavior as Related to the Use of Marijuana and Other Drugs

Friedman AS, Glassman K, Terras. Violent behavior as related to use of marijuana and other drugs. Journal of Addictive Diseases 2001;20:49-70 [Marijuana/ crime. Frequency of use of marijuana was found to be associated with greater likelihood to commit weapons offenses, and the only other drug this was found with was alcohol. Marijuana was associated with commission of attempted homicide/reckless endangerment offenses, and marijuana along with cocaine were the only drugs associated with frequency of being involved in selling drugs. ]

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A Differential Disinhibition Effect of Marijuana Abuse on Violent...

Friedman AS, Terras A, Glassman K. The differential disinhibition effect of marijuana abuse on violent behavior: A comparison of this effect on a conventional, non-delinquent group vs. a delinquent or deviant group. J Addict Dis. 2003;22:63-78 [Marijuana had a greater effect on increasing the degree of violent behavior in non-delinquent individuals than in delinquent individuals. This effect is even more prominent than the effect of cocaine, amphetamine, or tranquilizer/sedative use. There appears to be more reduction of inhibition toward violent behavior in this non-delinquent group]

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
  17
• Marijuana Treats Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  14
• Marijuana Treats Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  16
• Marijuana Treats Depression
  14

"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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