Marijuana and its Dangers
I feel that part of being a responsible drug user is respect for the drug's dangers. I know dangers as my liver functions have to be monitored due to medicine I take. Knowing a drug's side effects is important to me. So here's what I've found about marijuana. There is a lot of research here, all peer reviewed.
While some don't consider marijuana medicine, you have to realize that herbs have been used as medicine for longer than any of us have been alive. We owe herbs some respect, and the patients should be allowed to make personal health choices without government invading my health privacy. The use of herbs doesn't harm the pharmaceutical industry.
What are not present are "the pervasive lethargy, dysophoria, and apathy that initial reports suggested should appear in all heavy users." Like we've always been saying, prohibition is based on lies and bigotry.
TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL
CASRN: 1972-08-3
Human Health Effects:
Human Toxicity Excerpts:
Tetrahydrocannabinol, even in amounts equivalent to small doses of cannabis, impaired immediate memory in 8 young men.
It's not annoying at all, at least for the marijuana smokers. It doesn't cause a permanent effect. When you get right down to it, though, it's really up to me what I want to take, even if that means it's smoked. You're not stopping me from sky diving. Adrenaline effects the body as well, in some people adversely. Dangers are a fact of life. It doesn't warrant a war on marijuana where innocent people die. Just because I forget what I'm talking about sometimes and have to ask to be reminded doesn't mean I should face jail time. It is a temporary affect, and leads to humorous conversations. What's the harm if it's being used responsibly? Stop arresting the abusers and get them some medical help. We have a weak rehabilitation system currently. It's based on threats and makes "therapeutic treatment" an oxymoron.
CASRN: 1972-08-3
Human Health Effects:
Human Toxicity Excerpts:
Tetrahydrocannabinol, even in amounts equivalent to small doses of cannabis, impaired immediate memory in 8 young men.
[Reynolds, J.E.F., Prasad, A.B. (eds.) Martindale-The Extra Pharmacopoeia. 28th ed. London: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1982., p. 354]**PEER REVIEWED**
Ingestion of up to 200 mg of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in resin produced confusion, stupor, labile affect, ataxia, and mild hypothermia in a 4-yr-old girl.
What are people doing giving 4 year olds THC? That's an experiment gone way out of line. Those descriptions are exaggerations of what a full grown adult experiences.
[Ellenhorn, M.J. and D.G. Barceloux. Medical Toxicology - Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning. New York, NY: Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc. 1988., p. 680]**PEER REVIEWED**
Undifferentiated manic, schizophreniform, and confusional psychoses have been reported in heavy marijuana users admitted to psychiatric hospitals. Comparison between psychotic men with high urinary cannabinoid levels and negative control groups suggest that high THC intake is associated with a rapidly resolving psychosis characterized by hypomania and occasionally schizophrenic symptoms.
Abusers are easy to identify, and they need help, not threats of incarceration if they don't just stop cold turkey. That's an inhumane way of dealing with the situation.
[Ellenhorn, M.J., S. Schonwald, G. Ordog, J. Wasserberger. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams and Wilkins, 1997., p. 395]**PEER REVIEWED**
Subacute pulmonary effects of heavy marijuana smoking (five 2% delta-9-THC cigarettes for 60 days) include mild decreases in FEV1, maximal midexpiratory flow rate, large-airway conductance and diffusion capacity.
That's far more than what I smoke. I smoke only at night, unless depression sets in. That's if I'm smoking at all. The fact that it harms an abuser doesn't mean my responsible medicinal needs should be denied. Sky diving can harm an abuser.
[Ellenhorn, M.J. and D.G. Barceloux. Medical Toxicology - Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning. New York, NY: Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc. 1988., p. 680]**PEER REVIEWED**
An oral dose of 20 mg of delta-9-THC or the smoking of a cigarette containing 2% delta-9-THC produces effects on mood, memory, motor coordination, cognitive ability, sensorium, time sense, and self-perception. Most commonly there is an increased sense of well-being or euphoria, accompanied by feelings of relaxation and sleepiness when subjects are alone; where users can interact, sleepiness is less pronounced and there is often spontaneous laughter. ... Short term memory is impaired, and there is a deterioration in capacity to carry out tasks requiring multiple mental steps to reach a specific goal.
My mood is increased. I think that outweighs any impairment to my other attributes.
[Gilman, A.G., L.S.Goodman, and A. Gilman. (eds.). Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 7th ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1985., p. 559]**PEER REVIEWED**
... High doses of delta 9-THC can induce frank hallucinations, delusions, and paranoid feelings. Thinking becomes confused and disorganized; depersonalization and altered time sense are accentuated. Anxiety reaching panic proportions may replace euphoria, often as a result of the feeling that the drug-induced state will never end. With high enough doses, the clinical picture is that of a toxic psychosis with hallucinations, depersonalization, and loss of insight; this can occur acutely or only after months of use.
This can also only occur when you ingest THC orally, and in huge amounts. Those marijuana brownies are almost as safe as any other brownie.
[Gilman, A.G., L.S.Goodman, and A. Gilman. (eds.). Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 7th ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1985., p. 559]**PEER REVIEWED**
The most consistent effects on the cardiovascular system are an increase in heart rate, an increase in systolic blood pressure while supine, decreased blood pressure while standing, and /resulting in/ a marked reddening of the conjunctivae.
Nobody's dying from this. I'm sure alcohol affects the cardiovascular system as well.
[Gilman, A.G., L.S.Goodman, and A. Gilman. (eds.). Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 7th ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1985., p. 559]**PEER REVIEWED**
A single dose of delta-9-THC (25 mg in a smoked cigarette) significantly decreased performance scores as a function of an increase in complex response times and the emission of fewer responses.
You're relaxing, what use for these responses do you have? It only confirms my belief that people shouldn't be driving on this stuff.
[DHHS/NIDA; Research Monograph Series 52: Testing Drugs for Physical Dependence Potential and Abuse Liability p.137 (1984) DHHS Pub No. (ADM)87-1332]**PEER REVIEWED**
Motor performance /was assessed/ using an aviation instrument flight simulator involved subjects (licensed pilots) instructed to "fly" through each of four prespecified (and practiced) holding patterns. Using double-blind conditions, marijuana (0.09 mg delta-9-THC per kg) or placebo cigarettes were smoked during a 10 minute interval. Thirty minutes later the subjects began the simulations. There was a significant increase in the number of both major and minor errors, and an incr average deviation from the assigned flight sequence. This decrement in performance persisted for at least two hr after smoking and returned to control levels by six hours post-drug.
I'm concerned about marijuana's impairments when discussing driving. I don't drive when I've smoked and I'm feeling buzzed. However, I know a lot of people do smoke when they drive. They're hiding it from their roommates or parents if they live at home. I think this is dangerous, and it's caused by the prohibition. It's an illegal substance, of course people are going to try to hide the fact they smoke.
[Blaine JD et al; p.445-7 in The Pharmacology of Marihuana; Braude MC, Szara S, eds (1976) as cited in DHHS/NIDA; Research Monograph Series 52: Testing Drugs for Physical Dependence Potential and Abuse Liability p.137 (1984) DHHS Pub No. (ADM)87-1332]**PEER REVIEWED**
The acute effects /were determined for/ various doses of delta-9-THC or hashish (compared to placebo) upon digit spans, serial sevens, star tracing, and time estimation. The simple task (eg digit span) was unaffected by cannabinoid administration while performance on the more complicated tasks was impaired.
You shouldn't be taking any exams while under the influence of marijuana. It's debatable whether you should be smoking at all while attending school. In the end it's up to the individual though. It doesn't warrant denying a commodity its rightful place in the market. This prohibition was brought on by bigotry. They lied to win opinion and even stepped on the people's right to self medicate. They ignored science and instead relied on stereotypes, racism, and nearly criminal literature. A true crime was commited the day the Marihuana Tax Act was passed.
[Dornbush RL, Kokkevi A; p.421-8 in The Pharmacology of Marihuana; Braude MC, Szara S, eds (1976) as cited in DHHS/NIDA; Research Monograph Series 52: Testing Drugs for Physical Dependence Potential and Abuse Liability p.137 (1984) DHHS Pub No. (ADM)87-1332]**PEER REVIEWED**
The effects of delta-9-THC and synhexyl on sleep patterns /were compared/ in normal subjects. Both compounds selectively increased stage 4 sleep while rapid eye movement or REM sleep was depressed. When a sleep deprivation procedure was employed, ... subjects recovered from these effects much more rapidly when treated with synhexyl than with delta-9-THC.
It reduces the occurence of dreams. I don't know, I think I prefer the benefit to real life euphoria over a dream.
[Pivik RT et al; Clin Pharmacol Ther 13: 426-35 (1972) as cited in DHHS/NIDA; Research Monograph Series 52: Testing Drugs for Physical Dependence Potential and Abuse Liability p.135 (1984) DHHS Pub No. (ADM)87-1332]**PEER REVIEWED**
Human subjects /were given/ an oral dose of delta-9-THC every four hr for 10 to 20 days. Autonomic signs of withdrawal included increased sweating, salivation, and tremors of the extremities. Milder signs included irritability, sleep disturbances, and anorexia, while nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea occurred in some subjects.
Jesus, every 4 hours? Might as well stuff them like they do lab mice and watch for tumors. That's really what everyone wants to know anyway. At any rate, it's less of a risk than sky diving, and it still doesn't warrant shooting down innocent missionaries. I've stopped smoking marijuana a lot of times, and never did I experience these symptoms. I've also never taken marijuana orally.
[Jones R, Benowitz N; p.627-45 in The Pharmacology of Marihuana; Braude MC, Szara S, eds (1976) as cited in DHHS/NIDA; Research Monograph Series 52: Testing Drugs for Physical Dependence Potential and Abuse Liability p.136 (1984) DHHS Pub No. (ADM)87-1332]**PEER REVIEWED**
While higher doses /5-20 mg of delta-9-THC/ were effective in relieving pain /associated with advanced stages of cancer/, they were accompanied by significant side effects, including sedation and verbal impairment.
What exactly is wrong with sedation? It's harming nobody. As for verbal impairment, marijuana incites conversation. "Stoners" get into really in depth conversations, usually peaceful in nature. I just don't see the crime. Marijuana's affects on society are by far milder than alcohol, and that's not a crime. All you're telling me is that you dislike the fact I'm feeling good, and that you'll go to extremes to stop me. Yet your draconian rules fail to discourage people to use marijuana. If it's not working, and it's causing harm, it's time to stop. Eventually marijuana will be legal. It's why people keep trying to reform the laws prohibiting marijuana use. It's something we know. If you fight long enough and hard enough you can make change happen. I think Obama can appreciate that.
[Noyes R et al; p.833-6 in The Pharmacology of Marihuana; Braude MC and Szara S, eds (1976) as cited in DHHS/NIDA; Research Monograph Series 52: Testing Drugs for Physical Dependence Potential and Abuse Liability p.135 (1984) DHHS Pub No. (ADM)87-1332]**PEER REVIEWED**
Orally administered marijuana or THC has been reported to increase alpha activity and EEG synchronization.
[Tassinari CA et al; Electroenceph Clin Neurophys 36: 94 (1974) as cited in DHHS/NIDA; Research Monograph Series 52: Testing Drugs for Physical Dependence Potential and Abuse Liability p.135 (1984) DHHS Pub No. (ADM)87-1332]**PEER REVIEWED**
"Alpha waves are one type of brain waves, commonly detected by electroencephalography (EEG) or magnetoencephalography (MEG) and predominantly found to originate from the occipital lobe during periods of waking relaxation with the eyes closed. Conversely alpha waves are attenuated with open eyes as well as by drowsiness and sleep. They are thought to represent the activity of the visual cortex in an idle state. Occipital alpha waves during periods of eyes closed are the strongest brain signals of the EEG. They usually can be detected with the naked eye." - Alpha wave
I haven't taken marijuana orally. From the sounds of it, marijuana promotes idle thought. That's nothing harmful really. Responsible users will be thinking healthy thoughts. Marijuana thwarts thoughts of suicide, and generally brightens ones opinion of the state of the world, except for the prohibition. It's mental stress that we don't deserve.
A study ... utilizing spectral techniques to more accurately quantify the EEG effects of 200 mg/kg delta-9-THC showed that the predominant alpha frequency was decreased by THC, but the magnitude of change was related to the resting state and EEG baseline of each /human/ subject.
[Koukkou M, Lehmann D; Biol Psychiat 11: 663-77 (1976) as cited in DHHS/NIDA; Research Monograph Series 52: Testing Drugs for Physical Dependence Potential and Abuse Liability p.135 (1984) DHHS Pub No. (ADM)87-1332]**PEER REVIEWED**
Does THC effect dreams? "Vividly recalled dreams mostly occur during REM sleep." Rapid eye movement sleep
A prospective study of marijuana use and pregnancy suggested that infants whose mothers had positive urine assays for marijuana exhibited impaired fetal growth (lower birth weight, decrease in length) when compared with infants of nonusers.
And we need to be warning pregnant women to avoid marijuana. Their boyfriends need to smoke somewhere away from them as well. Right now they don't have anywhere to go but outside hidden somewhere, driving their cars, or a friend's house. If there was more public transportation and coffee shops who served cannabis, there would be somewhere for these guys to go. But we don't have that. It's done; it has been proven that you can't convince people to stop using marijuana. People are going to inevitably try it, and some are going to stick with it, sometimes the rest of their lives. Your marijuana smoking celebrities aren't exactly schizophrenic. Get over this schizophobia, and stop discriminating against the mentally ill.
[Ellenhorn, M.J., S. Schonwald, G. Ordog, J. Wasserberger. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams and Wilkins, 1997., p. 394]**PEER REVIEWED**
Clinical manifestations due to marijuana smoking have included long-term impairment of memory in adolescents, a sixfold increase in the incidence of schizophrenia, cancer of the mouth, jaw, tongue, and lungs in 19- to 30-year olds, fetotoxicity, and nonlymphoblastic leukemia in children of marijuana-smoking mothers.
Minors shouldn't be smoking this stuff. What a grown adult does in the privacy of his own home shouldn't be anyone's business but his or her own. Still, the prohibition is doing more harm than the drug. And it doesn't warrant the laws against industrial hemp either.
[Ellenhorn, M.J., S. Schonwald, G. Ordog, J. Wasserberger. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams and Wilkins, 1997., p. 395]**PEER REVIEWED**
Hashish resin ingestion in children in amounts ranging from 0.25 to 1 g has led to a rapid onset of obtundation (30-75 min); some children have developed opisthotonic-like movements alternating with hypotonia, and others may have meningismus. About one third of children experience tachycardia (>150 beats/min). Occasional cyanosis, right bundle-branch block, and apnea with bradycardia may be observed. /Hashish/
Kids don't need to be touching this stuff.
[Ellenhorn, M.J., S. Schonwald, G. Ordog, J. Wasserberger. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams and Wilkins, 1997., p. 395]**PEER REVIEWED**
... Smoking marijuana is associated with a nearly fivefold greater increment in the blood carboxyhemoglobin level, an approximately threefold increase in the amount of tar inhaled and retained in the respiratory tract. ... Smoking only a few marijuana cigarettes a day (without tobacco) has the same effect on the prevalence of acute and chronic respiratory toxicity and the extent of tracheobronchial epithelial histopathology as smoking more than 20 tobacco cigarettes a day (without marijuana).
So smoking marijuana is equivalent to my old smoking habit. At least I'm not doing them both anymore. Seriously though, it's my body. I shouldn't be labeled a criminal for smoking marijuana and putting tars into my body. And it doesn't warrant ignoring government taxes when people clearly want the government to do so. Regardless if you like something someone does to their body, it doesn't warrant criminalizing the very existence of that thing.
[Ellenhorn, M.J., S. Schonwald, G. Ordog, J. Wasserberger. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams and Wilkins, 1997., p. 395]**PEER REVIEWED**
The smoking of one marijuana cigarette (800-900 mg, 1-3% THC) leads to the deposition in the lower respiratory tract of about a fourfold greater quantity of insoluble smoke particulates (tar) than smoking a filtered tobacco cigarette of comparable weight.
Smoking one joint is like smoking 4 cigarettes. Yet, nicotine is by far (astronomically so) more toxic than THC. Ever hear of nicotine extract? That's because you won't. It's poison.
[Ellenhorn, M.J., S. Schonwald, G. Ordog, J. Wasserberger. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams and Wilkins, 1997., p. 395]**PEER REVIEWED**
... Hashish may elevate catecholamine levels, causing vasodilation of peripheral arteries, followed by digital clubbing. /Hashish/
[Ellenhorn, M.J., S. Schonwald, G. Ordog, J. Wasserberger. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams and Wilkins, 1997., p. 395]**PEER REVIEWED**
"Catecholamines are water-soluble and are 50% bound to plasma proteins, so they circulate in the bloodstream. The most abundant catecholamines are epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and dopamine, all of which are produced from phenylalanine and tyrosine. Tyrosine is created from phenylalanine by hydroxylation by the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase. (Tyrosine is also ingested directly from dietary protein). It is then sent to catecholamine-secreting neurons. Here, many kinds of reactions convert it to dopamine, to norepinephrine, and eventually to epinephrine.[2] Catecholamines are hormones that are released by the adrenal glands in situations of stress such as psychological stress or low blood sugar levels." - Catecholamine
"Vasodilation refers to the widening of blood vessels[1] resulting from relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, particularly in the large arteries, smaller arterioles and large veins. The process is essentially the opposite of vasoconstriction, or the narrowing of blood vessels. When vessels dilate, the flow of blood is increased due to a decrease in vascular resistance. Therefore, dilation of arterial blood vessels (mainly arterioles) leads to a decrease in blood pressure. The response may be intrinsic (due to local processes in the surrounding tissue) or extrinsic (due to hormones or the nervous system). Additionally, the response may either be localized to a specific organ (depending on the metabolic needs of a particular tissue, as during strenuous exercise), or systemic (seen throughout the entire systemic circulation). Factors that result in vasodilation are termed vasodilators." - Vasodilation
Marijuana does raise blood pressure, but it's a minor change and it's nothing many doctors worry too deeply about when recommending patients smoke the herb.
"In medicine, clubbing, finger clubbing, or digital clubbing is a deformity of the fingers and fingernails that is associated with a number of diseases, mostly of the heart and lungs. Idiopathic clubbing can also occur. Hippocrates was probably the first to document clubbing as a sign of disease, and the phenomenon is therefore occasionally called Hippocratic fingers." - Digital clubbing
I've known some old hippies, and I never noticed anything like this. This is something that would stand out about someone. If it occurs, it's rare. This would also hinder someone's ability to play instruments, something many musicians aren't having any problems with.
Studies of aircraft pilot performance following the smoking of one cigarette containing 20 mg of THC sugggest that impairment of performance can last as long as 24 hours after smoking. The user may be unaware of the drug's influence.
I may be unaware that I'm stumbling over myself, or falling off sidewalks, or driving my car into someone's bumper. There's this notion that anyone who smokes marijuana should be restricted from driving because they're impaired. You can drink a little alcohol and drive as long as you aren't legally impaired. But how do you compare alcohol impairment to marijuana impairment, since that's the only model we have to go by? I encourage you to read Cannabis and Driving: A Scientific and Rational Review. Now I agree that people probably shouldn't be out smoking and driving like they do a lot since it's illegal and they have to hide the fact they smoke from parents or relatives they live with. I don't agree that the sober effects of marijuana pose any great risk to myself, or anyone around me.
[Ellenhorn, M.J., S. Schonwald, G. Ordog, J. Wasserberger. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams and Wilkins, 1997., p. 397]**PEER REVIEWED**
... Smoking marihuana either has no influence on the size of the pupil, or causes slight constriction. It causes the conjuctival vessels to dilate, about maximum at fifteen minutes.
Eye spy a puff cloud in the sky.
[Grant, W.M. Toxicology of the Eye. 3rd ed. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, 1986., p. 174]**PEER REVIEWED**
To compare the pulmonary hazards of smoking marijuana (cannabis; I) and tobacco (II), the relative burden to the lung of insoluble particulates (tar) and carbon monoxide from the smoke of similar quantities of marijuana and tobacco were studied in 15 men who had smoked both marijuana and tobacco habitually for at least 5 yr. Each subject's blood carboxyhemoglobin level was measured before and after smoking. The amount of tar inhaled and deposited in the respiratory tract from the smoke of single filter-tipped tobacco cigarettes (900 to 1200 mg) and marijuana cigarettes (741 to 985 mg) containing 0.004% or 1.24% 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (dronabinol; III) was also measured. As compared with smoking tobacco, smoking marijuana was associated with a nearly five-fold greater increment in the blood carboxyhemoglobin level, an approximately three-fold increase in the amount of tar inhaled and retention in the respiratory tract of 1/3 more inhaled tar. Significant differences were also noted in the dynamics of smoking marijuana and tobacco among them an approximately 2/3 larger puff volume, a 1/3 greater depth of inhalation and a four-fold longer breath holding time with marijuana than with tobacco. Smoking dynamics and the delivery of tar during marijuana smoking were only slightly influenced by the percentage of 9-tetrahydrocannabinol. It was concluded that smoking marijuana, regardless of 9-tetrahydrocannabinol content, results in a substantially greater respiratory burden of carbon monoxide and tar than smoking a similar quantity of tobacco.
A responsible marijuana smoker will never smoke that much marijuana, compared to a tobacco user who smokes incessantly throughout the entire day. A responsible marijuana smoker smokes only at night. If the person has a child, they smoke after the kids have gone to bed. The same rules apply with alcohol. You don't do it around kids.
[Wu TC et al; N Engl J Med 388: 347-351 (1988)]**PEER REVIEWED**
Drug Warnings:
These effects /of Dronabinol/, (eg, mood changes, distortions in visual and time sense, somnolence) may be unacceptable to some patients, especially the elderly. Occasional dysphoria or hallucinations limit the usefulness of this drug in patients with psychiatric disorders. Since dronabinol has been reported to enhance seizure activity, it should be admin with caution to epileptic patients. Dronabinol may produce transient tachycardia and large doses may cause orthostatic hypotension; these effects should be considered before the drug is used in patients with angina, mitral stenosis, and similar cardiovascular disorders. The safety of dronabinol during pregnancy has not been determined (FDA Pregnancy Category B).
I'm mentally ill, but marijuana doesn't effect me adversely. I enjoy the effects of marijuana. Some people don't though, and they should never be pressured by anyone to smoke marijuana. Same for alcohol -- I don't like to drink often, and definitely never in conjunction with marijuana.
These effects /of Dronabinol/, (eg, mood changes, distortions in visual and time sense, somnolence) may be unacceptable to some patients, especially the elderly. Occasional dysphoria or hallucinations limit the usefulness of this drug in patients with psychiatric disorders. Since dronabinol has been reported to enhance seizure activity, it should be admin with caution to epileptic patients. Dronabinol may produce transient tachycardia and large doses may cause orthostatic hypotension; these effects should be considered before the drug is used in patients with angina, mitral stenosis, and similar cardiovascular disorders. The safety of dronabinol during pregnancy has not been determined (FDA Pregnancy Category B).
[American Medical Association. AMA Drug Evaluations Annual 1991. Chicago, IL: American Medical Association, 1991., p. 400]**PEER REVIEWED**
Marijuana has not been well studied, but tetrahydrocannabinol can reach rather high levels in /breast/ milk, particularly with heavy use. Although adverse effects in infants have not been reported, breast feeding should probably be avoided in heavy users and during therapeutic Dronabinol use. Breast feeding should probably be withheld for several hr after occasional marijuana use. Caution should also be used to avoid exposing the infant to marijuana smoke.
Again, we have to bring up responsible users. You can't call them criminals without resorting to bigotry. I'm a responsible medical marijuana user; I'm not a criminal who needs to be shot in the streets. I think Obama needs to provide government funding to peer reviewed studies on cannabis and THC.
[Knoben, J.E. and P.O. Anderson (eds.) Handbook of Clinical Drug Data. 6th ed. Bethesda, MD: Drug Intelligence Publications, Inc. 1988., p. 178]**PEER REVIEWED**
Drugs of Abuse: Contraindicated during Breast-Feeding: Marijuana: Only one report in literature; no effect mentioned. (The Committee on Drugs strongly believes that nursing mothers should not ingest any compounds listed /drugs of abuse/ ... Not only are they hazardous to the nursing infant, but they are also detrimental to the physical and mental health of the mother ... No drug of abuse should be ingested by nursing mothers even though adverse reports are not in the literature.) /From Table 2/
This is a very important warning. While I don't consider marijuana to be a drug of abuse, because I'm able to use it responsibly, I do feel young people are at risk if they come in contact with THC or any of the other cannabinoids. This doesn't however warrant allowing a black market to exist. The fact that marijuana's legalized is not going to suddenly make pregnant women start smoking marijuana.
[Report of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs in Pediatrics 93 (1): 138 (1994)]**PEER REVIEWED**
While some don't consider marijuana medicine, you have to realize that herbs have been used as medicine for longer than any of us have been alive. We owe herbs some respect, and the patients should be allowed to make personal health choices without government invading my health privacy. The use of herbs doesn't harm the pharmaceutical industry.
What are not present are "the pervasive lethargy, dysophoria, and apathy that initial reports suggested should appear in all heavy users." Like we've always been saying, prohibition is based on lies and bigotry.
