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Also: The other items in the discussion in this newspaper are at: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n336.a06.html http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n336.a07.html http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n337.a02.html http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n337.a03.html

PROF.  MIRON IS WRONG ABOUT MARIJUANA

Professor Miron claims that the benefits of smoking marijuana outweigh any potential harms.  [Massachusetts News, February 2000]

This view is not shared by our nation's top public health official, Dr.  Donna Shalala, who has stated, "Research tells us marijuana limits learning, memory, perception, judgment, and motor skills, and it damages the brain, heart, lungs, and immune system.  Marijuana is not a 'soft' drug." [Time, 12/9/96]

To support his view, Professor Miron refers to books by Drs.  Lester Grinspoon and John Morgan.  Both are on the Board of Directors of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws ( NORML ), a legalization group which funds marijuana rallies that target the youth, such as the annual Boston Common rock concert. 

Just as there is a tobacco lobby which for years has misrepresented the hazards of its product, there is a well-funded marijuana lobby which aims to place marijuana cigarettes on store shelves next to tobacco.  These legalizers blatantly downplay marijuana's dangers, ignoring the scientific studies which have proved beyond a doubt that marijuana is a harmful drug that should never be legalized. 

Indeed, the American Psychiatric Association lists harmful mental effects caused by marijuana in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM IV, May 1994.  These include psychotic disorder ( insanity ), hallucinations, anxiety disorder ( panic attacks ), impaired judgment, sensation of slowed time, social withdrawal, perceptual disturbances, impaired motor coordination, delirium, memory deficit, depersonalization, delusions, especially delusions of persecution ( paranoia ), disorientation, and others.  These psychiatric symptoms are the cause of numerous admissions to hospital emergency rooms. 

Professor Miron also refers to Goodman & Gilman's Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, but he uses an incomplete quote in one instance and misquotes the text in the other instance.  He reports that the authors state: "There is no evidence that marijuana use damages brain cells or produces any permanent functional changes," but he omits the rest of the sentence, "although there are animal data indicating impairment of maze learning that persists for weeks after the last dose."

The authors continue, "These findings are consistent with clinical reports of gradual improvement in mental state after cessation of chronic high-dose marijuana use." [page 572]

Misquotes the Text

In the second instance, Professor Miron misquotes the text, reporting that there is no data that demonstrate a causal relation between marijuana smoking and confusion or sedation.  The authors were actually referring to the amotivational syndrome [page 572] which they claim has not been proven at this point.  They do state that marijuana causes "impairment of cognitive functions, perception, reaction time, learning, and memory.  Impairment of coordination and tracking behavior has been reported to persist for several hours beyond the perception of the high.  These impairments have obvious implications for the operation of a motor vehicle, and performance in the workplace or at school." [page 572]

The authors of the pharmacology text further note that, "Unpleasant reactions [from marijuana] such as panic or hallucinations and even acute psychosis may occur." Also, "there are numerous clinical reports that marijuana use can precipitate a recurrence in people with a history of schizophrenia." For these reasons, the authors dismiss the proposed medicinal use of marijuana by stating that although the drug may have antinausea, anticonvulsant, antiglaucoma, and muscle relaxant effects, "These medical benefits come at the cost of the psychoactive effects that often impair normal activities.  Thus, there is no clear advantage of marijuana over conventional treatments for any of these conditions." [page 572]

Much recent research is showing us exactly how marijuana impairs the brain.  For instance, three days or more after smoking marijuana, PET scans of chronic marijuana users show decreased metabolic activity in the brain, especially in the cerebellum, a part of the brain involved with motor coordination, learning, and memory [Volkow ND et al., Psychiatric Research Neuroimaging 67:29-38, 1996]

Cause of Addiction Becoming Clear

How marijuana causes addiction is also becoming clear.  Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, a substance which carries chemical messages between nerve cells and is responsible for feelings of pleasure.  Drugs which increase dopamine may lead to addiction because the brain loses its ability to produce dopamine on its own.  Like other addictive drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, nicotine, and amphetamine, marijuana increases dopamine in a part of the brain called the nucleus accumbens [Tanda G et al.  Science 276:2048-2050, 1997] The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies, reported that over 140,000 persons were admitted to drug treatment programs in 1995 due to marijuana addiction.  Over half of youths ages 15-17 admitted to drug treatment were seeking treatment for marijuana addiction. 

Because marijuana produces "tolerance," users need more and more to produce the same effect.  This is why stronger and stronger varieties of marijuana are being constantly developed, and it is also why users often progress on to drugs such as cocaine. 

In the Netherlands, where authorities ignore sales of marijuana in "coffee houses," the percentage of Netherlands youth ages 16-17 who have ever used marijuana has risen from less than 5% in 1984 to well over 30% in 1996.  For those 18-20, the rate has risen from 15% to 44%.  Cocaine use is also rising, as 22% of the Dutch youth over 12 who have ever used marijuana have now also used cocaine [Macoun R et al.  Science 278:47-52, 1997] It is clear that given marijuana's harmful effects, America should not follow Holland's example.