Pubdate: Thu, 06 Mar 2003
Source: North Texas Daily (TX Edu)
Copyright: 2003 North Texas Daily
Contact:  http://www.ntdaily.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2842
Author: Sean Jamison
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

MARIJUANA POSES FEWER HEALTH RISKS THAN ALCOHOL

Decriminalization Bill Raises Question Of Drug Hazards

Artists, songwriters and countless others involved in the entertainment 
industry have indulged in drug use, both legal and illegal, for years.

A recent bill proposed to the Texas Legislature could decriminalize the use 
of marijuana.

Field experts compare the side effects of the "wacky tobaccy" with that of 
legal drugs such as alcohol in round one of the epic battle pitting beer 
against bud.

"Alcohol affects more brain chemicals than any other psychoactive drug," 
said Dr. Jim Quinn, director of the Institute of Addictions and coordinator 
of the Addiction and Substance Program within the NT Department of 
Rehabilitation, Social Work and Addictions.

Quinn said most psychoactive drugs affect two or three neurotransmitters, 
where as alcohol triples that number, causing more widespread distortion of 
the mental process.

Because alcohol also produces tissue dependence, affecting every organ and 
tissue in the body, Quinn said it is much more likely cause addiction than 
marijuana.

"Physically, the addictive properties of alcohol are much worse [than 
marijuana]," he said.

"If you've been a heavy drinker for months or years, you need some medical 
supervision or de-toxing [to quit]. That is not true with marijuana."

However, "taking the ganja" does not come without its own set of consequences.

Frequent marijuana users usually suffer from a reduced short-term memory as 
well as difficulties in learning and retaining information.

The effects, however, vary greatly from person to person, Quinn said.

By discontinuing use, marijuana users can regenerate most damaged cells.

Drugs such as alcohol and marijuana don't only affect the users. According 
to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1,900 people were 
killed in alcohol-related crashes in Texas in the year 2000.

This number far surpasses the 1,400 alcohol-related deaths in the larger 
populated California.

In fact, more than half of every fatal car accident in Texas this past year 
involved a drunk driver.

Alcohol, a legal drug, can also kill users directly via overdose or alcohol 
poisoning.

According to state hospital records, more than 1,000 children under the age 
of 15 are rushed to emergency clinics to treat alcohol poisoning each year.

Nearly one-quarter of all those awaiting treatment don't make it off the 
operating table.

"To this date, there has never been a reported death related to cannabis 
use," said Rick D. Day, executive director of the Texas chapter of the 
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

In fact, alcohol is the only drug recognized by the Justice Department as 
causing aggression in humans, and it s a factor in at least 60 percent of 
all homicides, according to Dorsey Zawitz and Middleton's book Drug and 
Crime Facts.

"Alcohol makes you stupid," Quinn said.

"You're acting on impulses without evaluating, particularly sexually and 
aggressive ones. Alcohol users act without thinking; people who use pot 
tend to think without acting."
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager