Pubdate: Fri,  2 May 2003
Source: Guardian, The (UK)
Copyright: 2003 Guardian Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardian/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/175
Author: James Meikle, health correspondent

CANNABIS 'COULD KILL 30,000 A YEAR'

Thirty thousand Britons a year might eventually die from cannabis smoking, 
doctors claimed last night.

They called for a battle against the drug to mirror that belatedly waged 
against tobacco, saying that it too could soon pose a major public health 
hazard.

Their warning, made in an editorial in the British Medical Journal, is the 
most high-profile attempt yet to alert authorities to public health 
difficulties that might result from an apparently more liberal attitude to 
the drug.

The authors, from Imperial College London and St Mary's hospital, London, 
argued that 120,000 deaths are caused among 13 million tobacco smokers each 
year, from cancers, respiratory disorders and heart and lung disease. If 
the health effects were the same, the corresponding figure from 3.2 million 
cannabis smokers would be 30,000.

They conceded their extrapolation could be seen as scaremongering, but 
Professor John Henry, one of the authors, said the real message was that 
medical authorities must not be caught like they were by the results of 
tobacco consumption, which took 50 years of research before any concerted 
fightback started.

"Even if the number of deaths attributable to cannabis smoking turned out 
to be a fraction of the 30,000 we believe could be possible, cannabis 
smoking would still be described as a major health hazard. If we also add 
in the likely mental health burden to that of medical illness and premature 
death, the potential effects of cannabis cannot be ignored."

Dr William Oldfield, a senior registrar at the hospital, said cannabis and 
nicotine had very different modes of inhalation, with cannabis smokers 
taking in larger volumes and holding smoke down far longer. "These could 
all contribute to illnesses of the heart and respiratory system, 
particularly as the chemicals in cannabis smoke are retained to a much 
higher degree."

The doctors argued that the level of active ingredient known as THC was 
much higher than 20 years ago. It had a marked effect on heart and blood 
vessels and sudden deaths had been attributed to cannabis smoking.

Cannabis-based prescription medicines, in spray or lozenge form, are 
expected on the market soon, but there have been a number of warnings 
recently that many Britons do not understand the risks from cannabis. The 
British Lung Foundation for instance said three joints a day might do as 
much damage as 20 cigarettes.

But there has been scepticism at such claims, including among anti-smoking 
campaigners. They say, for instance, that tobacco users tend to carry on 
smoking for far longer, whereas cannabis appears far less addictive.

They also question the 3.2 million figure for cannabis use. This is the 
estimate for people who have used it in the last year. Regular use would be 
far smaller.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom