Pubdate: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 Source: Galesburg Register-Mail (IL) Copyright: 2008 Galesburg Register-Mail Contact: http://www.register-mail.com/news/letters/index.html Website: http://www.galesburg.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3864 Author: Tina Gummerson THE DOWN SIDE TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA The down side to medical marijuana I work under a state/federal drug prevention grant in Knox and surrounding counties, and I have been deliberating for days on what my response should be to recent pro marijuana letters. I know others will be writing with some other facts so I would like to address the issue of smoked marijuana as a medicine and the propaganda that is being spread throughout our community. Too often trickery is used in this campaign to legalize marijuana for the "sick." I sympathize with the plight of sick people all over the world. I personally helped care for my grandmother who died, at home, of colon cancer. I understand the pain and suffering that goes along with a terminal illness. I also know that there were legal medications that kept her as "comfortable" as any drug could have. I also have access to a few other facts that pro marijuana organizations don't always tell you about. Smoked marijuana actually weakens your immune system. So it might work great on your nausea or increase your appetite, but it is also going to put you at higher risk for infections. It will also impair your vision, memory, coordination and any semblance of free will you might have had left. Marijuana is a highly addictive drug; 40 percent of teenagers and 24 percent of adults in drug treatment in Illinois are in treatment for marijuana addiction. So if you survive cancer then you have to go through drug treatment to get your life back. The Institute of Medicine released a study reviewing the medical properties of smoked marijuana. It concluded that "there is little future in smoked marijuana as a medically approved medication." Here are some other organizations that do not believe smoked marijuana is any kind of medicine: The American Medical Association, The American Cancer Society, The American Academy of Pediatrics and The National Multiple Sclerosis Society. There is evidence that chemicals in the cannabis plant CAN and DO have medical value. There are medications, currently approved by the FDA, made from the active chemicals in marijuana that are used to safely and effectively treat AIDS and cancer patients. In conclusion, this preventionist believes calling smoked marijuana medicine is like calling mold (from which penicillin is made) medicine; I wouldn't advise eating moldy bread to cure a sore throat. I'd love to give more facts but only have 400 words. Look for more to come. Tina Gummerson, Galesburg - --- MAP posted-by: Derek