Pubdate: Wed, 29 Oct 2008
Source: Detroit Free Press (MI)
Copyright: 2008 Detroit Free Press
Contact:  http://www.freep.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/125
Author: Janet Olszewski
Note: Janet Olszewski is director of the Michigan Department of 
Community Health.
Cited: Michigan Department of Community Health http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/
Cited: Proposal 1 http://stoparrestingpatients.org/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)

MEDICAL MARIJUANA WOULD BE UNHEALTHY AND TROUBLESOME

On Nov. 4, Michigan residents will decide whether or not to join 12 
other states in legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes. Proposal 
1's intent is to benefit people suffering from debilitating 
illnesses. If passed, it would allow registered patients with a 
chronic medical condition such as cancer, glaucoma or Hepatitis C to 
use marijuana.

The Michigan Department of Community Health would be required to 
establish an identification card system for patients who meet the 
criteria to use marijuana and individuals who meet the criteria to 
grow marijuana.

Make no mistake, chronic pain is debilitating, and we as a health 
care community must do our best using the many tools available to 
help patients relieve pain.  Nevertheless, legalizing the smoking of 
marijuana for this purpose is not the right answer.

Consider the facts. The smoked form of marijuana is not considered 
modern medicine. In 2006, the FDA issued an advisory stating that no 
sound scientific studies have supported medical use of smoked 
marijuana for treatment in the United States

Major public health organizations do not support smoking marijuana as 
medicine. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the American 
Medical Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the 
National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society all oppose 
the smoked form of marijuana as medicine.

Just as cigarette smoke can produce serious illnesses such as lung 
cancer, marijuana smoke is detrimental to a person's health. It 
alters the functioning of the central nervous system, the brain and 
the brain stem.  It also changes how a person thinks and feels.

It is true that THC, the primary cannabinoid in marijuana plants, has 
demonstrated medical value. It is currently available in the 
prescription drug, Marinol.  Recent studies also have demonstrated 
that inhaling of the THC using a vaporizer or inhaler can achieve the 
same or higher THC levels as smoked marijuana.

Like all prescription medication, the federal government regulates 
Marinol and any new medicines that are developed. Federal regulation 
assures a level of quality and efficacy. Under Proposal 1, the 
dosage, the purity or the quality of the marijuana is unregulated and 
essentially unknown. This does not meet the ordinary standards of 
medical care or pharmaceutical practice, and this will put the 
patient at higher risk for an adverse outcome.

Also, Proposal 1 contains loopholes that would place a consumer at 
risk. For example, the proposal is silent as to how registered 
patients will acquire marijuana in the first instance. This can 
encourage illegal activity that will put our communities at risk.

If passed, Proposal 1 would cause legal confusion, drug enforcement 
problems and significant health risk for patients. The proposal is 
simply bad policy that Michigan does not need.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake