Pubdate: Tue, 02 Oct 2012
Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)
Copyright: 2012 Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Contact:  http://www.telegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/509
Note: Dr. Leonard J. Morse is emeritus commissioner of public health
for the city of Worcester.

DEFEAT MARIJUANA MEASURE

One thousand people (average age of 40 years) die annually in
Massachusetts from drug overdose. On Nov. 6, the voters of
Massachusetts will be asked to legalize marijuana for "medical" use
(ballot Question 3). Appreciating that most physicians are uninformed
about the pharmacology of marijuana, who will be responsible for
prescribing it?

Marijuana (cannabis) is a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance along with
heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), peyote, methaqualone and
methylene dioxmetamphetamine (Ectasy). "The drugs in this schedule
have no accepted medical use in the United States and have high abuse
potential." Therefore, they may not be prescribed. Hence, there
appears to be a serious disconnect between federal law and ballot 
Question 3.

On June 18, 2011, at a state legislative hearing on House Bill 625 to
legalize marijuana for medical purposes, I listened to three hours of
personal testimony in support of the legislation. The passion
expressed was impressive. It convinced me that marijuana warrants
medical study to verify the claims.

Marijuana should become a Schedule 2 substance joining the ranks of
other narcotic analgesics. Like marijuana, "the drugs in this schedule
have a high abuse potential with severe psychic or physical dependence
liability and include opium, morphine, codeine, dilaudid, methadone,
metamphetamine, preludin, ritalin, amobarbital, secobarbital and doriden."

The public and the medical profession need to be educated based on
science, including clinical studies, not just personal testimony to
develop routes of responsible prescribing. It is inappropriate to
prescribe an addictive plant product with varying concentrations of
active pharmaceutical compounds so casually dosed as by smoking. The
United Nations estimates that 190 million people consumed cannabis in
2007, and a new industry has arisen around the cultivation and
dispensing of "medical" marijuana. In California certain counties
claim more than 60 percent of their income is from growing pristine
marijuana. In Los Angeles alone, there are estimated to be 1,000
dispensaries and their proliferation continues.

Since 1970, 17 states and the District of Columbia have legalized the
"medical use" of botanical cannabis. Based on public claims attesting
to the wonder of marijuana, the divide between the federal and state
governments continues to broaden. The pharmaceutical industry and the
medical profession should begin product development, clinical testing,
and physician education before medical marijuana becomes legalized.
Only Drug Enforcement Administration-licensed professionals should
write prescriptions for marijuana as they do for all controlled drugs.

One thousand people (average age of 40 years) die annually in
Massachusetts from drug overdose. While the population of the United
States represents less than 5 percent of the world's population, we
consume over 60 percent of its illicit drugs. Death and injury from
drug consumption and violence associated with its distribution in our
society is a daily tragedy.

It is my opinion that, in the best interest of the public's health,
ballot Question 3 should be defeated.
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MAP posted-by: Matt