Pubdate: Wed, 18 Nov 2015
Source: Asbury Park Press (NJ)
Copyright: 2015 Asbury Park Press
Contact:  http://www.app.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/26
Author: Frank Leccese Sr.

WHY ARE HEALTH EFFECTS OF POT BEING IGNORED?

Regarding the Nov. 16 article "Marijuana's in bloom in N.J.," why 
this headlong rush into legalizing recreational marijuana? The only 
answer that makes any sense is that legislators see a big pot (pardon 
the pun) of tax revenue. They are willing to put many of us at risk 
so that they can have a new source of money to spend.

They claim to be concerned about our health and that is why we've 
been subjected to countless warnings about the harmful effects of 
tobacco smoke for the last 40-plus years. Now, not a word about the 
harmful effects of marijuana smoke. Why? Health issues alone are 
enough to label the recreational use of marijuana as damaging to your 
health and should be avoided.

Government agencies continually tell us to quit smoking with TV ads 
that are very graphic and labeling that warns of death. According to 
Psychology Today, "6,000 of the same chemicals in marijuana smoke are 
present in tobacco" and "one of the most potent carcinogens in 
tobacco smoke is present in even greater amounts in marijuana smoke."

The American Lung Assocation says "marijuana smoke is harmful to lung 
health and has been shown to contain many of the same toxins, 
irritants and carcinogens as tobacco smoke."

USA Today claims that "marijuana increases the risk of psychosis" and 
the New England Journal of Medicine in an article states "that 
marijuana smoke increases the risk of heart attack and stroke."

So, why after 40-plus years of rightfully trying to get all of us to 
quit or not start smoking tobacco, is it now seemingly not a problem 
with marijuana smoke?

Frank Leccese Sr.

Colts Neck
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom