- Pat Prendergast President, Butte Cares
With the recent news coverage
regarding the Montana State Supreme Court’s ruling on marijuana laws and
the Montana Standard’s editorial staff’s response, it seems like the
perfect opportunity to provide some clarifying facts about marijuana.
Marijuana is not a harmless natural compound. The “medical marijuana” movement is a well-developed strategic plan to dupe the common man into believing that an illicit, illegal drug, with no proven medical benefit, should be used as medicine. The marijuana industry used the “medical” marijuana platform as part of a strategic plan to desensitize the perception of harm and normalize marijuana use. The result of this industry is to accomplish what has happened in Colorado, Washington state and Washington D.C., specifically legalized “recreational” use of marijuana.
• The average “medical” marijuana user is a 32-year-old white male with a history of alcohol, cocaine and meth use, but NO history of a life-threatening illness.
There is no scientific basis for using smoked marijuana as a medicine, no sound scientific studies supporting the medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supporting the safety or effectiveness of marijuana for general medical use. The Food and Drug Administration ruled that smoked marijuana does not meet the modern standards of medicine in the United States.
Marijuana is NOT approved nor endorsed by the FDA, The American Medical Association, The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, The American Glaucoma Society, The American Academy of Ophthalmology, The American Cancer Society or The American Pediatric Society. The National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine (IOM) has concluded that smoked marijuana should “not be recommended for medical use.”
Marijuana has over 500 components that have been proven to increase the risk of cancer, lung damage, and poor pregnancy outcomes. In comparison, most prescription medication contains a single compound in a standardized dosage. Type, frequency, dosage and duration are all determined by medical doctors for each individual based on his/her situation.
Smoked marijuana varies by dose due to individual differences in absorption and metabolism in the liver, as well as puff frequency, depth of inhalation, and retention of inhaled smoke. Some constituents of cannabis, including THC, are indeed available today in pill form; some synthetic versions of those constituents are also available. These can be obtained at a pharmacy.
The use of marijuana under the guise of “medicine” has given rise to numerous problems:
• Affected youth drug use patterns.
• States with “medical” marijuana laws had marijuana abuse/dependence rates almost double the states without such laws.
Marijuana is not a harmless natural compound. The “medical marijuana” movement is a well-developed strategic plan to dupe the common man into believing that an illicit, illegal drug, with no proven medical benefit, should be used as medicine. The marijuana industry used the “medical” marijuana platform as part of a strategic plan to desensitize the perception of harm and normalize marijuana use. The result of this industry is to accomplish what has happened in Colorado, Washington state and Washington D.C., specifically legalized “recreational” use of marijuana.
• The average “medical” marijuana user is a 32-year-old white male with a history of alcohol, cocaine and meth use, but NO history of a life-threatening illness.
There is no scientific basis for using smoked marijuana as a medicine, no sound scientific studies supporting the medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supporting the safety or effectiveness of marijuana for general medical use. The Food and Drug Administration ruled that smoked marijuana does not meet the modern standards of medicine in the United States.
Marijuana is NOT approved nor endorsed by the FDA, The American Medical Association, The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, The American Glaucoma Society, The American Academy of Ophthalmology, The American Cancer Society or The American Pediatric Society. The National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine (IOM) has concluded that smoked marijuana should “not be recommended for medical use.”
Marijuana has over 500 components that have been proven to increase the risk of cancer, lung damage, and poor pregnancy outcomes. In comparison, most prescription medication contains a single compound in a standardized dosage. Type, frequency, dosage and duration are all determined by medical doctors for each individual based on his/her situation.
Smoked marijuana varies by dose due to individual differences in absorption and metabolism in the liver, as well as puff frequency, depth of inhalation, and retention of inhaled smoke. Some constituents of cannabis, including THC, are indeed available today in pill form; some synthetic versions of those constituents are also available. These can be obtained at a pharmacy.
The use of marijuana under the guise of “medicine” has given rise to numerous problems:
• Affected youth drug use patterns.
• States with “medical” marijuana laws had marijuana abuse/dependence rates almost double the states without such laws.
• Individuals who begin using the drug in their teens have approximately a one-in-six chance of developing marijuana dependence. In fact, children and teens are six times likelier to be in treatment for marijuana than for all other illegal drugs combined.
• Addiction rates among 12- to 17-year-olds are among the highest levels nationally in states that have “medical marijuana” programs.
• Marijuana use negatively impacts adolescent brain development.
• “Medical” marijuana could negatively impact employability. More than 6,000 companies nationwide and scores of industries and professions require a pre-employment drug test.
• 20 percent of crashes in the U.S. are caused by drugged driving. Marijuana is the most prevalent illegal drug detected in impaired drivers, fatally injured drivers, and motor vehicle crash victims.
• States that have fully implemented “medical” marijuana programs, to include dispensaries, are experiencing public safety issues.
• Marijuana is much more powerful today than it was 30 years ago, and so are its mind-altering effects.
• Legalizing marijuana would significantly decrease the price of the drug and could result in an up to 50 percent increase in use.
Take a stand. Become better informed. Help the efforts to make our community a safe, healthy, drug free community.
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