Pubdate: Thu, 03 Feb 2000
Source: Burlington Free Press (VT)
Copyright: 2000 Burlington Free Press
Contact:  Dr. Bob Melamede,  Bob Melamede, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Dept. of Microbiology and
Molecular Genetics Stafford Hall room 226 University of Vermont Burlington,
VT 05405 802 656-8501 MARIJUANA REPORTS NEED UNBIASED EYE

It is not in the best interests of a democratic society to misinform the
public. Facts should be at the heart of sound decision making.

Much of the well-intentioned rhetoric aimed at marijuana ignores this fact.
Unfortunately, the editorial on neck cancer and marijuana use falls into
this category.

Certainly, as with cigarettes, marijuana smokers are subjecting their lungs
to an array of potentially harmful chemicals. Respiratory impairment caused
by marijuana smoking is well documented. However, aside from the fact that
almost no marijuana smoker smokes anywhere near the amount of material as
is consumed by the typical nicotine addict, the biological consequences of
the similar chemicals in the two formats might not be the same.

While only a fool would deny the multitudinous negative health consequences
of cigarette smoking, similar conclusions are not as clear when it comes to
marijuana use. The pharmacological potential for cannabis based medicines
seems to grow every day. The scientific literature documents: pain
relieving properties, neuro-protective, anti-cancer, anti-stress,
anti-nausea, anti-autoimmune, anti-glaucoma, anti-epileptic and
anti-spastic activities for marijuana.

These benefical properties are the basis for the ever growing demands for
legalizing medical marijuana.

The positive qualities of this illegal drug are not shared by legal tobacco
products.

If one examines the scientific paper on which your editorial is based
(Zhang et al, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarker & Prevention, Dec 1999) two
facts stand out. Of the 173 squamous cell neck patients, only two had not
also smoked cigarettes. If we spent more money on science education and
less on the drug war, most high school students would know that this is too
small of a sample to use as a basis of an editorial against marijuana use.
If, however, one choose to consider this number as valid, one would
conclude from looking at the data that 8.2% of non-cigarette smoking,
non-pot smoking controls got cancer while only 7.1% of pot smokers that did
not smoke tobacco got cancer.

A valid conclusion that may be drawn from the data in the study is that
cigarette smoking promotes squamous cell neck cancer and that the chance of
getting the disease increases if marijuana is also smoked.

However, if anything, marijuana smoking alone seems to reduce the odds of
getting it.

The Burlington Free Press would do a great service to the community if the
issues of medical, recreational and industrial marijuana were examined in
depth with an unbiased eye. It makes no sense to deprive sick people of
relief, to criminalize our citizens (especially our kids) and to deprive
farmers of a valuable crop.

Bob Melamede, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Dept. of Microbiology and Molecular
Genetics Stafford Hall room 226 University of Vermont Burlington, VT 05405
802 656-8501 http://www.uvm.edu/~rmelamed/
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