Pubdate: Sun, 05 Aug 2007
Source: Times Union (Albany, NY)
Copyright: 2007 Capital Newspapers Division of The Hearst Corporation
Contact: http://www.timesunion.com/forms/emaileditor.asp
Website: http://www.timesunion.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/452
Author: Mitch Earleywine, Ph.D.

VAPORIZER TAKES DANGER OUT OF MARIJUANA USE

Thanks for the recent story "1 joint equals up to 5 cigarettes." It's 
interesting to note that smoking marijuana does not increase 
emphysema, but does increase respiratory symptoms like coughing and 
wheezing. Fortunately, these symptoms can be sidestepped with the 
vaporizer, a new gizmo that heats cannabis until active components 
are released in a fine mist. The cannabis never ignites. No fire 
means no gaseous toxins or noxious tars.

Dr. Donald Abrams at San Francisco General Hospital recently 
published research showing that vaporizer users are not exposed to 
toxic gases. Data from my laboratory in Albany revealed that users 
who vaporize are significantly less likely to report respiratory 
symptoms of any kind.

As the call for legal access to medical marijuana becomes louder and 
louder in New York, it's nice to know that this medicine can be 
available to the sickest of the sick without endangering their lungs.

MITCH EARLEYWINE, Ph.D. Associate Professor Psychology Unive
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom