Pubdate: Sat, 9 Oct 2010 Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Copyright: 2010 The Arizona Republic Contact: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24 Author: Itai Danovitch Note: Itai Danovitch is an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Cited: Proposition 19 http://yeson19.com/ Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion) Bookmark: http://mapinc.org/find?272 (Proposition 19) DON'T OVERLOOK MARIJUANA'S HEALTH RISKS In the debate on legalizing marijuana, the health risks of marijuana are often overlooked. Legalizing marijuana will almost certainly lead to a decrease in its price and an increase in its use, according to a recent Rand Corp. study. And because no drug or medicine is without side effects, increased marijuana use will mean increased health risks. But what kind of risks? Supporters of legalization say marijuana is no more harmful than caffeine, whereas advocates of criminalization suggest that marijuana is highly toxic. Like other complex health issues, the truth lies somewhere in between. The California Society of Addiction Medicine is an association of physicians specializing in the treatment of alcoholism and other addictions. Though neutral on the issue of marijuana legalization itself, the society is concerned that Proposition 19, which Californians will vote on in November, spreads misinformation about marijuana by stating: "Cannabis is not physically addictive, (and) does not have long-term toxic effects." Unfortunately, this statement ignores a large body of national and international scientific research over the last four decades that proves marijuana can be addictive. About 9 percent of adults who use marijuana develop an addiction to it. Among people who begin smoking before the age of 18, this number is as high as 17 percent. Although addiction to marijuana does not cause dramatic physical dependence, it can lead to substantial problems in education, work and relationships. In fact, addiction to marijuana is defined by the inability to stop using despite recognition of harmful consequences. Without harmful consequences, there is no diagnosis of addiction. The short-term effects of marijuana intoxication are well established. As part of the high produced by marijuana, intoxication impairs memory and learning. Marijuana use also impairs driving, causing a twofold to threefold rise in accidents. The long-term effects of marijuana are not often recognized because they are subtle, but they can have a cumulative impact over time. In people with preexisting vulnerabilities, marijuana use can unmask psychiatric problems such as schizophrenia. Many people with anxiety and depression use marijuana to soothe their symptoms; however, there is evidence that over time it may actually make these problems worse. Smoked marijuana irritates the linings of the respiratory passages and can lead to inflammation and bronchitis. It has been linked to precancerous changes in the lungs. Long-term marijuana use has not been shown to reduce general measurements of intelligence; but there is evidence that the processing of highly complex information is slowed. The bottom line is that although marijuana is less hazardous to health than many other legal or illegal drugs, it is not without risk, and voters and potential users need to fully understand this. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake