Pubdate: Fri, 03 Apr 2015
Source: Seattle Times (WA)
Copyright: 2015 The Seattle Times Company
Contact:  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/409
Author: Roger Roffman
Note: Roger Roffman, a cosponsor of I-502, is a University of 
Washington professor emeritus of social work. His memoir, "Marijuana 
Nation," was published by Pegasus Books in 2014.

UNKEPT PROMISES OF PUBLIC-HEALTH EDUCATION ON MARIJUANA

A growing gap exists between how the early marijuana-legalization 
laws are rolling out in Washington state and what ought to be 
concurrent education campaigns to give marijuana consumers 
science-based information to make wise choices.

Initiative 502 earmarked new excise-tax revenues to the state 
Department of Health to pay for "medically and scientifically 
accurate information about the health and safety risks posed by marijuana use."

The initiative also called for a marijuana public-health hotline. To 
be available statewide, the hotline is intended to provide treatment 
referrals, brief counseling and educational information about marijuana.

On the road to a more just marijuana policy in the United States, 
we're leaping ahead in some respects yet falling seriously behind in 
others. By turning away from an ineffective marijuana-prohibition 
policy, clearly enforced with egregious racial inequities, we're 
making progress.

However, to date, no marijuana excise-tax revenues have been 
allocated to the state Health Department. Therefore, these 
educational efforts haven't begun. In essence, 29 months have passed 
since voters approved I-502. During that time, while the birth of 
this new industry and its ever-growing array of products have been 
extensively covered in the media, almost no attention has been given 
to public-health education about the drug.

Now, three bills wending their way through the legislative process 
would decimate the education, prevention, treatment and research 
elements of I-502. In the state Senate, a bill would completely 
eliminate the dedicated marijuana fund and direct all I-502 revenue 
to the general fund for local government uses and to the education 
legacy trust account. Bills in the state House would pull the rug out 
from under the youth-based marijuana prevention efforts intended by 
the initiative.

At its first opportunity, the Legislature is poised to undermine one 
of the primary campaign promises of I-502. Effectively informing the 
public about marijuana's health and safety risks is crucial for 
several reasons:

First, the voters' decision to legalize marijuana in four states and 
the District of Columbia is commonly interpreted to mean that using 
the drug doesn't risk the user's health. Indeed, many proponents 
argue that it ought not to be criminalized because it has no dangers. 
They're wrong. In truth, there are compelling arguments to support 
legalizing marijuana that don't require the drug to be harmless as a 
justification.

Second, drug education about marijuana has often been skewed to 
discourage use. As an example, I can't recall ever seeing in a 
government publication recognition that occasional marijuana use by 
adults isn't harmful. The considerable distrust in any warnings about 
harm needs to be addressed.

Finally, the realities of science make it easy to poke holes in 
research. If a possibility exists, however slight, of alternative 
explanations for a relationship between using marijuana and a 
specific danger, some readers would dismiss the findings outright. 
Not even a slew of similar results across a number of studies would sway them.

Today, based on what can reasonably be concluded from science, there 
are risks to health and safety. They are important enough to warrant 
informing marijuana users and those considering using marijuana.

Dependence: Frequently, marijuana is described as not addictive. Some 
users find themselves continuing to get high despite ongoing 
experiences of adverse consequences, and this is what addiction 
means. There is a withdrawal syndrome - not life threatening, but 
considerably stressful - that many, but not all, regular marijuana 
consumers experience.

Mental-health difficulties: Regular use is associated with increased 
anxiety and depression. Consumers need to be aware that marijuana 
could be the cause and, if frequently depressed or anxious after use, 
consider the possibility that pot isn't working for them. The same 
goes for those with suicidal thoughts when they get high. Today, 
there's evidence that frequent use of marijuana high in THC and low 
in CBD increases the risk of psychosis.

Vulnerable groups: People with cardiovascular disease need to know 
they are risking heart attack, stroke or transient ischemic attacks 
if they get high. Those prone to schizophrenia need to know they risk 
a psychotic episode from consuming pot.

I-502 was written to correct public misunderstandings and to help us 
live more safely and healthfully with marijuana. We have a lot of 
work before us, however, to rise above the hyperbole and fully inform 
the public. The Legislature should soundly reject proposals to defund 
this vitally important mission. To do otherwise would sabotage a key 
reason why I-502 was adopted.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom