My Research and Homework about Prop 203 aka “Medical Marijuana”
Here is the Link to the Full Text of Prop 203:
http://keepazdrugfree.com/index/read-203/
FAQ #1: Is Marijuana Medicine?
ANSWER : No. Marijuana is a Class I illegal substance under the Controlled Substance Act, because it has been found to have no acceptable medical use, is subject to abuse, and is not safe for use even under a physician’s care.
I acknowledge that there are people who truly believe they are helped by Marijuana. Contrary to the anecdotal evidence of a few people with compelling stories, however, the FDA and the Top Medical Associations of our country, including the American Medical Association, the American Cancer Society, the American Glaucoma Society, the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the very medical societies that advocate for patients with serious illnesses like cancer, glaucoma and MS, all have rejected Marijuana as a medicine. They say Marijuana has too many negative effects and that real medicines, like "Marinol", work as well or better for the problems stated and are approved by the FDA, available for prescription by physicians, and could be reimbursable by insurance. The Marijuana Policy Project does not care about weighing benefits against negative effects. Their agenda is to legalize Marijuana. They want voters to ignore science and override health care standards that have protected the public for years.
Listen to doctor and experts, not the Marijuana Policy Project. The Marijuana Policy Project is not a Medical Association. It is a National Pro-Drug Lobby, whose mission statement to legalize Marijuana in this country can be read on their website at:
www.mpp.org/about/mission-statement.html
For seriously ill people, Marijuana can do more harm than good. There is not conclusive scientific research on Marijuana’s effectiveness or risks, dosages, interactions with other drugs, or impact on pre-existing conditions. Smoked Marijuana has been proven to damage the immune system, leaving immune-suppressed patients more vulnerable to infection. Specifically with respect to MS, the National MS Society expressed “concerns that coordination, cognition (thinking and memory) and other functions affected by MS could be worsened” by Marijuana!
"marijuana’s mood altering effects would prevent the patient who is using it from driving, operating heavy machinery, and functioning at maximum mental capacity. Marijuana cigarettes also contain hundreds of compounds that damage the lungs, and the deleterious effect of chronic, frequent use of marijuana upon the brain is also well established5.
Other means of administering the active ingredient of marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), include oral, sublingual, and eye drop instillation. The first two avoid the deleterious effect of marijuana smoke on the lungs, but are limited by the other systemic side effects. In one study in which doctors offered some of their patients with worsening glaucoma the option of pills containing tetrahydrocannabinol and/or smoking marijuana, 9 of 9 patients had discontinued use by either or both methods within 9 months due to side effects6. Given that glaucoma is a lifelong disease, commonly requiring treatment for decades, these results strongly suggest that systemic use of THC is not a reasonable treatment option for such patients. The use of eye drops containing THC, or related compounds, has been investigated, but it has not yet been possible to formulate an eye drop that is able to introduce the drug into the eye in sufficient concentrations due to the low water solubility of the active ingredients.
Although marijuana does lower the IOP temporarily, IOP lowering is only one consideration in slowing the optic nerve damage of glaucoma. For instance, there is a growing body of evidence that inadequate blood supply to the optic nerve may contribute to glaucoma damage. Since marijuana given systemically is known to lower blood pressure, it is possible that such an effect could be deleterious to the optic nerve in glaucoma, possibly reducing or eliminating whatever beneficial effect that conferred by lowering IOP. For this reason, marijuana, or its components administered systemically, cannot be recommended without a long term trial which evaluates the health of the optic nerve." That's NOT Positive! They are Not in FAVOR of Marijuana for TREATMENT OF GLAUCOMA!!
Another study highlighted the impact of cannabis on cognition. Since MS can impair thinking, and previous studies suggest that smoking cannabis also impairs thinking, investigators at the University of Toronto investigated how cannabis use influenced cognition specifically in people with MS. Their study, published in Neurology (2011;76:1153-1160), measured cognitive function in 25 people with MS who regularly smoked or ingested street cannabis, compared to 25 people with MS who did not use cannabis. The users were tested at least 12 hours after last using cannabis so that intoxication was minimized. By matching the groups and also controlling for differences in terms of disease course and duration, age, gender, education and other factors, the cannabis users were found to perform significantly worse on measures of information processing speed, working memory, executive functions and other cognitive functions, and were twice as likely as nonusers to be considered “cognitively impaired.” The study confirmed for the first time that cannabis can worsen cognitive problems in MS.
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Cognitive-Dysfunction
http://www.neurology.org/content/76/13/1153.abstract?sid=f9a2b534-8d6f-4ad2-b2ac-22d714f227ce
American Academy of Ophthalmology Reiterates Position that Marijuana is Not Proven Treatment for Glaucoma
http://www.aao.org/newsroom/release/academy-reiterates-position-that-marijuana-not-proven-glaucoma-treatment.cfm
The FDA has not approved marijuana as a safe and effective drug for any indication.
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/ucm401879.htm
QUESTION: Isn’t Marijuana harmless to the user?
ANSWER: No. Despite the Marijuana Policy Project’s claims that Marijuana is harmless, it’s harmful both physically and psychologically.
Marijuana causes the same heart and lung problems as cigarette smoking. Actually, worse, because pot-smokers inhale deeply and never use filters. The smoking-related diseases, lung cancer, heart attacks, emphysema, all can be caused by smoking Marijuana as well. That is why the country’s leading medical organizations do not approve or recommend any drug that is smoked—a fact the Marijuana Policy Project ignores.
Marijuana use decreases short-term memory, concentration, coordination, and ability to solve problems. It also causes loss of motivation. These problems hit adolescents the hardest, and teens who smoke Marijuana regularly get worse grades, are less likely to finish school and earn less money as adults.
Marijuana use often causes panic attacks and chronic anxiety, and can cause paranoia. These are serious psychiatric problems.
Marijuana use affects a driver’s concentration, perception, coordination, and reaction time, causing increased risk of accidents. Montana checks for Marijuana in the bloodstream of drivers involved in fatal accidents, and found that fatal accidents caused by pot-smoking drivers increased by 25 percent when their medical Marijuana law went into effect. So much for harmless!
The harmful effects of Marijuana are even greater for seriously ill people, the very people the Marijuana Policy Project claims need it! Smoking pot damages the immune system, leaving immune-suppressed patients more vulnerable to infection. This is particularly bad for AIDS and cancer patients. With respect to multiple sclerosis, the National MS Society stated that “coordination, cognition (thinking and memory) and other functions affected by MS could be worsened” by Marijuana.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the American Cancer Society and the American Glaucoma Society do not support medical Marijuana, and they represent the very diseases medical Marijuana is supposed to help. It makes sense listen to the medical professionals who care about our health instead of the Marijuana Policy Project, whose real agenda is to legalize Marijuana.
Also, Marijuana is an addictive drug. About 6-10 percent of regular users get addicted. People addicted to pot have the same problems as people addicted to any other drug—relationship break-ups and divorce, trouble keeping jobs, and increased violence and aggression.
Marijuana is definitely not harmless.
“Medical” Marijuana is already available. "Marinol", a synthetic form of THC, is FDA Approved and available at any pharmacy with a doctor’s prescription. It is not smoked and is given under direction of a physician attending directly to the patient’s need.
To date, thirteen states have decriminalized Marijuana for medical purposes only.
◦No medicine is smoked. Marijuana is composed of more than 400 chemicals and contains more cancer-causing agents than tobacco smoke. The amount of THC in the Marijuana determines how strong its effects will be. The more potent, the greater risks to the user.
◦States that have “Medical” Marijuana Laws have higher than average incidences of teenage use of Marijuana. Marijuana is generally more available in Marijuana-friendly states.
◦In “Medical” Marijuana states, Marijuana dispensaries have brought increased crime to neighborhoods, including assaults, burglaries, robberies, drug trafficking, money laundering, murders and gang infiltration.
◦Law enforcement personnel are overwhelmingly against “Medical” Marijuana Laws as being contrary to public safety.
◦Many cities in “Medical” Marijuana states, frustrated with the increased crime and administrative problems caused by dispensaries, have passed local ordinances banning “Medical” Marijuana dispensaries within city limits. Cities banning dispensaries are being challenged in the courts by Marijuana advocates with deep pockets to force compliance with state Marijuana laws. Understanding the potential for cities and towns to “opt out” of the Marijuana business, Prop 203 requires local authorities to be “reasonable” in zoning ordinances concerning dispensaries, making legal challenges inevitable. At what economic cost to our cities and towns will Prop 203 be passed?
It is not a proper use of taxpayers’ money to have cities, counties and state governmental agencies dealing with this issue.
◦We all should take note of the “warning” from Alameda city officials, who imposed a temporary ban on dispensaries, concluding that the “potential impact of such facilities poses a current and immediate threat to the public health, safety, and welfare” due to “reported increases in illegal drug activity, illegal drug sales, robbery of persons at or leaving dispensaries, loitering around dispensaries, falsely obtaining identification cards to qualify for Medical Marijuana and other increases in criminal activities “
These “grow houses” become blights in our neighborhoods, bringing down our already crippled property values, and dramatically increasing criminal activity.
◦The legalization of “Medical” Marijuana sends the message to our children that Marijuana Not Only is Acceptable, it’s Good for you! Marijuana use is on the rise partly because of the mixed message that is sent when adults tout Marijuana as a safe and effective medicine. In fact, Marijuana is a Dangerous and addictive drug with a High Potential for Abuse.
◦There will be No Regulation whatsoever of the “quality” of the Marijuana dispensed to “patients.” Prop 203 does not require State testing of the Marijuana. It could be full of pesticides, fungus or other harmful components or additives.
◦Prop 203 allows for Marijuana dispensaries to be located as close as 500-feet away from any school.
◦Schools may not refuse to enroll Marijuana cardholders except under limited circumstances.
Children under the age of 18 can get a Marijuana card if he or she has written permission from a parent or guardian and recommendations from two doctors. Given the large quantity that can be dispensed, what can we expect to happen to the “leftovers?”
◦Cardholders, which can include children, are allowed to purchase as much as 2.5 ounces of Marijuana every 14 days, which is enough to produce as many as 200 joints.
◦According to government estimates, 66,000 Arizonans could have Marijuana cards within the first few years if this proposition passes. This translates to over 10,300 lbs. of Marijuana coming into our neighborhoods every two weeks.
◦Prop 203 allows for any “Medical” Marijuana cardholder who is not within 25 miles of a dispensary to grow as many as 12 Marijuana plants in their home. A “medical” Marijuana caregiver (because he or she is allowed to have as many as five “patients”) would be allowed to grow as many as 60 Marijuana plants! What if two “caregivers” are married? What if “caregivers” form cooperatives (as they do in other states)? These “grow houses” become blights in our neighborhoods, bringing down our already crippled property values, and dramatically increasing criminal activity.
◦In “Medical” Marijuana states, unauthorized Marijuana dispensaries spring up all over and move from place to place. And, to get around regulations with respect to the location of dispensaries, some dispensary owners are running “cannabis caravans” and delivering to cardholders at their homes. Prop 203 specifically allows dispensaries to deliver!
Senator Jon Kyl, Senator John McCain, Congressman John Shadegg, Congressman Trent Franks, Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley & Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk held a press conference to urge Arizonans to Vote "NO" on Prop 203. Governor Brewer & Attorney General Goddard finally Agreed on something & expressed their Strong Opposition to Prop 203 and, in so doing, joined ALL 15 County Sheriffs and ALL 15 County Attorneys, who already had released a joint statement expressing their unprecedented, United Opposition to a political issue.
The Association of Counties and the County Superintendents of Schools also oppose Prop 203.
The Arizona Republic Opposes Prop 203! After doing its research, The Arizona Republic came out swinging Against Prop 203, saying this “Medical” Marijuana initiative is a “sham.” “It is an expensive distraction as the state faces billion-dollar shortfalls for years to come. Prop 203 is a Trojan horse that will suck up scarce resources.” The Arizona Republic, October 14, 2010 (“Voters Should Reject Push for ‘Medical’ Pot”). The Marijuana industry will DRAIN State resources, yet Prop 203 specifically EXEMPTS Marijuana dispensaries from State income tax and the State legislature has NOT provided for a tax on sales of Marijuana!
Don't believe the propaganda! The Marijuana Policy Project (“MPP”), a National Pro-Drug Lobby out of Washington, D.C., is behind Medical Marijuana. The MPP has the stated mission of legalizing Marijuana across the country. The MPP spends millions of dollars nationally on advertising campaigns to persuade voters to falsely believe that “Medical” Marijuana initiatives will make small amounts of Marijuana available only for people with serious illnesses. By specifically allowing Marijuana recommendations for “severe and chronic pain,” Medical Marijuana provides the same loophole being abused in other “medical” Marijuana states. Unethical “pot docs” hand out Marijuana recommendations to anyone who pays their fee. In other states, as few as 2% of cardholders have a serious illness like cancer and most Marijuana recommendations are written for people between 17 and 35 who claim “chronic pain." Medical Marijuana actually is a "back door route to legalization without any consideration of the repercussions." The Arizona Republic, September 26, 2010 ("Just Say 'No' to Medical Marijuana")
Medical Marijuana will bring INCREASED CRIME, TEENAGE drug use, and Car Wrecks to Arizona!
In other states, dispensaries and “indoor grow houses" blight neighborhoods, Bring Down Property Values and dramatically Increase drug trafficking and other criminal activity, yet Medical Marijuana allows criminals to own and operate dispensaries and cultivate Marijuana!
Marijuana users will become a protected class in the workplace, renting homes or apartments, and in driving an automobile. Contrary to existing State law, Marijuana cardholders, including school bus drivers, will be allowed to drive with Marijuana metabolites in their bloodstream. “Medical” Marijuana states have far more fatal car wrecks caused by Marijuana-fueled drivers. Teens in “Medical” Marijuana states are far more likely to use Marijuana.
Impact on Businesses
http://keepazdrugfree.com/index/impact-on-businesses/
Impact on Public Safety
http://keepazdrugfree.com/index/impact-on-public-safety-2/
Impact on Our Communities
http://keepazdrugfree.com/index/impact-on-our-communities/
Barbara LaWall: "Prop 203 ‘bad medicine’ for Arizona"
by Admin on 27. Oct, 2010
http://keepazdrugfree.com/index/2010/10/27/barbara-lawall-prop-203-bad-medicine-for-arizona/
East Valley Tribune Urges “NO” Vote on Prop 203
by Admin on 27. Oct, 2010
http://keepazdrugfree.com/index/2010/10/27/east-valley-tribune-urges-no-vote-on-prop-203/
Arizona Chaptor of American Academy of Pediatrics Opposed to Proposition 203
by Admin on 27. Oct, 2010
http://keepazdrugfree.com/index/2010/10/27/arizona-chapter-of-american-academy-of-pediatrics-opposed-to-proposition-203/
Where did President Reagan Stand on Marijuana?
His Remarks at a business conference in Los Angeles (1977-03-02)
“The smoke from burning Marijuana contains many more cancer-causing substances than tobacco. And if that isn’t enough it leads to bronchitis and emphysema. If adults want to take such chances that is their business. But surely the communications media should let four million youngsters know what they are risking.
In a Taped statement (August 1979). Reagan is on record as opposing legalization of Marijuana:
"I also want to applaud you for helping the people of Oregon fight a misguided minority that would legalize Marijuana. That would be the worst possible message to send to our young people."
In 1984 Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" Movement begins.
Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" anti-drug campaign becomes a centerpiece of the Reagan administration's anti-drug campaign. The movement focuses on white, middle class children and is funded by corporate and private donations.
Just a Few More Things NOT to like about Prop 203 aka “Medical Marijuana”
Marijuana use affects a driver’s concentration, perception, coordination, and reaction time, causing increased risk of accidents.
Montana checks for Marijuana in the bloodstream of drivers involved in fatal accidents, and found that fatal accidents caused by pot-smoking drivers increased by 25 percent when their Medical Marijuana law went into effect. So much for harmless!
The harmful effects of Marijuana are even greater for seriously ill people, the very people the Marijuana Policy Project claims need it! Smoking pot damages the immune system, leaving immune-suppressed patients more vulnerable to infection. This is particularly bad for AIDS and cancer patients. With respect to multiple sclerosis, the National MS Society stated that “coordination, cognition (thinking and memory) and other functions affected by MS could be worsened” by Marijuana.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the American Cancer Society and the American Glaucoma Society do not support medical Marijuana, and they represent the very diseases medical Marijuana is supposed to help. It makes sense listen to the medical professionals who care about our health instead of the Marijuana Policy Project, whose real agenda is to legalize Marijuana.
Also, Marijuana is an addictive drug. About 6-10 percent of regular users get addicted. People addicted to pot have the same problems as people addicted to any other drug—relationship break-ups and divorce, trouble keeping jobs, and increased violence and aggression.
Marijuana is definitely not harmless.
It’s harmful both physically and psychologically.
Marijuana causes the same heart and lung problems as cigarette smoking. Actually, worse, because pot-smokers inhale deeply and never use filters. The smoking-related diseases, lung cancer, heart attacks, emphysema, all can be caused by smoking Marijuana as well. That is why the country’s leading medical organizations do not approve or recommend any drug that is smoked—a fact the Marijuana Policy Project ignores.
Marijuana use decreases short-term memory, concentration, coordination, and ability to solve problems. It also causes loss of motivation. These problems hit adolescents the hardest, and teens who smoke Marijuana regularly get worse grades, are less likely to finish school and earn less money as adults.
Marijuana use often causes panic attacks and chronic anxiety, and can cause paranoia. These are serious psychiatric problems.
Marijuana legalization violates my constitutional right to due process.
http://thehive.modbee.com/node/20714
Legalizing Marijuana: Why Citizens Should Just Say No
Published on September 13, 2010 by Charles Stimson
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2010/09/legalizing-marijuana-why-citizens-should-just-say-no
1- The scientific literature is clear that marijuana is addictive and that its use significantly impairs bodily and mental functions. Marijuana use is associated with memory loss, cancer, immune system deficiencies, heart disease, and birth defects, among other conditions. Even where decriminalized, marijuana trafficking remains a source of violence, crime, and social disintegration.
Stuart M. Butler, The Marijuana Epidemic, Heritage Foundation Backgrounder No. 140 (May 4, 1981), available at
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/1981/05/The-Marijuana-Epidemic
2 - “Marijuana prohibition makes no more sense than alcohol prohibition did in the early 1900s.”
Nonetheless, this November, California voters will consider a ballot initiative, the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 (RCTCA),[2] that would legalize most marijuana distribution and use under state law. (These activities would remain federal crimes.) This vote is the culmination of an organized campaign by pro-marijuana activists stretching back decades.
The current campaign, like previous efforts, downplays the well-documented harms of marijuana trafficking and use while promising benefits ranging from reduced crime to additional tax revenue.
Letter from Attorney James Wheaton, to Neil Amos, Initiative Coordinator, Office of the Attorney General (July 27, 2009), available at
http://ag.ca.gov/cmsattachments/initiatives/pdfs/i821initiative09-0024amdt1-s.pdf
3 - “The government’s efforts to combat illegal drugs have been a total failure.”
For a preview of all potential arguments that the pro-legalization movement will make, one need go no further than the Web site of the Drug Policy Alliance.
The Drug Policy Alliance: Alternatives to Marijuana Prohibition and the Drug War,
http://www.drugpolicy.org (last visited August 31, 2010).
The Web site contains a section titled “Myths and Facts About Marijuana.”
The Drug Policy Alliance: Myths and Facts About Marijuana,
http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/ (last visited August 31, 2010). According to their Web site, the Drug Policy Alliance Network is the “nation’s leading organization promoting policy alternatives to the drug war that are grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights.” George Soros is on the Board of the Drug Policy Alliance. The Drug Policy Alliance: Board of Directors, Drug Policy Alliance,
http://www.drugpolicy.org/about/keystaff/boardofdirec/ (last visited August 31, 2010).
4 - “The money spent on government efforts to combat the illegal drug trade can be better spent on substance abuse and treatment for the allegedly few marijuana users who abuse the drug.”
The federal government shares these concerns. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), recently stated, “Marijuana legalization, for any purpose, is a non-starter in the Obama Administration.”
R. Gil Kerlikowske, ONDCP Director, Remarks to the California Police Chiefs Conference: Why Marijuana Legalization Would Compromise Public Health and Public Safety (March 4, 2010), available at
http://www.ondcp.gov/news/speech10/030410_Chief.pdf
5 - “Tax revenue collected from marijuana sales would substantially outweigh the social costs of legalization.”
The Administration—widely viewed as more liberal than any other in recent memory and, for a time, as embodying the hopes of pro-legalization activists[5]—has weighed the costs and benefits and concluded that marijuana legalization would compromise public health and safety.
On October 19, 2009, the Justice Department issued a memorandum to selected United States Attorneys regarding investigations and prosecutions in states authorizing the medical use of marijuana. See Memorandum from David W. Ogden, Deputy Attorney General, to Selected United States Attorneys (October 19, 2009), available at
http://blogs.usdoj.gov/blog/archives/192
Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know - A Letter to Parents -
We at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) are pleased to offer these two short booklets for parents and children to review the scientific facts about marijuana: (1) Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know and (2) Marijuana: Facts for Teens. Although it is best to talk about drugs when children are young—since that is when drug use often begins—it is never too late to start the conversation.
Marijuana remains the most abused illegal substance among youth. By the time they graduate high school, about 46 percent of U.S. teens will have tried marijuana at least once in their lifetime. Although use among teens dropped dramatically in the previous decade (to a prevalence of about 12.4 percent for past-month use in 2007), adolescent marijuana use is again on the upswing. In 2013, nearly 23 percent of high school seniors were current marijuana users, and 6.5 percent used marijuana daily. The annual Monitoring the Future survey, which has been tracking teen attitudes and drug use since 1975, shows that use of marijuana over time is directly related to how safe teens perceive the drug to be; currently the number of teens who think marijuana users risk harming themselves is declining. This, despite growing scientific evidence that marijuana use during the teen years can permanently lower a person’s IQ and interfere with other aspects of functioning and well-being.
Survey results show that we still have a long way to go in our efforts to prevent marijuana use and avoid the toll it can take on a young person’s life. NIDA recognizes that parents have an important role in this effort and can strongly influence their children’s attitudes and behaviors. However, the subject of marijuana use has become increasingly difficult to talk about—in part, because of the mixed messages being conveyed by the passage of medical marijuana laws and legalization of marijuana in some States. In addition, many parents of today’s teens may have used marijuana when they were younger, which could make talking openly and setting definitive rules about its use more difficult.
Talking to our children about drug use is not always easy, but it is crucial. You can also get involved in your community and seek out drug abuse prevention programs that you and your child can participate in together. Sometimes, just beginning the conversation is the hardest part. I hope these booklets can help.
Nora D. Volkow, M.D.
Director
National Institute on Drug Abuse
http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/marijuana-facts-parents-need-to-know/letter-to-parents
Marijuana: Facts for Teens
One serious risk is addiction. In 2011, nearly 4.2 million people 12 and older had a marijuana abuse or addiction problem.
http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/marijuana-facts-teens/letter-to-teens
Marijuana, America's Most Dangerous illegal drug
by James C. Backstrom June 21, 2010
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/06/21/backstrom/
Cop talk: Legal pot will Increase Crashes, Deaths, Arrests - Posted August 14, 2010 at 9:56 pm
http://www.redding.com/news/2010/aug/14/legal-pot-will-increase-crashes-deaths-arrests/
Problems With the Medicalization of Marijuana -
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1874073&resultClick=3
Marijuana, Tobacco Use Associated With Stillbirth Risk -
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1817774&resultClick=3
Synthetic Marijuana Sends Hundreds for Emergency Care in Colorado -
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1820445&resultClick=3
FAQ #6: Will Marijuana users be subject to DUI laws?
QUESTION: Someone told me that a Marijuana cardholder will be exempt from DUI laws. Is that right?
ANSWER: Yes. Prop 203 creates a protected class of drug users who will be exempt from the long-standing DUI laws of our State.
Marijuana cardholders will enjoy special treatment. If Prop 203 passes, Marijuana cardholders can’t be prosecuted for DUI unless Marijuana metabolites appear in “sufficient concentration to show impairment.” Unlike tests for blood/alcohol ratios establishing impairment, there is no test or standard for Marijuana impairment. Cardholders can claim their blood levels are too low even when they obviously are impaired. Expect this to play out in court for years.
FAQ #7: How does Prop 203 affect employers?
QUESTION: Will employers be able to fire a Marijuana cardholder for failing a drug test?
ANSWER: No. Prop 203 creates a protected class of drug users who will be exempt from workplace safety and compliance laws.
Protections similar to DUI exemptions are given to Marijuana cardholders in the workplace. Employers can’t ask cardholders about Marijuana use in an interview and can’t discriminate or terminate an employee who is a cardholder on the basis of a failed drug test. Again, there is a presumption that a Marijuana cardholder always is using Marijuana for medical purposes. Employers will have to prove that an employee is actually impaired due to Marijuana use. There is no definition of what constitutes actual impairment, so lawsuits will ensue. Employees who use Marijuana before work could pose threats to the safety of other employees and property, all at great liability to employers.
Imagine a workplace where employees show up for work after smoking Marijuana, putting other employees and the public at risk, and there is nothing you can do about it! Expect insurance rates to increase, productivity to decline and new, unwelcome challenges to be presented in workplace safety and compliance. We don’t want these issues in Arizona!
FAQ #12: Will Marijuana be taxed by the State?
QUESTION: Will Marijuana be taxed by the State?
ANSWER: No. The issue was considered by the legislature last Spring, but it did not pass. Prop 203 specifically provides that Marijuana is exempt from taxation.
Association Between Marijuana Exposure and Pulmonary Function Over 20 Years
Conclusion Occasional and low cumulative marijuana use was not associated with adverse effects on pulmonary function.
Exposure to tobacco smoke causes lung damage with clinical consequences that include respiratory symptoms, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer.1,2 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer are leading causes of death,2,3 and smoking tobacco cigarettes is the most important preventable cause of death in the United States.4,5
Marijuana smoke contains many of the same constituents as tobacco smoke,6 but it is unclear whether smoking marijuana causes pulmonary damage similar to that caused by tobacco. Prior studies of marijuana smokers have demonstrated consistent evidence of airway mucosal injury and inflammation7- 9 as well as increased respiratory symptoms such as cough, phlegm production, and wheeze, similar to that seen in tobacco smokers.10- 12 However, analyses of pulmonary function and lung disease have failed to detect clear adverse effects of marijuana use on pulmonary function.10- 13 It is possible that cumulative damage to the lungs from years of marijuana use could be masked by short-term effects; prior analyses have not attempted to disentangle these factors. Smoking marijuana is increasingly common in the United States,14 and understanding whether it causes lasting damage to lung function has important implications for public health messaging and medical use of marijuana.15,16
The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study collected repeated measures of tobacco and marijuana smoking as well as pulmonary function over the course of 20 years (March 26, 1985-August 19, 2006) in more than 5000 study participants. We estimated both current intensity and lifetime cumulative exposure to tobacco and marijuana smoking and analyzed their associations with spirometric measures of pulmonary function over the 20 years of follow-up
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1104848&resultClick=3
Prevalence of Marijuana Use Disorders in the United States
1991-1992 and 2001-2002
Results Among the adult US population, the prevalence of marijuana use remained stable at about 4.0% over the past decade. In contrast, the prevalence of DSM-IV marijuana abuse or dependence significantly (P = .01) increased between 1991-1992 (1.2%) and 2001-2002 (1.5%), with the greatest increases observed among young black men and women (P<.001) and young Hispanic men (P = .006). Further, marijuana use disorders among marijuana users significantly increased (P = .002) in the absence of increased frequency and quantity of marijuana use, suggesting that the concomitant increase in potency of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) may have contributed to the rising rates.
Conclusions Despite the stability in the overall prevalence of marijuana use, more adults in the United States had a marijuana use disorder in 2001-2002 than in 1991-1992. Increases in the prevalence of marijuana use disorders were most notable among young black men and women and young Hispanic men. Although rates of marijuana abuse and dependence did not increase among young white men and women, their rates have remained high. The results of this study underscore the need to develop and implement new prevention and intervention programs targeted at youth, particularly minority youth.
Marijuana has been the most common illicit substance used in the United States for several decades.1,2 Understanding changes in the use of marijuana over time is important for a number of reasons. Marijuana use is associated with impaired educational attainment,3 reduced workplace productivity,4 and increased risk of use of other substances.5 Marijuana use plays a major role in motor vehicle crashes6 and has adverse effects on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.7- 10
Marijuana use also is a necessary, although not a sufficient, condition for developing marijuana abuse and dependence as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), which are clear indicators of problems in and of themselves.11Marijuana abuse is defined in the DSM-IV as repeated instances of use under hazardous conditions; repeated, clinically meaningful impairment in social/occupational/educational functioning, or legal problems related to marijuana use. Marijuana dependence is defined in the DSM-IV as increased tolerance, compulsive use, impaired control, and continued use despite physical and psychological problems caused or exacerbated by use. Beyond the seriousness of these disorders in their own right, marijuana abuse and dependence increase the risk of other serious consequences, most significantly, major mood, anxiety, and personality psychopathology.
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=198686&resultClick=3
Marijuana Arrests and Increase in Marijuana Use Disorders
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=199260&resultClick=3
Marijuana Use Starting in Youth Linked to IQ Loss
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1362021&resultClick=3
Early Exposure to Marijuana and Risk of Later Drug UseEarly Exposure to Marijuana and Risk of Later Drug Use
Peter Cummings, MD, MPH
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=196937&resultClick=3
Early Exposure to Marijuana and Risk of Later Drug UseEarly Exposure to Marijuana and Risk of Later Drug Use
K. J. S. Anand, MBBS, DPhil
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=196939&resultClick=3
Long-term Marijuana Use and Pulmonary Function
Rita B. Patel, MD, MPH; Nayer Khazeni, MD, MS
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1150084&resultClick=3
Long-term Marijuana Use and Pulmonary Function—Reply
Mark J. Pletcher, MD, MPH; Stefan G. Kertesz, MD, Msc
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1150085&resultClick=3
Teen Marijuana Use on the Rise
Bridget M. Kuehn
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=645158&resultClick=3
Cognitive Functioning of Long-term Heavy Cannabis Users Seeking Treatment
Nadia Solowij, PhD; Robert S. Stephens, PhD; Roger A. Roffman, DSW; Thomas Babor, PhD, MPH; Ronald Kadden, PhD; Michael Miller, PhD; Kenneth Christiansen, PsyD; Bonnie McRee, MPH; Janice Vendetti, MPH; for the Marijuana Treatment Project Research Group
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=194703&resultClick=3
Marijuana: Marihuana: The Forbidden Medicine
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1834207&resultClick=3
'Decent Research and Closure' Needed on Medical Marijuana, Says Head of NIH Panel
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=418109&resultClick=3
NIH Panel Says More Study Is Needed to Assess Marijuana's Medicinal Use
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=414634&resultClick=3
Cognitive Effects of Marijuana
PDF
L. M. Scheier, PhD; Gilbert J. Botvin, PhD
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=402738&resultClick=3
Marijuana as Medicine
PDF
R. William Bennetts, MD
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=392884&resultClick=3
You mentioned Glaucoma. Here's what The American Glaucoma Society says about Marijuana 'Officially': American Glaucoma Society
POSITION STATEMENT ON MARIJUANA AND THE TREATMENT OF GLAUCOMA
Prepared by Henry Jampel, M.D., M.H.S.
August 10, 2009
Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve that can result in vision loss and blindness. Although many factors, some only partially understood, contribute to the optic nerve damage in glaucoma patients, it has been definitively established that the level of intraocular pressure (IOP) is related to the presence of damage1, and that treatments that lower IOP reduce the risk of developing initial damage2, and slow the progression of preexisting damage3. Therefore, the mainstay of treatment for glaucoma patients is lowering the IOP.
There are three modalities in widespread use for the lowering of IOP: medications, laser treatment, and operating room surgery. Although historically, systemic medications in the form of oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitors had an important long term role in lowering the IOP, their side effects have resulted in their almost total replacement by many classes of effective eye drops with many fewer side effects.
Despite the treatments available for lowering the IOP, there are some individuals for whom these treatments are either not tolerated due to side effects or in whom the IOP is not sufficiently lowered. In these situations, both glaucoma patient and physician look for alternative therapies.
One of the commonly discussed alternatives for the treatment of glaucoma by lowering IOP is the smoking of marijuana. It has been definitively demonstrated, and widely appreciated, that smoking marijuana lowers IOP in both normal individuals and in those with glaucoma, and therefore might be a treatment for glaucoma4,5. Less often appreciated is marijuana’s short duration of action (only 3-4 hours), meaning that to lower the IOP around the clock it would have to be smoked every three hours. Furthermore, marijuana’s mood altering effects would prevent the patient who is using it from driving, operating heavy machinery, and functioning at maximum mental capacity. Marijuana cigarettes also contain hundreds of compounds that damage the lungs, and the deleterious effect of chronic, frequent use of marijuana upon the brain is also well established5.
Other means of administering the active ingredient of marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), include oral, sublingual, and eye drop instillation. The first two avoid the deleterious effect of marijuana smoke on the lungs, but are limited by the other systemic side effects. In one study in which doctors offered some of their patients with worsening glaucoma the option of pills containing tetrahydrocannabinol and/or smoking marijuana, 9 of 9 patients had discontinued use by either or both methods within 9 months due to side effects6. Given that glaucoma is a lifelong disease, commonly requiring treatment for decades, these results strongly suggest that systemic use of THC is not a reasonable treatment option for such patients. The use of eye drops containing THC, or related compounds, has been investigated, but it has not yet been possible to formulate an eye drop that is able to introduce the drug into the eye in sufficient concentrations due to the low water solubility of the active ingredients.
Although marijuana does lower the IOP temporarily, IOP lowering is only one consideration in slowing the optic nerve damage of glaucoma. For instance, there is a growing body of evidence that inadequate blood supply to the optic nerve may contribute to glaucoma damage. Since marijuana given systemically is known to lower blood pressure, it is possible that such an effect could be deleterious to the optic nerve in glaucoma, possibly reducing or eliminating whatever beneficial effect that conferred by lowering IOP. For this reason, marijuana, or its components administered systemically, cannot be recommended without a long term trial which evaluates the health of the optic nerve.ADDIN RW.CITE7
An exciting finding in the past decade is the discovery of receptors for the active components of marijuana in the tissues of the eye itself, suggesting that local administration has the possibility of being effective8. Furthermore, there is evidence from research in the brain that there may be properties of the cannabinoid components of marijuana that protect nerve cells like those in the optic nerve9. This raises the hope that marijuana or related compounds could protect the optic nerve not only through IOP lowering but also through a neuroprotective mechanism. However, unless a well tolerated formulation of a marijuana-related compound with a much longer duration of action is shown in rigorous clinical testing to reduce damage to the optic nerve and preserve vision, there is no scientific basis for use of these agents in the treatment of glaucoma.
Summary: Although marijuana can lower the intraocular pressure (IOP), its side effects and short duration of action, coupled with a lack of evidence that it use alters the course of glaucoma, preclude recommending this drug in any form for the treatment of glaucoma at the present time.
References
1. Coleman AL, Miglior S. Risk factors for glaucoma onset and progression. Surv Ophthalmol. 2008;53 Suppl1:S3-10.
2. Kass MA, Heuer DK, Higginbotham EJ, et al. The ocular hypertension treatment study: A randomized trial determines that topical ocular hypotensive medication delays or prevents the onset of primary open-angle glaucoma. Arch Ophthalmol. 2002;120:701-13; discussion 829-30.
3. Heijl A, Leske MC, Bengtsson B, et al. Reduction of intraocular pressure and glaucoma progression: Results from the early manifest glaucoma trial. Arch Ophthalmol. 2002;120:1268-1279.
4. Merritt JC, Crawford WJ, Alexander PC, Anduze AL, Gelbart SS. Effect of marihuana on intraocular and blood pressure in glaucoma. Ophthalmology. 1980;87:222-228.
5. Green K. Marijuana smoking vs cannabinoids for glaucoma therapy. Arch Ophthalmol. 1998;116:1433-1437.
6. Flach AJ. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the treatment of end-stage open-angle glaucoma. Trans Am Ophthalmol Soc. 2002;100:215-22; discussion 222-4.
7. Kaufman PL. Marijuana and glaucoma. Arch Ophthalmol. 1998;116:1512-1513.
8. Jarvinen T, Pate DW, Laine K. Cannabinoids in the treatment of glaucoma. Pharmacol Ther. 2002;95:203-220.
9. Nucci C, Bari M, Spano A, et al. Potential roles of (endo)cannabinoids in the treatment of glaucoma: From intraocular pressure control to neuroprotection. Prog Brain Res. 2008;173:451-464.
AMERICAN GLAUCOMA SOCIETY
BOD APPROVED – 10.23.2009
http://www.americanglaucomasociety.net/patients/position_statements/marijuana_glaucoma
The Harmful effects of Marijuana on the Brain and Central Nervous System are:
Impaired thinking, mood, memory, and coordination
Marijuana (THC) is an extremely powerful and pleasurable intoxicant. Its affects alter and damage brain cells that control thinking, emotion, pleasure, coordination, mood, and memory. The pituitary gland is also damaged which regulates hunger, thirst, blood pressure, sexual behavior, and the release of sex hormones.
Clogged synapses, brain damage, and addiction
Marijuana accumulates in the microscopic spaces between nerve cells in the brain called "synapses." This clogging interferes by slowing and impairing the transfer of critical information.
Long term use causes the brain to stop production of brain chemicals necessary to "feel good" - a negative feedback condition. This causes the user to become chemically addicted to Marijuana.
The harmful effects of Marijuana on the Heart
Speeds up heartbeat as much as 50%, increases blood pressure, and poses great risk to those with hypertension and heart disease.
The Harmful effects of Marijuana on the Endocrine System
Marijuana damages the network of glands, organs, and hormones involved in growth and development, energy levels, and reproduction.
Organs and Glands Affected:
pituitary gland
thyroid gland
stomach
duodenum
pancreas
adrenal glands
testis
The Harmful effects of Marijuana on the Reproductive System for males and females
Marijuana use can decrease and degenerate sperm, sperm count, movement, and cause lowered sex drive. Females can have egg damage, suppression of ovulation, disrupt menstrual cycles, and cause alteration of hormone levels.
Regular use during pregnancy can lower birth weight and cause abnormalities similar to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (small head, irritability, poor growth and development).
Can destroy the number of chromosomes, resulting in cell abnormalities and impaired function.
Other affects on the central nervous system:
Distortions of perceptions, thinking, and reality
Difficulty in forming concepts and thoughts
Poor concentration
Mental confusion
Loss of motivation
Wide mood swings
Aggression and hostility
Depression, anxiety, and paranoia
The Harmful effects of Marijuana on the Eyes:
Sleepy looking, bloodshot eyes with dilated pupils.
The Harmful effects of Marijuana on the Throat:
Irritates membranes of the esophagus and increases chance of developing cancer of larynx and esophagus.
The Harmful effects of Marijuana on the Lungs:
Significant damage and destruction of the air sacs of the lungs, reducing the lungs ability to bring oxygen and remove carbon dioxide - Emphysema.
Causes bronchial tubes to be inflamed, thickened, and to produce more mucus which results in narrowing of the air passages - Chronic Bronchitis.
Marijuana smoke has Twice as much "Tar" as cigarette smoke and significantly increases chance of lung cancer, inflammation, and infection.
My Source:
http://www.usnodrugs.com/marijuana-harmful.htm
How Does Marijuana Affect the Brain? - http://drugabuse.gov/infofacts/marijuana.html
Marijuana and Mental Health
A number of studies have shown an association between chronic Marijuana use and increased rates of anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. Some of these studies have shown age at first use to be an important risk factor, where early use is a marker of increased vulnerability to later problems. However, at this time, it is not clear whether Marijuana use causes mental problems, exacerbates them, or reflects an attempt to self-medicate symptoms already in existence.
Chronic Marijuana use, especially in a very young person, may also be a marker of risk for mental illnesses - including addiction - stemming from genetic or environmental vulnerabilities, such as early exposure to stress or violence. Currently, the strongest evidence links Marijuana use and schizophrenia and/or related disorders.4 High doses of Marijuana can produce an acute psychotic reaction; in addition, use of the drug may trigger the onset or relapse of schizophrenia in vulnerable individuals.
Effects on the Heart
Marijuana increases heart rate by 20-100 percent shortly after smoking; this effect can last up to 3 hours. In one study, it was estimated that Marijuana users have a 4.8-fold increase in the risk of heart attack in the first hour after smoking the drug.5 This may be due to increased heart rate as well as the effects of Marijuana on heart rhythms, causing palpitations and arrhythmias. This risk may be greater in aging populations or in those with cardiac vulnerabilities.
Effects on the Lungs
Numerous studies have shown marijuana smoke to contain carcinogens and to be an irritant to the lungs. In fact, Marijuana smoke contains 50-70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke. Marijuana users usually inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers do, which further increase the lungs' exposure to carcinogenic smoke. Marijuana smokers show dysregulated growth of epithelial cells in their lung tissue, which could lead to cancer;6 however, a recent case-controlled study found no positive associations between Marijuana use and lung, upper respiratory, or upper digestive tract cancers.7 Thus, the link between Marijuana smoking and these cancers remains unsubstantiated at this time.
Nonetheless, Marijuana smokers can have many of the same respiratory problems as tobacco smokers, such as daily cough and phlegm production, more frequent acute chest illness, and a heightened risk of lung infections. A study of 450 individuals found that people who smoke Marijuana frequently but do not smoke tobacco have more health problems and miss more days of work than nonsmokers.8 Many of the extra sick days among the Marijuana smokers in the study were for respiratory illnesses.
Effects on Daily Life
Research clearly demonstrates that Marijuana has the potential to cause problems in daily life or make a person's existing problems worse. In one study, heavy Marijuana abusers reported that the drug impaired several important measures of life achievement, including physical and mental health, cognitive abilities, social life, and career status. Several studies associate workers' Marijuana smoking with increased absences, tardiness, accidents, workers' compensation claims, and job turnover.
I Think that just about covers My Research and Homework on Prop 203 aka “Medical Marijuana”
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