MARIJUANA SMOKERS WERE POISONED WITH LEAD IN LEIPZIG

They had stomach cramps, nausea, anemia and fatigue, and some even
had a telltale bluish line along their gums -- classic signs of lead
poisoning. But the cases, last year in Leipzig, Germany, puzzled
doctors. Lead poisoning is rare in Germany, and yet here were 29
cases in just a few months. The doctors noticed a pattern: the
patients were young, from 16 to 33; they were students or unemployed;
and they had body piercings and a history of smoking.

In a letter published Thursday in The New England Journal of
Medicine, the doctors wrote, "On questioning, all the patients
eventually conceded that they were regular users of marijuana."

Three provided samples for testing. Sure enough, their marijuana was
full of lead. One bag bought from a dealer even contained lead
particles big enough to see, which meant the lead must have been
added deliberately, rather than being absorbed into the plant from
contaminated soil.

The core temperature of a joint can reach nearly 2,200 degrees
Fahrenheit, the doctors noted -- more than hot enough to melt lead,
which can be absorbed through the respiratory tract.

The poisoning was widely reported by German newspapers and
television, and an anonymous lead-screening program was set up for
marijuana users. Among 145 people who showed up for testing, 95 more
cases were found.

The authorities do not know where the tainted marijuana came from or
why the lead was added, but the German police suspect that it was
done to make money. The samples tested contained 10 percent lead by
weight, which translates into an increased profit of about $682 per
pound of marijuana.

The patients are recovering and taking medicines called chelating
agents to help remove the lead from their bodies. But it could take
years to clear it completely, particularly from bones. And some were
quite disillusioned to learn that poison was added to what they
thought was a pure, all-natural product, said their doctor, Prof.
Michael Stumvoll of University Hospital in Leipzig, who commented, "How naive!"