SENATE HAS GONE TOO FAR, EXPERT ARGUES

Professor Shocked That Report Urges Legalizing Marijuana, When Not Enough
Is Known About It

A Carleton University professor who has been studying the effects of
marijuana for more than 20 years is shocked by yesterday's call for the
government to legalize the use of marijuana.

"We are not knowledgeable enough about the effects of marijuana to legalize
it," said Peter Fried.

Mr. Fried, who testified before the Senate Committee that made the
recommendations, sounded astonished and admitted he finds the move hard to
believe. He agrees with the conclusion that marijuana is not as harmful as
either tobacco or alcohol but says that is no reason to legalize it.

"There is no doubt if we knew then what we know now about tobacco it would
not have been legal," he said. "I agree there is a lot of evidence that
marijuana is more beneficial than other drugs for certain diseases. But if
we had any other drug on the market about which there was so little known
as marijuana, Health and Welfare Canada would not allow it."

Mr. Fried, whose 22-year study following the offspring of parents who
smoked marijuana during pregnancy is the longest of its kind in the world,
says even now he does not know enough to confidently condone smoking for
pregnant women.

"Should there be warning on packages? A woman who is nursing, should she
smoke? And what about second-hand smoke or marijuana smoking in
restaurants? Goodness gracious, there are so many questions."

He also brings up the legal implications of driving under the influence,
pointing out that, unlike alcohol, there is no test to measure whether a
user is stoned.

"From a neuropsychological point of view, any drug that alters the brain to
make you feel good is going to have other effects," he said. "There is no
drug in the world that only has the ability to make you feel good. We are
truly not all that knowledgeable what those other effects are."

Mr. Fried says most honest users will admit that heavy use has an impact on
their short-term memory and if a heavy user decides to quit, there is no
definitive evidence to show that those effects will disappear.

"We do not have enough evidence on the long-term effect of
electrophysiological alterations in the brain or the short-term deficits,"
he said.

"These are things that concern me. Any substance that produces mood
alteration, that's not a bad thing. But to pretend that's the only
consequence of taking the drug is naive.

"There is little evidence to say marijuana is physiologically addictive,
but for a significant number it is their way of coping with stress
psychologically. People can become dependent on it to cope with certain things.

"It is fine to say people should have choice, but it should be an educated
choice."

Clearly, Mr. Fried does not believe we know enough about marijuana to
legalize it. "My vote? I would not go with legalization," he said.