HISTORY LESSON REQUIRED

Re: Drug tests weed out abusers, Feedback, the Observer, Nov. 8

Paul Drescher needs to update his research base.

A very large-scale study was published earlier this year, and
concluded (unexpectedly, in the words of the researcher) smoking
marijuana, even regularly and heavily, does not lead to lung cancer.
In fact, the study looked at head, neck and lung cancer, and found no
increase in any of these. (The study did find a 20-fold increase in
lung cancer among people who smoked two or more packs of cigarettes a day.)

Take note of the fact the researcher who led this study, Donald
Tashkin (a California pulmonologist), also did the earlier research
indicating (apparently erroneously) smoking marijuana was more
dangerous than smoking cigarettes. His earlier research (which
Drescher was likely citing) has therefore been refuted by his latest findings.

As for what drug tests detect, it isn't tar and toluene. They're
looking for THC, one of the cannabinoids in cannabis. Tashkin stated
while marijuana does contain cancer causing chemicals (as do
cigarettes), the THC in marijuana may kill aging cells and keep them
from becoming cancerous.

Given there is recent research indicating cannabis may help prevent
Alzheimer's disease, that it kills certain brain tumors, and regrows
brain cells, he may be right.

Cannabis-marijuana has a very long history as a medicinal plant. It
was criminalized in 1937, on the basis of a self-serving, racist and
agenda-laden campaign by a U.S. government bureaucrat, Harry J. Anslinger.

Those who want to argue against its use (even by consenting adults in
the privacy of their home) should first acquaint themselves with
cannabis history, and then with all the research available, not only
those studies which support their particular point of view.

J. R. Jensen

Coombs, B.C.