Copyright © 1997 San Francisco Examiner

SAN FRANCSICO (May 16, 1997 02:07 a.m. EDT) "Killer weed" doesn't
kill, scientists say. A study of 10 years of mortality data for more
than 65,000 men and women has revealed no statistically significant
link between marijuana smoking and death, Dr. Stephen Sidney and his
team of researchers reported Wednesday in the American Journal of
Public Health.

Pot smoking was associated only with increased deaths due to AIDS a
finding that researchers attribute to the influence of related
behaviors, like drinking alcohol and taking other recreational drugs.

"This is the largest study ever done of the health effects of
marijuana, including mortality," Sidney said. "There was no
association between marijuana and overall mortality."

About onethird of the American population over the age of 12 about
65 million to 70 million people are estimated to have used
marijuana, making it the most popular illegal drug in the country. A
recent survey found that onequarter of high school seniors and 10
percent of eighthgraders have tried pot.

The team from the Kaiser healthcare system didn't rule out whether
marijuana use leads to nonfatal lung disease or injuries. The results
from a study of these health effects, using the same Kaiser database,
are expected later this year.

Sidney cautioned that "chronic and regular marijuana use is probably
related to significant respiratory illnesses, cognitive defects and
'cannabis dependency syndrome"' which he described as a mild
dependency, with minor psychological and physiological withdrawal
symptoms if drug use is suddenly stopped.

His advice to teenagers: "Don't use it. But if you do, please use it
carefully."

The study did not look at the medical use of marijuana. In the study,
the majority of AIDS patients initiated marijuana use long before the
onset of clinical disease.

The study was based on the results of a questionnaire administered to
65,171 San Francisco and Oakland Kaiser patients who had checkups
between 1979 and 1985. The patients were followed until 1991.

By LISA M. KRIEGER, San Francisco Examiner