LETTER OF THE WEEK

MARIJUANA USE HOLDS RISKS, SUCH AS DRUG ADDICTION

By Cyril H. Wecht, M.D.

The emotional hysteria generated by any reference to marijuana usage
(illicit or medically authorized) is a fascinating
psychological-sociological phenomenon throughout the U.S. This
exaggerated reaction can be traced back to the 1930s when Harry
Anslinger, the head of the federal drug agency at the time, spent a
lot of effort castigating marijuana usage. It is truly amazing that
this perception lingers today.

In almost a half-century of forensic pathology practice, having
performed 17,000 autopsies, I have never attributed a death directly
to a marijuana overdose. I have reviewed more than twice that number
of cases signed out by other forensic pathologists in other
jurisdictions, and I have never seen a death certificate listing
marijuana overdose as the cause of death.

"Acute combined drug toxicity" is a growing cause of death in our
country, not limited to celebrities such as Elvis Presley, Anna
Nicole Smith or Michael Jackson. It is my fervent hope that the
federal and state agencies charged with the responsibility of
controlling the improper use of drugs and chemical compounds will
deem it necessary to concentrate on this kind of drug abuse, with at
least the same level of passion that they have used in trying to
prevent patients from receiving a physician-prescribed therapeutic
dose of a comparatively benign drug such as marijuana.

Cyril H. Wecht, M.D.

Pittsburgh

Pubdate: Tue, 6 Oct 2009

Source: USA Today (US)

Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n899/a01.html

Note: The title 'Marijuana Use Holds Risks, Such As Drug Addiction'
was the USA Today headline above the first of three printed letters
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n927/a07.html