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NEW YEAR BRINGS NEW ROUND IN FIGHT TO KEEP MARIJUANA ILLEGAL

Every new year there is a revival of interest to legislatively
legalize some of the most popularly abused substances found in the
underground market. This is especially true of marijuana, which also
happens to be addicting.

It's proper name is cannabis sativa. In previous times, it was simply
known as "hemp," from which the most popular rope was made.

Its medicinal benefits are extolled, as is its benign character. All
of which are, to be charitable, grossly exaggerated.

The beneficiaries of "pot" use are paraded before the TV cameras and
lauded by politicians and reported in the press. The mother of some
expert or some politician's acquaintance is presented as the tragic
sufferer of pot's criminal status and subsequent unavailability.

The patients did well and felt much better on pot, but their
conditions degenerated when deprived of their medication. This was
probably due to the "feel good" effect of pot and the "Jones"
(withdrawal) effect of the addict.

It has long been known that the most abused substances are those
which are legal, or at least not criminal. Today, in our nation,
these happen to be alcohol and tobacco. These are regulated and taxed
by government (federal, state, and even local).

Unfortunately, the question is still: So what?

Those who argue that regulation and taxation will fill the public
coffers and control marijuana's distribution are frequently opposers
of health-care regulation, and government interferences generally.

Legal marijuana has a large, ready market for those in a position to
take advantage. In the dream land of heavenly hash, a panacea will descend.

With the increased interest for the legalization of marijuana, the
findings of the Indian Hemp Commission are dusted off and presented
to support the benignity of marijuana's use. This was a strictly
political commission empowered during the reign of Queen Victoria in
1893 by the British Government of India. There were no physicians on it.

The conclusion was that the use of cannabis by the people of was
harmless, but it's exportation to Britain was discouraged.

In fact (though not stated), the widespread use of cannabis was an
effective means to control a couple hundred million subjects of the empire.

A more expansive and detailed discussion of the historical, political
and control uses of marijuana would need to be subjects of a future article.

From the 421 compounds (perhaps more), there are at least six
cannabinoids. The primary and most studied cannabinoid of marijuana
is generally known as THC.

One gram of hashish is more or less equivalent to from five to 10
grams of marijuana. Some of the more refined "designer" marijuanas of
today are somewhat stronger.

It was once used as a sedative and analgesic, but has been
essentially banned in the United States since passage of the
Marijuana Tax Act in 1937.

THC is an addicting substance. This has been proven and recognized
over the ages, despite the fact that the lethal dose is 20,000 to
40,000 times the effective dose.

Withdrawal is typical. There is sweating, vomiting, nausea, sleep
disturbance, irritability, anxiety, anorexia and general malaise. All
or any combination of these symptoms may occur.

THC's use as a therapeutic agent has been reported in glaucoma and
for alleviation of nausea and vomiting due to cancer chemotherapy. In
glaucoma, the intraocular pressure has been decreased with the
topical application of THC.

But, this is often accompanied by a drop in blood pressure, which may
lead to insufficient blood flow to the optic nerve, resulting in
possible nerve atrophy or blindness in addition to the side effects
of anxiety and palpitations.

Once again, the cure is worse than the disease.

Those who wish to continue the enforcement of the draconian laws
against the use and abuse of marijuana (and let there be no mistake
that all marijuana use is truly abuse) seem to foolishly focus on the
questionable fact that marijuana is an "introductory drug" to more
serious forms of substance abuse.

Marijuana is, in fact, a very dangerous drug. There have been many
huge studies that have shown this to be true.

At this point, I shall briefly touch upon some of the most serious
effects of marijuana abuse.

In chronic marijuana smokers, there is a decrease in T-cells (also a
decrease in B-cell formation). This was found to be most profound
24-72 hours post-smoking.

This finding is not often (if ever) mentioned even though smoking
marijuana has long been known to depress the immune system. The above
finding is enough to permanently classify marijuana as a very
dangerous drug. Remember that the T-cells are the cells of the human
immune system that are specifically attacked by the HIV virus (AIDS).

Another serious finding in chronic marijuana smoking is the changes
in the brain similar to those found in senility.

There are many other serious side-effects of marijuana's use, both
physical and social. All have a foundation in reality. All are
related in some way to the chemical and physical function of the human body.

But many are manifest socially and psychologically and would require
further discussion.

It is an interesting coda to the social history of "pot" that one of
the most successful marijuana hustlers during the early days of "pot"
in Harlem saw and finally was so horrified by what he saw happening
to his people in the 1940s and 1950s that Detroit Red, the reefer
peddler, became Malcolm X, who taught sobriety, religion, work,
family, self-respect, responsibility and self-sufficiency to his
brothers to counter the self-degradation and false values of the
"pot" culture; and be able to hold their heads high against white racism.

His work continues today.