MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE IS NOT GOING AWAY

A few months ago I wrote a column advising readers not to
underestimate the dangers of marijuana use.

The topic was inspired by my coverage of a school and community
sponsored event on a variety of familial social issues, including
substance abuse.

The keynote speaker was DEA agent Thomas Pasquarella, whose
presentation included raw footage of individuals mixing rat poison and
house cleaners with the "club drug" ecstasy.

Pasquarella also discussed the importance of underestimating the issue
of marijuana use, stating that it could easily lead to experimentation
with harder drugs.

In the column, I noted, "many people praise activist efforts to
legalize marijuana in the U.S., purportedly for medical use."

The hackles on many hemp-friendly readers rose considerably at this
statement. I received dozens of critical emails from people across the
country.

My column was also the subject of many blogs; an Internet search
connecting my name to the phrase "marijuana" scored numerous hits.

While much of the feedback was laced with vitriol, some of it was
useful. I was moved to do more research on the topic of medical
marijuana use.

Before I explore that issue, however, allow me to make clear that I am
still very much against recreational marijuana use.

I know lots of people do it and still hold illustrious careers. But
the point is that smoking marijuana harms lungs as much as tobacco,
inhibits short-term memory and, according to voluminous studies, can
easily lead to harder drug use.

An aspect of considerable debate is whether marijuana is truly
addictive.

In a study conducted by the University of Vermont published in the
2001 "Archives of General Psychiatry," researchers concluded that the
withdrawal effects of heavy marijuana users (using marijuana more than
once a week) was "similar in type and magnitude" to nicotine withdrawal.

Now, let us move forward to the issue of marijuana use for medical
reasons.

Medical marijuana advocates often cite research suggesting that
marijuana is effective in treating the side effects of serious
ailments including AIDS, glaucoma, cancer, multiple sclerosis,
epilepsy and chronic pain.

While the American Medical Society opposes legalization of the sale
and possession of marijuana, the National Organization for the Reform
of Marijuana lists more than two dozen allied medical and health
groups that support it; including the AIDS Action Council, the
American Public Health Association and the Connecticut Nurses
Association.

THC, marijuana's core psychoactive ingredient, is now sold in pill
form as the prescription drug Marinol. But, according to the
Connecticut chapter of the Marijuana Policy Project, a medicinal
marijuana advocacy group, patients have complained that they absorbed
too much or too little of the substance.

In a panel discussion on medical marijuana held a few years ago, Avram
Goldstein, M.D., of the National Institute of Health stated, "The
bio-availability is generally very good by the smoked route, and
generally very predictable, while the oral route [pills] is both not
good and not predictable. By the smoking route, the person can
self-regulate the dosage."

While I generally do not advocate smoking marijuana, I believe an
exception could be made for a critically ill person who has their
doctor's authorization.

After all, a groundbreaking 1999 study conducted by the Institute of
Medicine (IOM) noted that it would still be "several years" before a
safe cannabinoid delivery system, such as an inhaler, would be
available for patients.

This year, a Connecticut bill that would have protected medical
marijuana patients from arrest and punishment passed the Senate 19-15
but was unable to garner a House vote because time literally ran out
in the legislative session.

While the House could have sent S.B. 124 to Gov. M. Jodi Rell's desk,
it chose not to.

The bill's sponsor was State Rep. Penny Bacchiochi (R-Somers), who
bought marijuana off the street 20 years ago for her husband, who was
dying from bone cancer.

She has publicly asserted that the marijuana was the only thing that
eased his pain.

Science suggests benefits; if the substance is properly prescribed and
monitored, I believe it would be prudent the legislature to bring this
bill up again next spring.

In the meantime, our sister state, Rhode Island, is on the brink of
joining Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine,
Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington, D.C. in
approving medical marijuana laws that remove state-level criminal
penalties on the use, possession and cultivation of marijuana by
patients who possess written documentation from their physician
advising that they might benefit from the medical use of marijuana.

While Rhode Island's legislature passed a medical marijuana bill this
spring, Gov. Donald Carcieri vetoed it.

The Rhode Island Senate voted 28-6 to override it; now the House is
expected to follow suit.

While I want to make clear that I do not condone the recreational use
of marijuana, the issue of medical marijuana is a compelling one.

At the very least, there are countless testimonies from severely ill
adults who deserve our lawmakers' open minds and hearts.

- - This column reflects the opinion of Editor Larissa Lytwyn and does not
necessarily represent the views of Hometown Publications.