THE ALLEGED WACKINESS OF 'WACKY TOBACCY'

According to the latest anti-marijuana public service announcement,
smoking pot not only gives your dog the ability to talk, but also the
power to express guilt. This phenomenon may be explained by a recent
study that links marijuana use and psychosis. But does marijuana
really deserve to be called "wacky tobaccy" or are the study's claims
nothing but hot, smoky air?

The study, funded by the British Health Department, claims that
marijuana users are 40 percent more likely to develop a serious mental
disorder. Not surprisingly, most major news outlets jumped at the
chance to yet again portray marijuana as the harbinger of the apocalypse.

A Reuters article cites Danish researchers who say the study, "marks one of
the most comprehensive, thorough and reliable reviews of its kind and should
serve as a warning." Another Associated Press article led off with the
sentence, "Using marijuana seems to increase the chance of becoming
psychotic." Best of all is a Fox News article which has a headline that
reads, "Study: Even Infrequent Use of Marijuana Increases Risk of Psychosis
by 40 Percent."

But what they seem to hide is that this study does not actually prove
anything about the dangers of marijuana and in fact may be heavily
biased. First of all, the study did not directly look at marijuana
users, but instead reviewed 35 related studies. The researchers
themselves admit that they have no direct proof that marijuana leads
to psychosis, saying that other factors such as the personality traits
of drug users could be influencing the study.

Secondly, as journalist Maia Szalavitz notes, there is no correlation
between schizophrenia rates and the number of marijuana users. Unlike
how lung cancer rates rise and fall with cigarette use, the number of
people using marijuana seems to have nothing to do with the number of
people with schizophrenia.

Finally, as the AP reports at the very end of their article, this
study may be politically influenced. In 2004, the U.K. downgraded the
threat level of marijuana and reduced the penalty for possession. Now,
the government there is considering reclassifying marijuana back up to
the "class B" category. Furthermore, the AP states that, "several
authors reported being paid to attend drug company-sponsored meetings
related to marijuana, and one received consulting fees from companies
that make antipsychotic medications."

And if the media are going to publicize random medical studies, then
they should take a look at a 1990 study which suggests that alcohol
increases the risk of schizophrenia by 800 percent in men and 300
percent in women, which dwarfs marijuana's supposed 40 percent. And
unlike cigarettes, which absolutely do cause cancer, a 2006 National
Institute of Health study shows no connection between marijuana and
cancer. In fact, aside from providing pain relief and acting as an
appetite stimulant for the seriously ill, studies have shown that
marijuana may inhibit the development of malignant tumors.

Millions are in jail and billions of dollars are being wasted because
of our backward attitude toward marijuana. Marijuana may not be
risk-free, but it is far less harmful than legal substances such as
alcohol and tobacco. Based on the facts, marijuana should at least be
decriminalized if not legalized, but that would be truly wacky.