STUDIES PROVE THAT MARIJUANA'S DANGEROUS

Based upon his most recent letter to the editor, it would appear that
longtime drug legalization advocate Edward H. Decker remains lost in
the haze of the glorious '60s and '70s. Since he can't refute any of
the latest studies outlining the dangers of marijuana, he relies on
30- or 40-year-old information. Unfortunately, he refuses to
acknowledge the greatly increased potency of marijuana. We routinely
see marijuana with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) levels from two to five
to 10 and even higher times more than it was in the '60s and '70s and
many young people are using much more -- smoking "blunts" rather than
"joints."

He refuses to acknowledge newer studies that show:

1. Marijuana mentions in hospital emergency rooms exceed 100,000 per
year, more than for heroin, and were up 140 percent between 1994 and
2000;

2. While marijuana alone does not kill, causes of death in most
medical examiner drug mentions were use of marijuana/hashish and some
external physical event (accidents -- automobile and others), use of
marijuana/ hashish with multiple drugs and use of marijuana/hashish
and a physiological condition;

3. Admissions to publicly funded treatment facilities for
marijuana/hashish use increased from 142,633 to 223,597 between 1994
and 1999. Of the 1999 admissions, 57 percent used the drug by the age
of 14 and, by age 18, 92 percent had used it. More young people are
now in treatment for marijuana dependency than for alcohol or for all
other illegal drugs combined;

4. By 2000, 3,814 12- to 17-year-olds were trying marijuana for the
first time each day;

5. One recent study involving roadside checks for reckless driving
showed 45 percent of the drivers not under the influence of alcohol
tested positive for marijuana, confirming other studies that showed
marijuana affects alertness, concentration, perception, and reaction
time;

6. Research shows a link between frequent marijuana use and increased
violent behavior. Youths who use marijuana weekly are nearly four
times more likely than non-users to engage in violence;

7. Strictly from a health standpoint, studies have shown that
marijuana contains much more tar, carbon monoxide and other dangerous
chemicals than ordinary tobacco; that marijuana use affects fertility
in both men and women; marijuana smoking has led to increases in
cancers of the head, mouth and neck; marijuana changes the brain in
the same manner as heroin and cocaine; marijuana abusers are four
times more likely to report symptoms of depression and have more
suicidal thoughts than those who have never used the drug; long-term
users may suffer memory loss; marijuana affects school and work
performance more than any other drug; the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled
that "there is no medical necessity defense for marijuana"; the Food
and Drug Administration has ruled that "smoked marijuana is neither
safe nor effective as a 'medicine' for any ailment"; and the National
Institute of Health has stated "patients with HIV or any disease of
the immune system, should avoid marijuana."

There are many more studies that show the facts, not as Decker and
others such as him would like them to be. Merely writing letters to
the editor will not change the simple fact that marijuana is a very
dangerous drug.

TERRENCE P. FARLEY

1st Assistant ProsecutorDirector

Ocean County Narcotic Strike Force