Well, wait, a stimulus package comprised of tax dollars to an economy in recession with medical care for all when only 40% of our populous pays taxes is more brainless, but what do you expect from a congress that "doesn't read the bills" and has to "pass them before we see what's inside of the bills."
Legalization of marijuana is, again, on the ballot in Arizona for the fourth time. Voting this down three times isn't enough?
I've been asked by many my opinion of this proposition.
Proponents of the proposition claim it relieves pain and suffering. Yes, any analgesic can do that. However, most analgesics can do it much more effectively than THC (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannanbinol), the most potent form of the analgesics found in marijuana.
The fact that it is a weak analgesic is the first problem.
The second problem is multiple side effects. More than 400 compounds have been isolated from the marijuana leaf, sixty of which are know as cannabinoids.
Behavioral Side Effects
THC is the strongest, producing psychoactive euphoria, relaxation, perceptual alteration and diminished memory and concentration. If you are wanting relief from pain, this is not the medication to use. It is a great medication if your desire is to have an "out of body experience," but that is not what a physician is attempting to do in patients with chronic pain.
Severe Dependence
A cross sectional study recently showed that by age 17 cannabis is 2 1/2 times more likely to cause dependence than other habit forming drugs. It is a "gateway" drug, one demonstrated multiple times to lead to narcotic dependence.
Cardiac and Respiratory Side Effects
THC is made available to the body through either smoking it or ingesting it. Smoking a single joint is equivalent to smoking 20 cigarettes (not something you want to do in regards to lung cancer risk). Ingestion is highly unpredictable and fluctuates significantly based on stomach acid content. (This is a significant problem as over-ingestion can lead to significant cardiac effects including doubling of heart rate, dizziness and loss of consciousness, heart attack and stroke.)
Mental Side Effects
I have frequently seen patients in the emergency room with side effects including delirium, mania, and paranoia due to THC. I have a number of patients whose panic attacks are exacerbated by their use of marijuana. I have a few patients who experience flashbacks from its previous use. Short term memory impairment is significant in these patients.
A large Swedish study of 50,000 people demonstrates a dose response relationship between frequency of cannabis use and schizophrenia over a 15 year period. Five other studies show a 2-fold increase in risk for schizophrenia after cannabis use.
Immune System Side Effects
THC impairs the body's immune system and prevents its ability to fight viral and bacterial infection.
The tar content in a marijuana cigarette is 3 times greater than that of a cigarette and has been shown to deposit 33% more in the respiratory tract than a cigarette. There is a link between frequent cannabis use and esophageal cancer.
Hormonal and Reproductive Side Effects
Testosterone levels have been shown to decrease with THC use decreasing reproductive abilities and changing the ovulatory cycle in females. Reduced birth weight is a know side effect of cannabis use. Three studies have shown an increased risk of leukemia in children whose mothers used cannabis during pregnancy.
In my mind, the risks significantly outweigh the benefits and legalization of a drug with such significant side effects is not worth the limited and minimal benefit. It is a "no brainer" and if marijuana is legalized the side effects will lead to many more "no brainer" patients.
