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EDI Newsletter December 2008

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5 THC MYTHS.

With all the talk these days of legalizing Marijuana, I thought it may be a good time to take a look at the myths behind a lot of the arguments used.

It is important to remember that drug policies in the workplace need to focus on the health, safety and general well-being of workers rather than the legality of such drugs. That being said, the softening of laws relating to Marijuana would impact workplace safety as the substance becomes more available. This already impacts employers in states like California, as they attempt to balance the legal rights of employees taking medical Marijuana with the safety of fellow workers.

Myth 1
Marijuana is Harmless:
Marijuana can lead to significant health, social, behavioral and safety problems. With the modern day growing techniques, the drug has become far more potent.

Short-term effects include: memory loss, distorted perception, trouble with thinking and problem solving and anxiety.

A NIDA funded study at McLean Hospital in Belmont,
Massachusetts, is part of the growing body of research documenting cognitive impairment among heavy marijuana users. The study found that college students who used Marijuana regularly had impaired skills related to attention, memory, and learning 24 hours after they last used the drug. Another study, conducted at the University of Iowa College of Medicine, found that people who used Marijuana frequently (7 or more times weekly for an extended period) showed deficits in mathematical skills and verbal expression, as well as selective impairments in memory retrieval processes.

Myth 2
Marijuana is not addictive:
It was once believed that marijuana was not addictive--many people still believe this to be the case. But recent research shows that use of the drug can indeed lead to dependence. Some heavy users of Marijuana develop withdrawal symptoms when they have not used the drug for a period of time.

Marijuana use, in fact, is often associated with behavior that meets the criteria for substance dependence established by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMIV). Considered the standard reference for health professionals who make psychiatric diagnoses, the DSM contains information about all mental disorders for children and adults. As described in the DSM, the criteria for substance dependence include: tolerance (needing more of the substance to achieve the same effects or diminished effect with the same amount of the substance); withdrawal symptoms; using a drug even in the presence of adverse effects and giving up social, occupational or recreational activities because of substance use. According to the 2002 National Survey on drug use and health, 4.3 million Americans were classified with dependence on or abuse of Marijuana. That figure represents 1.8 percent of the total U.S. population and 60.3 percent of those classified as individuals who abuse or are dependent on illicit drugs. The desire for Marijuana exerts a powerful pull on those who use it, and this desire, coupled with withdrawal symptoms, can make it hard for long term smokers to stop using the drug. Users trying to quit often report irritability, anxiety and difficulty sleeping. On psychological tests they also display increased aggression, which peaks approximately one week after they last used the drug. Many people use marijuana compulsively even though it interferes with family, school, work and recreational activities. What makes this all the more disturbing is that Marijuana use has been shown to be three times more likely to lead to dependence among adolescents than among adults. Research indicates that the earlier kids start using Marijuana, the more likely they are to become dependent on this or other illicit drugs later in life.

Myth 3
Tobacco is more harmful:
Although some people think of Marijuana as a benign natural herb, the drug actually contains many of the same cancer causing chemicals found in tobacco. Puff for puff, the amount of tar inhaled and the level of carbon monoxide absorbed by those who smoke Marijuana, regardless of THC content, are three to five times greater than among tobacco smokers. Consequently, people who use Marijuana on a regular basis often have the same breathing problems as tobacco users, such as chronic coughing and wheezing, more frequent acute chest illnesses and a tendency toward obstructed airways. Since respiratory problems can affect athletic performance, smoking Marijuana may be particularly harmful to kids involved in sports. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have determined that Marijuana smoking can cause potentially serious damage to the respiratory system at a relatively early age. Moreover, in a review of research on the health effects of Marijuana use, the researchers cited findings that show “the daily smoking of relatively small amounts of Marijuana (3 to 4 joints) has at least a comparable, if not greater effect” on the respiratory system than the smoking of more than 20 tobacco cigarettes. Recently, scientists in England produced further evidence linking Marijuana use to respiratory problems in young people. A research team at the University of Birmingham found that regular use of Marijuana, even for less than six years, causes a marked deterioration in lung function. These findings, the study concludes, “may have serious long term implications for what is currently regarded as a relatively ‘harmless’ recreational habit.”

Myth 4
Marijuana makes you relaxed:
Not always. Research shows that kids who use Marijuana weekly are nearly four times more likely than non-users to report they engage in violent behavior. One study found that young people who had used Marijuana in the past year, were more likely than non-users to report aggressive behavior. According to that study, incidences of physically attacking people, stealing and destroying property increased in proportion to the number of days Marijuana was smoked in the past year. Users were also twice as likely as non-users to report they disobey at school and destroy their own things. In another study, researchers looking into the relationship between ten illicit drugs and eight criminal offenses found that a greater frequency of Marijuana use was associated with a greater likelihood to commit weapons offenses, except for alcohol, none of the other drugs showed such a connection. That study, published in the Journal of Addictive Diseases in 2001, also found a link between Marijuana use and the commission of attempted homicide and reckless endangerment offenses.

Myth 5
Marijuana treats cancer and other diseases:
Under the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, Marijuana was established as a Schedule I controlled substance. In other words, it is a dangerous drug that has no recognized medical value.

Whether Marijuana can provide relief for people with certain medical conditions, including cancer is a subject of intense national debate. It is true that THC, the primary active chemical in Marijuana, can be useful for treating some medical problems. Synthetic THC is the main ingredient in Marinol®, an FDA approved medication used to control nausea in cancer chemotherapy patients and to stimulate appetite in people with AIDS. Marinol, a legal and safe version of medical Marijuana, has been available by prescription since 1985. However, Marijuana as a smoked product has never proven to be medically beneficial and, in fact, is much more likely to harm one’s health. Marijuana smoke is a crude THC delivery system that also sends many harmful substances into the body.