Legal Commentary

Dueling Marijuana Studies

By Jeralyn

A new U.S. study finds that marijuana potency has increased in recent years. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy responds like Henny Penny claiming the sky is falling. :

[Drug Czar John Walters] cited the risk of psychological, cognitive and respiratory problems, and the potential for users to become dependent on drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

A more rational view: [More...]

While the drug's potency may be rising, marijuana users generally adjust to the level of potency and smoke it accordingly, said Dr. Mitch Earleywine, who teaches psychology at the State University of New York in Albany and serves as an adviser for marijuana advocacy groups. "Stronger cannabis leads to less inhaled smoke," he said.

...[T]here's no data showing that a higher potency in marijuana leads to more addiction, Earleywine said, and marijuana's withdrawal symptoms are mild at best. "Mild irritability, craving for marijuana and decreased appetite — I mean those are laughable when you talk about withdrawal from a drug. Caffeine is worse."

Meanwhile, a study by the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute (CPMCRI) has found that ingredients in the marijuana plant inhibit the the activity of breast cancer cells "in vitro" and in animals.

While previous studies have found that tetrahydrocannabinol, another cannabis compound known as THC, has properties found to inhibit cancer growth, the CPMCRI study is the first time that CBD has been shown to have a similar effect. According to CPMCRI, the study was accepted for publication in October.

"This pre-clinical research clearly demonstrates the therapeutic potential of marijuana's active compounds," said CPMCRI cannabinoid researcher Jahan Marcu, who is also on the Medical & Scientific Advisory Board of Americans for Safe Access (ASA). "The availability of a non-toxic substance that has the potential to fight breast cancer and likely other forms of cancer is of tremendous importance."

Also significant is a new study by Canadian scientists showing that marijuana repairs damaged brain cells and reduces anxiety and depression. This is similar to findings by researchers in Israel who found that "cannabinoid drugs are helpful in cases of nerve damage and trauma" and by the US Department of Veteran Affairs which "found similar results working with veterans suffering from PTSD in the 1980s and suppressed the results."

Full post as published by TalkLeft on June 12, 2008 (boomark / email).