Drug is at center of health, legalization debates

Unlike 20 years ago when marijuana was embraced by the hippie generation, today's version is more potent due to technological adaptations used with the drug.

Despite the push for legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes, "the American Medical Association says that other drugs are more efficient and safer," said Stephen Strobbe, nurse coordinator at Chelsea Arbor Treatment Center, a chemical-addiction center. A side-effect of marijuana is a weakened immune system, which can be dangerous to patients fighting disease.

Michigan was one of the first states, however, to pass laws allowing marijuana use for medical purposes.

In 1979, Senate bill 816 permitted the use of marijuana for cancer chemotherapy and glaucoma. That law expired in 1987, and since then, marijuana has been illegal under all circumstances.

California currently has the most liberal laws regarding medical marijuana usage. Proposition 215, which was passed by voters in 1996, allows marijuana to be used in some instances.

Proposition 215 states that law enforcement officials may not penalize someone for smoking marijuana if they have a health condition "in which marijuana provides relief."

However, patients smoking marijuana must have a note from their physician detailing their circumstances.

On the federal level, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass), unsuccessfully proposed House bill 2618 in 1995, which allows marijuana to be used "in situations involving life-threatening or sense-threatening illnesses."

Immediate effects of marijuana are changes in perception of speed, time and distance. Users also experience prolonged reaction time and impaired judgment.

A common misconception is that smoking marijuana does not harm the lungs. However, the substance has a large quantity of cancer-causing agents and 5-20 times the amount of tar found in cigarettes. These ingredients "assault delicate lung tissue," Strobbe said.

Cannabis dependence is marked by increased chemical tolerance, chronic lethargy and psychiatric difficulties such as anxiety and mood disorders, Strobbe said.

Users who break off use of marijuana experience withdrawal symptoms, which range from changes in mood to sleep disturbances.

"Short-term memory loss is quite pronounced," Strobbe said. "One can't generate long term memory."

These negative effects go beyond remembering trivial information, to severely affecting learning and everyday functioning.

"It is easy for us to mistakenly believe this is a benign substance," Strobbe said. "No drug is safe for all people."

In addition to immediate effects, marijuana does long-term damage to the body and mind as well.

"Marijuana stays in the body for a long time," Strobbe said. Long-term effects of marijuana include a decrease in testosterone levels and changes at a cellular level.

Marijuana is also commonly referred to by experts as the "gateway drug," because it can often lead to use of other illegal substances.

- Daily Staff Reporter Jeffrey Kosseff contributed to this report.

10-17-97