Reefer Madness

by Steve Sainsbury, MD

The recent arrests of several local residents for distributing medical marijuana through a legally mandated collective has created significant controversy. Those arrested were not people selling marijuana on street corners, nor were they Mexican cartel gang members infiltrating our community. They appear to be normal, law-biding citizens, who were selling marijuana to patients with the legal right, through a doctor’s prescription, to its medicinal use.

One officer was quoted in the local newspaper as saying that marijuana is dangerous and there have been several cases of overdoses in children. Oh really? As an emergency physician for over 25 years, I have never seen a single case of marijuana overdose in a child. In fact, as I reflect on my career, I never saw a single case of anyone actually being injured by marijuana. So forgive me if I view the "several cases of childhood overdoses" with extreme skepticism.

Most people have strong feelings about marijuana. There is no question that marijuana is a drug that is used inappropriately by many people, especially our youth. But the general public tends to falsely lump it into the "drug" category with truly dangerous substances like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. True, marijuana is a mind-altering substance that must be used cautiously—just like tobacco, alcohol, and a multitude of prescription medications. Marijuana, if smoked, can cause pulmonary harm, and has an element of psychological addiction. But since the release of Reefer Madness, a wildly inaccurate propaganda movie released several decades ago, myths regarding marijuana have abounded. Here are a just a few:

MYTH: Marijuana is dangerous.

If one defines dangerous as killing people, then marijuana is certainly safer than alcohol and tobacco. For those that keep score, each year tobacco kills about 400,000 Americans, while alcohol kills another 100,000. Marijuana’s death toll? There are no good statistics, but undoubtedly a few people under its influence die in motor vehicle accidents. However, from a medical standpoint, it is non-lethal. In my years in the ER, I have occasionally seen patients who have gotten an anxiety attack from smoking pot—a few have even required some sedation. But I have never had to keep a patient overnight for physical harm from marijuana use or abuse. Not ever.

MYTH: Marijuana is a gateway drug.

There is a complete lack of scientific data to support this myth. Teens who smoke pot are no more likely to "graduate" to cocaine and heroin than teens who smoke cigarettes. And the vast majority of those youth who try marijuana never progress to harder drugs.

MYTH: Medical marijuana is unnecessary because it is available in pill form.

Researchers confirm that the prescription form of THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) is far from perfect. Its absorption is erratic and unpredictable. It is expensive and often not covered by insurances. And THC is just one of many chemicals in marijuana that produce its positive effects. There are a large number of patients in our county who derive significant benefit from chronic pain—those with MS, anorexia from cancer and AIDS, and a multitude of other diseases—a benefit that would not be conferred by pharmaceutical THC.

I wholeheartedly support the medical, supervised use of marijuana. It is infinitely safer than alcohol or tobacco, and has been a godsend for patients of all ages. While I have never used marijuana for any purpose, I would not hesitate to take it through legal methods if warranted by my medical needs. And I would hope not to be arrested or ostracized for doing so.

Mountain Gorilla image on banner by Steve Sainsbury. It will interest you to know that this particular one is Steve's favorite gorilla, a friend from one of his stays in Rwanda.