Arguments Against Marijuana as Medicine Medical Marijuana Summary Points Eric A. Voth M.D., FACP, Chairman - The International Drug Strategy Institute

1. Crude marijuana in any form does not constitute a medicine.
2. The United States Court of Appeals has set forth a decision which strikes down crude marijuana as a medicine in February 1994.
3. We do not smoke medications or take potions in this country. We follow a process through the FDA to assure that medications are safe and effective.
4. Often treatments are thought to be useful but turn out to be ineffective or dangerous when submitted to rigorous scientific study.
5. No legitimate medical entity seeks the availability of crude marijuana as a medicine.
6. THC is available as a medicine in a pure oral preparation. THC suppositories have been tested and found effective for appetite stimulation. Nasal sprays could potentially be developed of pure THC.
7. If legitimate medical organizations request the availability of THC in forms other than oral forms, pharmaceutical companies should be encouraged to produce alternate delivery vehicles such as suppositories or nasal inhalers, and research should be carried out to determine effectiveness.
8. The pro-drug movement seeks the legalization of marijuana as a medicine as a step toward the overall legalization of marijuana. Many of the physicians leading the central push for medical marijuana have no direct medical patient contact, maintain leadership roles in pro-marijuana organizations, and smoke marijuana themselves.
9. Who would pay for the marijuana? Should the government have to shoulder that load or the patient.
10. What type of marijuana would be legal? Would it only be standard government marijuana or any marijuana. Different controls create a different black market.
11. The medical marijuana defense would bog down courts prosecuting drug cases. Virtually anyone could contend medical uses for bogus medical ailments.
12. Vehicular trauma and related DUI problems could increase if significant increases in marijuana use occurred. Further, the medical marijuana defense could easily be used to cover such offenses.
13. Other substances exist, such as digoxin from foxglove plant or TAXOL from the ewe tree, which have medicinal properties but which must be purified or synthesized to constitute medicine. Using marijuana medically is much like drinking pond water instead of bottled water.
14. Could interfere with enforcing drug screening because of alleged medicinal applications.
15. The compassionate marijuana program costs $200,000 annually for 8 patients. Is the government willing to provide $25,000 annually for other types of medical disorders?
16. The propositions in California and Arizona have essentially bought drug policy and fostered medication by popular vote.

6/29/97

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