Drug Watch International
Resolution

RESOLUTION AGAINST "MARIJUANA AS MEDICINE"

Whereas, the following medical organizations in the United States have stated that marijuana has not been scientifically shown to be safe or effective as medicine:

American Medical Association
American Cancer Society
National Multiple Sclerosis Association
American Academy of Ophthalmology
National Eye Institute
National Cancer Institute
National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke
National Institute of Dental Research
National Institute on Allergy and Infectious Diseases; and

Whereas, marijuana is a plant containing over 400 different chemicals, a number of which have harmful, psychoactive and addictive properties; and

Whereas, marijuana harms mental functions, impairs motor skills, damages the brain, heart, lungs, the reproductive and immune systems, contains carcinogenic substances such as benzopyrene in higher concentrations than tobacco, and has been shown to cause head and neck cancers; and

Whereas, studies have shown that children born to mothers who smoked marijuana while pregnant tend to     have lower performance on intelligence testing and more behavioral problems; and

Whereas, there are over 10,000 scientific studies on marijuana, none of which have shown marijuana to be either safe or effective for any medical condition; and

Whereas, in the quest for better, safer medicines, we support controlled, peer reviewed, scientific research and studies, and we support the safety standards established by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration for determining therapeutic substances; and

Whereas, THC, the most widely studied chemical in marijuana, is already available in pill form by prescription and can be formulated into a suppository for use as an antiemetic and appetite stimulant; and

Whereas, false and misleading advertising, sponsored by the marijuana legalization lobby, has deliberately deceived the public into believing that marijuana is a safe and beneficial medicine; and

Whereas, it is neither compassionate nor legal to provide or recommend using a harmful, addictive substance which is not a safe and effective medicine,

Therefore be it resolved that:

DRUG WATCH INTERNATIONAL opposes efforts to legalize the use of smoked or crude marijuana for so called medicinal purposes.

(1/5/97)

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