🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <bbishop.47.3300E3D5@pop.service.ohio-state.edu>,
Bert Bishop <bbishop@pop.service.ohio-state.edu> wrote:

>What are _your_ sources for this?  Generally marijauna is not thought to be 
>addictive.  And last week the New England Journal of Medicine published an 
>editorial in which it said "Marijuana is not a dangerous drug."  Are there 
>dangers in marijuana use? Yes.  But increased crime is not a known one; or if 
>it is this interesting fact hasn't been publicized very widely.

I couldn't find the text of this on the Web anywhere (not that it ain't
there or in the Journal), but what I *did* find (among many web hits)
was the following at:

http://www.calyx.net/~schaffer/debate/myths/myths2.html

(note the source reference at the end, along with a myth-response section)


   [INLINE]
   
Chapter One: Addiction Rates And Drug Legalization

   [INLINE]
   
   DISCUSSION
   
   I. Their Argument
   
   Proponents of drug legalization argue that legalizing drugs would
   decrease addiction rates for two reasons. First, they maintain, people
   use drugs because they are illegal - that is, people get a thrill
   breaking a social taboo. Legalize drugs and the incentive to take them
   will go away. Second, proponents of legalization argue that if drugs
   were legalized, we could spend the money that we presently spend on
   the criminal justice system on treatment of addicts.2
   
   II. Our Argument
   
   Before addressing the particular merits of the legalization debate, it
   is useful to describe just what is an addiction. Addictions are either
   physical or psychological. Physical addiction occurs when the body
   becomes dependent upon chemicals or drugs not normally found in the
   human body and requires such chemicals in order to sustain basic
   bodily functions. Take, for instance, cocaine addiction. Cocaine
   alters the means by which brain cells communicate with one another.
   Usually, nerve cells (neurons) send signals to one another through
   chemical neurotransmitters such as dopamine. Dopamine flows from one
   neuron to the other, delivers its message, and returns to the original
   neuron. Cocaine, however, blocks the dopamine from returning to the
   first cell, and the first cell just keeps firing away. This explains
   why cocaine produces such feelings of pleasure; for lack of a better
   description, cocaine locks all of the user's neurons into an "On"
   position. The problem occurs when all of the cocaine has been
   metabolized by the body. As Professor James Q. Wilson explains,
   "[w]hen the exaggerated high produced by cocaine-influenced dopamine
   finally ends, the brain cells may (in ways that are still a matter of
   dispute) suffer from an extreme lack of dopamine, thereby making the
   individual unable to experience any pleasure at all."3 This is a very
   simplified model, of course, and different drugs affect the body in
   different ways, but a simple fact remains - physical addiction is
   biochemical in nature and is independent of social, political, or
   psychological causes.
   
   There is another type of addiction, however, that being psychological
   addiction. Unlike physical addiction, which basically is a medical
   condition, psychological addiction occurs when the individual user
   feels or is of the opinion that drugs are necessary for his or her
   life. This is not to suggest that psychological addiction is easily
   dismissed; indeed it can have a profound influence on how addicts live
   their lives. Such especially is the case when addicts live in a
   culture that continually reinforces the desirability or necessity of
   drug use.
   
   Let us examine addiction specific to two drugs: cocaine and marijuana.
   Although rough, estimates suggest that there are between 650,000 and
   2.4 million cocaine addicts in the United States.4 "Cocaine is a much
   more addictive drug than alcohol. If cocaine were legally available
   the number of cocaine abusers would probably rise to...perhaps
   20-25million."5 Mitchell Rosenthal, President of the Phoenix House
   drug-rehabilitation program states that cheap available drugs would
   increase addiction; only 10% of drinkers become hooked, while an
   estimated 75% of regular drug (crack) users could become addicts.6
   Scientific studies agree, noting that when given unlimited access to
   cocaine, laboratory animals will consume increasingly greater amounts
   until they die.7 That cocaine is harmful to one's health likely will
   come as a surprise to no one. Dr. Frank H. Gawin, director of
   stimulant abuse, treatment and research at Yale University concludes
   that cocaine causes depression, paranoia, and "violent psychotic
   behavior."8 What is worse, there is presently no effective, permanent
   treatment for cocaine addiction.9
   
   Almost everyone would agree that cocaine is a dangerous, addictive
   drug, but many would be surprised to find that the same is true of
   marijuana. Although it is very difficult to determine the precise
   number of marijuana users and addicts in the United States, one fact
   is clear: marijuana has become much more potent over the last twenty
   years. Cannabis delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as "THC,"
   is the active ingredient in marijuana and other cannabis such as
   hashish. The THC content in marijuana during the days of Woodstock was
   something less than 1%. In 1974, the average THC content of illicit
   marijuana was 0. 36% and by 1984 had increased to 4.40%.10 In 1992 in
   Alaska, marijuana was discovered that had a THC content of 29.86%.11
   Now stop and think about that for a minute. Today's marijuana may be
   between thirty to sixty times as potent as were the joints of the
   1960's.
   
   This observation gives one pause when we realize that THC is both
   dangerous and habit-forming. Marinol, a prescription drug that is very
   occasionally used in the treatment of nausea associated with
   chemotherapy, is chemically synthesized THC. Most people are familiar
   with the information sheets that come with prescription drugs - the
   pieces of paper that detail the indications and usage of the drug in
   question, its potential side-effects, its chemical composition, etc.
   The information sheet that comes with Marinol states verbatim,
   "MARINOL is highly abusable and can produce both physical and
   psychological dependence .... Patients receiving MARINOL should be
   closely observed."12 The company that produces Marinol goes on to
   explain that its THC may cause "changes in mood ... decrements in
   cognitive performance and memory, a decreased ability to control
   drives and impulses [and] . . . a full-blown picture of psychosis
   (psychotic organic brain syndrome) may occur in patients receiving
   doses within the lower portion of the therapeutic range."13
   
   Such warnings should not surprise the scientists who have for many
   years maintained that the THC contained in marijuana is dangerous.
   First, in the late 1960's Dr. Robert Heath, then chairman of the
   Department of Psychiatry and Neurology at Tulane Medical School, found
   that marijuana affects brain waves and destroys brain cells.14 Second,
   a study conducted by Dr. Ethel Sassenrath at the University of
   California at Davis between 1974 and 1978 found that THC increased the
   rate of fetal loss (in utero, fetal death) in monkeys by over 300%,
   while at the same time decreasing the birth weights in those babies
   born alive.15 Third, a study by Dr. Susan Dalterio, at the University
   of Texas found that marijuana decreased testosterone and impaired
   sexual development in male mice.16 Finally, a study by Dr. Albert
   Munson found that injections of THC suppressed the immune systems of
   mice and made them 96 times more susceptible to the herpes virus.17
   
   Dr. Charles R. Schuster, former Director of the National Institute on
   Drug Abuse said, "The fact that there are over 77,000 admissions a
   year to treatment programs for marijuana use and that annually almost
   8,000 persons require emergency hospital care for marijuana use is
   sufficient evidence of the drugs dangerousness"18
   
   Clearly, drugs such as cocaine and marijuana are, both addictive and
   dangerous. The legalizers likely would admit this, but counter by
   saying that if we legalized them we would have less of a problem. This
   is untrue.
   
   Recall from above that legalizers claim that people use and become
   addicted to drugs because of the excitement of breaking the law - it
   is the fact that drugs are illegal that causes people to try them. The
   data disagree. Robert E. Peterson, Former Deputy Attorney General of
   Pennsylvania notes, "70% of high school students in New Jersey and
   about 60% of the students in California said that fear of getting in
   trouble with the law constituted a major reason not to use drugs."19
   
   The legalizers' argument that we should legalize drugs and spend the
   money we now spend on criminal prosecution on treatment and
   rehabilitation also fails. Both proponents and opponents of
   legalization are in agreement that legalization almost certainly would
   decrease the price of drugs as they became more available. However,
   basic economic theory states that as the price of a commodity
   declines, demand for the commodity will increase. But whereas the
   reverse usually also is true (increase price and demand decreases), it
   is not so with addictive substances. That is, drop the price of a gram
   of cocaine by 50%, and you will see an increase in use as demand for
   the product increases. Increase the price of cocaine by 50%, and you
   will not see an equal decrease in demand because addicts will pay the
   price to sustain their addictions. In technical economic terms, the
   demand for addictive drugs is elastic with respect to price declines,
   but inelastic with respect to price increases.
   
   Expert opinion supports this hypothesis. Dr. Herbert D. Kleber of the
   Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, Columbia University, suggests
   that legalization of cocaine would result in a five- to six-fold
   increase in cocaine use.20 Dr. Robert DuPont, former director of the
   National Institute of Drug Abuse agrees, stating that legalization
   would increase the number of users of cocaine and marijuana to between
   fifty and sixty million, and the number of heroin users to around ten
   million.21 Dr. DuPont concludes that when one takes into account the
   health effects of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, legalization could
   result in between 100,000 and 500,000 drug induced deaths each year.22
   Further, you cannot legalize cocaine and control the crack epidemic,
   for users could easily turn the former into the latter.
   
   History also supports the fact that legalization would increase
   addiction rates. When opium was legal in the United States at the turn
   of the century, we had proportionately between two and three times the
   number of addicts than we do presently.23 Furthermore, Dr. Richard
   Schwartz, Professor of Pediatrics at Georgetown University School of
   Medicine, notes that Alaska and Oregon, the states that traditionally
   have had the most lenient drug laws, also have the highest marijuana
   addiction rates in the United States double the national average.24
   
   Finally, foreign countries that have relaxed drug laws have seen an
   increase in addiction rates [see Chapter Three].
   
   In short, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana are dangerous and highly
   addictive substances. Scholarly opinion, historical evidence, and
   common sense suggest that if these drugs are legalized, then the rates
   of addiction will skyrocket, leading to misery and death.
   
   2 See Chapters Two and Four for additional discussion of whether
   legalizing drugs would indeed allow us to shift resources from
   criminal prosecution to treatment and rehabilitation.
   
   3 James Q. Wilson, "Against the Legalization of Drugs," Commentary,
   February 1990.
   
   4 David T. Courtwright, "Should We Legalize Drugs? History Answers,"
   American Heritage, February/March 1993.
   
   5 Herbert D. Kleber, "Our Current Approach to Drug Abuse - Progress,
   Problems, Proposals," The New England Journal of Medicine, February
   1994.
   
   6 George Church, "Thinking the Unthinkable," Time, May 30, 1988.
   
   7 Peter Kerr, "The Unspeakable is Debated: Should Drugs be Legalized?"
   New York Times, May 15, 1988.
   
   8 Id.
   
   9 John W. Ladenburg, "Should We Legalize Drugs?" Policy Statement of
   the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney.
   
   10 "Quarterly Report #10 Potency Monitoring Project," Research
   Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Mississippi, 1984.
   
   11 "1992 Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program", Drug
   Enforcement Administration, U.S. Dept. of Justice, December, 1992.
   
   12 Information Sheet for Marinol, Published by Roxane Laboratories,
   Inc., Revised August 1989.
   
   13 Id.
   
   14 Robert G. Health, "Cannabis Sativa: Effects on Brain Function,"
   Biological Psychiatry, Vol. 15, No. 5, 1980.
   
   15 Government's Supplemental Sentencing Memorandum Re: Health Effects
   of Marijuana, U.S. v. Greyshock, United States District Court for the
   District of Hawaii, 1988.
   
   16 Id.
   
   17 Id.
   
   18 Alaskans for Drug-Free Youth Newsletter, Winter 1993/94
   
   19 Robert E. Peterson, "Stop Legalization of Illegal Drugs," Drug
   Awareness Information Newsletter, July 1988.
   
   20 David Corcoran, "Legalizing Drugs: Failures Spur Debate," New York
   Times, November 27, 1989.
   
   21 Morton M. Kondracke, "Don't Legalize Drugs," The New Republic, June
   27,1988.
   
   22 Id.
   
   23 Ethan A. Nadelmann, "Should We Legalize Drugs? History Answers,"
   American Heritage, February/March 1993.
   
   24 Richard Schwartz, "Sabotage and the War on Drugs," Drug Awareness
   Information Newsletter.
   
   [INLINE]
   
Chapter One Summary Sheet: Addiction Rates and Drug Legalization

   [INLINE]
   
   [INLINE] If they say...
   
   It is the fact that drugs are illegal that makes people want to use
   them.
   
   [INLINE] Then you say...
   
   Studies conducted on senior high students in California and New Jersey
   prove that the illegality of drugs discourages their use. [Robert E.
   Peterson, "Stop Legalization of Illegal Drugs," Drug Awareness
   Information Newsletter, July 1988].
   
   [INLINE] If they say...
   
   Cocaine is not addictive.
   
   [INLINE] Then you say...
   
   Cocaine is a much more addictive drug than alcohol. [Herbert D.
   Kleber, "Our Current Approach to Drug Abuse - Progress, Problems,
   Proposals," The New England Journal of Medicine, February 1994]
   
   Cheap available drugs would increase addiction; only 10% of drinkers
   become hooked, while an estimated 75% of regular drug (crack) users
   could become addicts. [George Church, "Thinking the Unthinkable,"
   Time, May 30,1988.]
   
   In laboratory tests, animals will consume increasing dosages of
   cocaine until they die. [Peter Kerr, "The Unspeakable Is Debated:
   Should Drugs be Legalized?" New York Times, May 15,1988.]
   
   Presently in the United States there are between 650,000 and 2.4
   million cocaine addicts. [David T. Courtwright, "Should We Legalize
   Drugs? History Answers," American Heritage, February/March 1993].
   
   [INLINE] If they say...
   
   Marijuana is not addictive.
   
   [INLINE] Then you say...
   
   THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, encourages both physical and
   psychological dependence and is highly abusable. [Information Sheet
   for MARINOL (synthetic THC), Roxane Laboratories, Revised 1989].
   
   77,000 persons each year are admitted to treatment programs for
   marijuana use. [Dr. Charles R, Schuster, Alaskans for Drug-Free Youth
   Newsletter, Winter 1993/94].
   
   [INLINE] If they say...
   
   Marijuana is not harmful.
   
   [INLINE] Then you say...
   
   Marijuana in the 1960's had a THC content of less than 1%. Today, the
   THC content is as high as 29.86%. [1992 Domestic Cannabis
   Eradication/Suppression Program, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S.
   Dept. of Justice, December 1992 and "Quarterly Report #10 Potency
   Monitoring Project," Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
   University of Mississippi, 1984].
   
   THC causes mood changes, loss of memory, psychosis, impairment of
   coordination and perception, and complicates pregnancy. [Information
   Sheet for MARINOL (synthetic THC), Roxane Laboratories, Revised 1989].
   
   Marijuana causes increased risk of schizophrenia, disturbs brain wave
   patterns and erodes brain cells, impairs the immune system, and
   complicates pregnancy. [Government's Supplemental Sentencing
   Memorandum Re: Health Effects of Marijuana, U.S. v. Greyshock, U.S.
   District Court for the District of Hawaii, 1988].
   
   Annually, almost 8,000 persons require emergency hospital care for
   marijuana use. [Dr. Charles R. Schuster, citation above].
   
   [INLINE] If they say...
   
   Legalization will not increase the rate of addiction.
   
   [INLINE] Then you say...
   
   According to basic economic principles, increasing availability and
   decreasing price will increase the demand for a commodity.
   
   Dr. Herbert Kleber of Columbia University suggests that legalizing
   cocaine would increase use five to six fold. (David Corcoran,
   "Legalizing Drugs: Failures Spur Debate," New York Times, November 27,
   1989].
   
   Dr. Robert DuPont holds that if drugs were legal, we would have 50 to
   60 million regular users of cocaine and marijuana and 10 million users
   of heroin. [Morton M. Kondracke, "Don't Legalize Drugs," The New
   Republic, June 27,1988].
   
   When opium was legal in the U.S. at the turn of the century, the
   addiction rate was proportionately two to three times what it is now.
   [Ethan A. Nadelmann, "Should We Legalize Drugs? History Answers,"
   American Heritage, February/March 1993].
   
   Alaska and Oregon, which have the most permissive drug laws, have the
   highest rates of addiction - double the national average. [Richard
   Schwartz, "Sabotage and the War on Drugs," Drug Awareness Information
   Newsletter].
   
   
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