Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana – CALM

What do medical professionals say about marijuana?

*The American Academy of Pediatrics:  Their statement, “Legalization of marijuana could decrease adolescents’ perceptions of the risk of use and increase their exposure to this drug. Furthermore, data concerning adolescents’ use of the 2 drugs that are legal for adults (alcohol and tobacco) suggest strongly that legalization of marijuana would have a negative effect on youth that they “oppose the legalization of marijuana.” was from 2004 and there was nothing more recent on their website.

* The American Medical Association:  The AMA House of Delegates’ recent announcement that it was “time to re-examine whether marijuana should be legally categorized as a schedule I drug” is not an endorsement of marijuana (although pro advocates want to spin it that way). They further specified that the goal of such a review is to facilitate “the conduct of clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based medicines and alternate delivery methods” which is also not an endorsement of smoked marijuana.

* The American Medical Association:  “The number of significant side effects generated by long-term oral use of marijuana or long-term inhalation of marijuana smoke make marijuana a poor choice in the treatment of glaucoma, a chronic disease requiring proven and effective treatment.”

* The National MS Society:  “Studies completed thus far have not provided convincing evidence that marijuana or its derivatives provide substantiated benefits for symptoms of MS.”(Jan 2010)

“Although it is clear that cannabinoids have potential both for the management of MS symptoms such as pain and spasticity, as well as for neuroprotection, the Society cannot at this time recommend that medical marijuana be made widely available to people with MS for symptom management. This decision was not only based on existing legal barriers to its use but, even more importantly, because studies to date do not demonstrate a clear benefit compared to existing symptomatic therapies and because issues of side effects, systemic effects, and long-term effects are not yet clear.” (March 2009)