cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Not Dangerous,N York Expert Will Testify





Marijuana Not Dangerous,N York Expert Will Testify
Posted by FoM on February 27, 1999 at 07:28:47 PT

The most harmful thing that can happen to a marijuana user is to be arrested, says a New York physician, pharmacology professor and prolific author on drug-related issues.
Dr. John P. Morgan rebuts arguments that marijuana is dangerous and a gateway to other drugs. "It is among the safest (drugs) humans choose to take ... For most Americans, marijuana is a terminus drug rather than a gateway drug. Probably 60 to 70 percent who use marijuana never use another illegal drug."A professor at the City University of New York School of Medicine and authority on marijuana, Morgan said he has supported its use for medical purposes since specialty training in clinical pharmacology as a young physician. He also has long advocated decriminalizing marijuana for recreational use, saying, "People should not face jail time for what may be called a vice."Morgan is in Honolulu to testify for the public defender's office at a hearing next week on the law on driving under the influence of drugs. Several dozen cases are pending trial in District Court. Most are represented by the public defender's office.One issue is whether trained policemen should be allowed to testify in courts as drug recognition experts.Maui police Sgt. Jayson Kozaki, the program's statewide coordinator, said training allows police officers to recognize drug impairment from alcohol or medical conditions.But Morgan said studies have shown that even trained policemen can't accurately diagnose a driver suspected of being high on marijuana.Morgan also is talking to legislators to support the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii and other groups pushing legislation to allow physicians to recommend marijuana to relieve pain and enhance appetite for cancer, AIDS and other patients.Six or seven states have passed referendum legislation to legalize medical marijuana and several more are in the process, Morgan said. After leaving here, he will testify in New Hampshire on a referendum bill, he said."New Hampshire also is one of the first states in 20 years to introduce a decriminalization measure in which people shall not be jailed for recreational marijuana," he said.Morgan is co-author with Dr. Lynn Zimmer of the recent book, "Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts: A Review of the Scientific Evidence."Dr. Louis Lasagna, author of a 1982 National Academy of Sciences report on marijuana, called it "the first comprehensive review of marijuana toxicity to appear in more than a decade."Morgan said two large government surveys of households and high school seniors showed no drug has a higher discontinuation rate than marijuana. In a 10-year follow-up of the high school senior survey, he said more than 80 percent of young people who smoked marijuana never tried cocaine. "So the gateway is a scare."Distribution and delivery are the most critical problems in legalizing medical marijuana, Morgan said. "People find it often quite difficult to get material even if they find a physician who will agree to recommend it," he said.Morgan said if he could set up a drug company, he believes he could overcome the Food and Drug Administration's opposition to marketing of marijuana. If the criteria for product safety and other factors was followed, he said, "we could have legal marijuana today."
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Comment #8 posted by Dave on August 18, 2001 at 20:37:28 PT
pot
This guy is exactly right.
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Comment #7 posted by smokey5546 on July 31, 2001 at 12:58:49 PT:
potheads
 Hey I drive high all the time. I have never been in a car wreck while driving. I can perform all daily functions even while excessively using marijuana. It has no relation with coordination or any other thing for that matter. America is being brain washed into submission to an evil, corrupt, and greedy government. Wake up people.
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Comment #6 posted by observer on January 31, 2001 at 23:09:57 PT
Mama Tried!
John Morgan was not raised this way, even his own mother did not approve of his wonderful belief. What does being raised one way or the other have to do with a scientist's scientist testifying as to the results of research?Telling the truth is what Dr Morgan did, I should hope most people find that to be as moral as can be. What worries me is people, paid "scientists" who would take government "research" money, provided their "research" turns up something bad about marijuana. There are lots of "scientists" like that, who work for the US government as long as their "research" conforms to the party line. Dr Morgan isn't one of those; he thinks for himself and reports truthfully what he finds. That's of the greatest morality.His book is helping many.Marijuana Myths Marijuana Facts: A Review Of The Scientific Evidenceby Lynn Zimmer, John P. Morganhttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0964156849/ How is this going to help a father with Parkinson's disease Goodness! Lots of ways...http://www.google.com/search?q=parkinson%27s+cannabis 8.4.2 Anti-spasmodicCannabinoids have been used in an empirical way in the management of some patients with movement disorders, a variety of syndromes that have in common a deficit in non-pyramidal motor control function, which is expressed in usually one or more of the non-epileptic, abnormal involuntary movements, such as those found in Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, and spasticity. Although a number of drugs may be of benefit in the management of these conditions, they are not always effective, and may produce troublesome side-effects (Consroe and Snider, 1986).http://www.health.gov.au/pubs/drug/cannab2/ch8.htm etc. Apparently for some, marijuana is quite helpful for Parkinson's symptoms.or a mother who has Alzheimer's disease ? However, despite decades of marginalisation, there have been spectacular breakthroughs. Pertwee points to the recent discovery of anandamide (reported in a recent New Scientist), a substance produced by the brain that behaves like marijuana. "Anandamide's discovery promises to open a door to how the brain works. There may be possibilities of working on a memory drug and the treatment of Alzheimer's disease."Hemp Facts, Marijuana Mythshttp://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/hf21_30.htm seehttp://www.google.com/search?q=Alzheimer%27s+AnandamideDang ... I guess you kinda shot yourself in the foot what all that now, didn't you? Looks like just about anyone can quickly point to lots of research that involves cannabis and those very disorders you mentioned! Do we take the reality of life away ? (Uh oh ... you've unleashed The Imperial "We"!)Tell me. Which takes away more of the "reality of life": a) returning to adults their traditional freedom over their own bodies and allowing them the option of taking marijuana, or b) throwing into jail adults who take marijuana anyway, despite our dire warnings about how bad marijuana is ? I am sorry but I think not. Is any of this entirely misplaced dissapointment in the way John P Morgan (Doctor Morgan, pharmacology professor and prolific author) turned out, supposed to be an argument for throwing adults into jail (after 1937) for taking marijuana?John Paul Morgan's parents would not want to be kept HIGH, and neither would they want a relative with a disease floating in space. I don't believe that Doctor Morgan's parents were mentioned in the article, so I'm not sure what relevance the personal wishes of the professor's parents have on the matter. I think it is foolish, just as MOM did. Mom taught you better than this and in the end, everything you'd been taught didn't matter. Doctor Morgan is at the pinnacle of his profession. His mama should be real proud of him. I have always thought that you were a few fries short of a Happy Meal. Have a Blessed Day ! Let's see now, "New York physician, pharmacology professor and prolific author ... professor at the City University of New York School of Medicine". No, he seems like he not only has all his "fries", he sounds like he owns the franchise. Petty sibbling rivalry aside, Dr John P Morgan is quite an accomplished and respected author.some books authored by John P. Morgan:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books&field-author=John%20P.%20Morgan/We love him. His mama done good.
Mama Tried (Merle Haggard)
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Comment #5 posted by kidd on January 31, 2001 at 21:52:15 PT:
morals
John Morgan was not raised this way, even his own mother did not approve of his wonderful belief. How is this going to help a father with Parkinson's disease or a mother who has Alzheimer's disease ? Do we take the reality of life away ? I am sorry but I think not. John Paul Morgan's parents would not want to be kept HIGH, and neither would they want a relative with a disease floating in space. I think it is foolish, just as MOM did. Mom taught you better than this and in the end, everything you'd been taught didn't matter. I have always thought that you were a few fries short of a Happy Meal. Have a Blessed Day !
For the Birds !
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Comment #4 posted by Tojo on January 26, 2001 at 11:53:39 PT:
No, YOU are wrong....
Jim, marijuana of course does cause impairment, no one is arguing that. But most people don't get stoned and then go drive. When there IS an accident and the tests show that the driver has THC in their system, often it is not because the driver was stoned at the time of the accident, but simply because the driver had THC in their system from an earlier time.Also, marijuana has a tendency to make people more paranoid and careful if they do happen to drive on it. And if you actually do some real studies on marijuana and driving, you'll find that it really isn't too much of a concern. However, for safety's sake in general, driving should always be done well-rested and sober.
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Comment #3 posted by jim on May 01, 2000 at 16:51:17 PT
You're wrong
Marijuana does impair one's ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. If you ever saw anyone perform divided attention tests while on marijuana you would agree. They can't concentrate on two things at one time so how can they possible drive a car. Their judgement is severely impaired and if you saw some fatal crashes involving marijuana use you would change your mind. You need to get out from behind the desk and experience real world scenarios.
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Comment #2 posted by Vicky on February 10, 2000 at 09:14:30 PT:
good statement
This is a very good source of information.thanks
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Comment #1 posted by Stick on February 27, 1999 at 07:59:34 PT
When will they hear?
" It takes two to speak the truth - one to speak and the other to hear " Henry David Thoreau.We believe that the global war on drugs is now causing more harm then the drug abuse itself!When will the politicans hear the voters? 
Stick's Home Page
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