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Marijuana
or cannabis
is the most widely used illicit drug in Australia - a third of the
Australian population is reported to have used marijuana at some time
in their lives. What are the health, psychological and social effects
and risks of marijuana use? The use of cannabis to treat a range of
serious illnesses has long been controversial should the
prescribed medical use of cannabis be legalised? What are the impacts
of marijuana use on crime and the justice system in Australia, and what
are the arguments for its current prohibition vs proposed
decriminalisation?
"Nearly
all medicines have toxic, potentially lethal effects. But marijuana
is not such a substance. There is no record in the extensive medical
literature describing a proven, documented cannabis-induced fatality... Simply
stated, researchers have been unable to give animals enough marijuana
to induce death... In practical terms, marijuana cannot induce a lethal
response as a result of drug-related toxicity... In strict medical terms
marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume... Marijuana,
in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances
known to man."
- U.S. DEA
Administrative Law Judge, FL Young, 1988
Perhaps
the greatest injustice produced by the current worldwide legislation with regard
to cannabis is that relating to its potential medical usage. The usage
of cannabis is largely governed under "Drug War" laws and,
according to these, it has no medical value. However, current scientific
research and the testimonies of thousands of people from the past and
present fully contradict this claim.
Cannabis
has been used as a medicine worldwide for at least 5000 years. It was
part of the British Formulary until 1971 when the Misuse Of Drugs Act
was passed, resulting in it being banned. The heyday of cannabis medicine
was around the end of the nineteenth century, where it was used for
a number of symptoms in a number of forms. The excitement of the introduction
of hypodermic syringes and injectable opiates reduced its usage somewhat,
in addition to newer synthetic drugs. However, in retrospect some of
these new drugs have proved ineffective in some people, and have dangers
inherent in their use. Unfortunately, the current state of our War on
(some) Drugs legislative policies have prevented its legal use, and
restricted any research efforts that brave scientists have attempted.
Nevertheless,
there are also concerns raised by recent studies which suggest that,
for people with a genetic predisposition towards (family history of)
schizophrenia, smoking pot as a teenager can cause the onset of this
troubling and hard to treat problem.
This section contains articles
designed to illumionate and inform the debate on the medicinal use of
marijhuana and also to look at some of the physical and mental health
problems associated with its use.
[ CLICK TO CHOOSE AN ITEM FROM THE LIST BELOW ]
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