The Institute on Global Drug Policy and Practice :: Volume 3, Issue 2


	CURRENT ISSUE	PREVIOUS ISSUES	RESPONSES	SEARCH	ABOUT US

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 - SUMMER 2009
Focus on Marijuana: Science and Policy

The controversy surrounding marijuana, especially in light of its approval by states for medicinal use, continues to swirl. This issue surveys current research and discusses the drug’s documented harms in the scientific literature.

For those states within the US that have allowed marijuana use, the laws and regulations concerning marijuana dispensaries are confusing at best. Our two part article analyzes the status of dispensaries and recommends appropriate actions for the federal government.

The Journal of Global Drug Policy and Practice, a joint effort of the Institute on Global Drug Policy and the International Scientific and Medical Forum on Drug Abuse, is an international, open access, peer-reviewed, online journal with the goal of bridging the information gap on drug policy issues between the medical/scientific community, policymakers and the concerned lay public.

Edited by Eric A. Voth, MD, FACP and David A. Gross, MD, DFAPA, our intended readership includes clinicians, clinical researchers, policymakers, prevention specialists and the interested public.

IN THIS ISSUE
Marijuana Dispensaries and the Federal
        Government: Recommendations to the Obama
        Administration 2009: Part 1
Marijuana Dispensaries and the Federal
        Government: Recommendations to the Obama
        Administration 2009: Part 2
A Review of the Research on the Risks
        and Harms Associated to the Use of
        MarijuanaBarack Obama on Medical Marijuana

UPDATES
Medical Research
International Drug Policy
In the News

Marijuana Dispensaries and the Federal Government: Recommendations to the Obama Administration 2009: Part 1
Andrea G. Barthwell, M.D., Michael C. Barnes, Esq., DCBA Law & Policy

Cannabis dispensaries are proliferating at a rapid rate — a cause for concern, given the potential for such operations to take advantage of desperate patients and put seriously ill patients at affirmative risk. Local jurisdictions do not have sufficient resources to deal with these abuses. Requiring the DEA unequivocally to take a “hands-off” approach, no matter how egregious the dispensary’s practices, will not serve the best interests of patients.

Marijuana Dispensaries and the Federal Government: Recommendations to the Obama Administration 2009: Part 2
Andrea G. Barthwell, M.D., Michael C. Barnes, Esq., DCBA Law & Policy

Although marijuana smoked delivers THC and other cannanbinoids to the body, it also delivers harmful substances, including most of those found in tobacco smoke. In addition, plants contain a variable mixture of biologically active compounds and cannot be expected to provide a precisely defined drug effect.

A Review of the Research on the Risks and Harms Associated to the Use of Marijuana
Jordan Diplock, Irwin Cohen, and Darryl Plecas
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University College of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada

The truth about the risks and harms associated to personal marijuana use is rarely a feature of the ongoing debate over the legal status of the drug, with advocates on both sides at fault. Some consensus over the potential harms needs to be reached before any meaningful discussion can occur on this issue. This article reviews research published between 2000 and 2007 and suggests that there are many risks associated to marijuana use with regards to impairment, academic and social development, general and mental health, and continued drug use. Although some findings highlight very serious concerns for users, the numbers that become adversely affected by marijuana use do not represent the majority of users. A debate on the legal status of marijuana based on the facts about the risks and harms of this drug will greatly aid in determining the appropriate actions to address personal marijuana use around the world.

Medical Research
A European study discovered DNA damage from marijuana smoke that may increase cancer risks. More

A naturally-occurring protein may have a role in counteracting drug dependence, according to University of Toronto researchers. More

Brain imaging study finds potential target for pharmaceutical or behavioral help for cocaine addiction. More

International Drug Policy
Norwegian researchers found that since morphine patches became available in 2005, their skyrocketing sales have led to misuse and addiction. More

Terrorist attacks cause increases in problematic alcohol use. More

Almost 24,000 youth under 18 are in treatment for drug or alcohol abuse in the UK.More

In the News
Drinking-related accidental deaths of college students rose from 1998 to 2005 as did the rates of students who engage in binge drinking (from 42 to 45 percent) and those who drink and drive (from 26.5 percent to 29 percent). More

Up to 87 percent of arrestees test positive for drug use in latest survey. More

Information for Authors