Arkansas Medical Experts Explain: Marijuana Is Not Medicine

Kush_closeYesterday Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson as well as several doctors and medical experts issued a straightforward fact sheet explaining why marijuana is not medicine.

Among other things, the experts noted that:

  • Marijuana has not been tested or approved by the FDA.
  • Chronic marijuana smoking is associated with chronic bronchitis, chronic cough, increased sputum and increased wheeze.
  • Adolescent marijuana use is linked to impaired school performance & increased drop out rates.
  • Habitual adolescent users are at significant risk of permanent cognitive impairment.
  • Nearly 1 in 10 people who experiment with marijuana will become addicted.
  • Regular marijuana use is associated with an increased risk of anxiety and depression.

You can find the entire fact sheet here, and you can find the fact sheet’s sources here.

Gov. Hutchinson, Physicians Oppose Marijuana Proposals

Yesterday Governor Asa Hutchinson, alongside many Arkansas Physicians, spoke out strongly against the two so-called “medical” marijuana proposals that will appear on the ballot this November.

Governor Hutchinson’s office published the following press release:

LITTLE ROCK – Today, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, alongside Arkansas Surgeon General Dr. Greg Bledsoe, Arkansas Dept. of Health Director Dr. Nate Smith and other members of the medical community, including Dr. Rick Smith, Psychiatrist and Addiction Specialist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science, spoke out against the marijuana ballot proposals. Those organizations include, among others: Arkansas Medical Society; Arkansas Hospital Association; Family Physician Association; Pharmacy Association; UAMS; Arkansas Children’s Hospital; Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI); Arkansas Department of Health (ADH); and Arkansas Heart Hospital.

Governor Hutchinson issued the following statement:

“As you know, I have expressed my opposition to the two marijuana ballot initiatives based on a number of concerns, but today, the focus is on the primary concern. The initiatives do not lead to good medical practice and is not best for patients. Those who stand with me today are in the medical profession because they care and they want the best for their patients. If there is new medicine or a new product to alleviate suffering they want it available. 

“We all want those who are ill or suffering to have the right kind of medicine, but there is a reason we have an FDA approval process for new medicines. We don’t vote on cancer cures and we should not set a new pattern of determining what is good medicine at the ballot box.”

Dr. Greg Bledsoe issued the following statement:

“If you like Big Tobacco, you’ll love Big Marijuana, because Big Marijuana is simply Big Tobacco painted green.  

“The data coming out of other states that have legalized marijuana have shown that it increases motor vehicle crashes and fatalities, causes dependency in 1 out of 6 adolescents who use it, increases the risk of psychiatric disease among those with predispositions towards them, and reduces cognitive ability and brain function in adolescents.  In fact, current research is showing that for adolescents who use at least once a week, these cognitive deficits are permanent, even if they stop using marijuana at a later time.

“These marijuana proposals are written with broad language that would open the floodgates for marijuana use in our communities.  Individuals could obtain marijuana for diagnoses such as ADHD, insomnia, and migraine headaches, allow the growing of marijuana in and around our neighborhoods, and even provide marijuana for minors with parental consent.  In addition, the language of these proposals would allow the selling of edible marijuana products in our state, products that have been packaged to appear like candy and sold in sodas, cookies, and brownies with cartoon marketing attractive to children.

“Because of all these reasons, my colleagues and I cannot support the current marijuana proposals that will be on the ballot in November.  To do so would not be in keeping with the best of modern medicine, and a violation of our Hippocratic oath to ‘first do no harm.’  We love and respect our patients and their families too much to tell them anything but the truth.”

Dr. Nate Smith issued the following statement:

“The Arkansas Department of Health supports changes in medical treatment that come from the medical community and are grounded in a rigorous scientific process. Using raw marijuana for the conditions listed in these ballot initiatives has not been proven to be effective and could actually cause harm.”

Five More of the Weirdest Claims Marijuana Proponents Have Made to Us

Recently we told you about five of the weirdest claims marijuana proponents have made to us. Below are five more of their weirdest claims.

Weird Claim #1: Pharmaceutical Companies are Conspiring to Keep Marijuana Illegal.

From time to time we get emails and messages ranting about how marijuana is a magical, green cure-all the pharmaceutical companies are conspiring to keep out of the hands of sick people. The theory goes that pharmaceutical companies don’t want marijuana cutting into the profits they make from prescription drugs.

Of course, if pharmaceutical companies really are that ruthless and that profit-driven–and if marijuana really treats or cures as many diseases as marijuana proponents claim it does–then why don’t those pharmaceutical companies want to jump on the marijuana legalization bandwagon and make millions of dollars selling marijuana all over America? Why would they outlaw it if they can simply add it to the list of drugs they sell? This weird claim simply does not make sense.

Weird Claim #2: Family Council is Bankrolled by Wealthy Pharmaceutical Companies.

Because many marijuana proponents are convinced “Big Pharma” is leading an anti-marijuana conspiracy, they assume Family Council must be on the pharmaceutical companies’ payrolls–after all, we oppose marijuana.

All I can say is unless the pharmaceutical companies are secretly funneling money to us through churches and middle class families all over Arkansas, this weird claim is completely bogus.

Weird Claim #3: Family Council Turns a Blind Eye to Alcohol.

Hardly a week goes by that we don’t receive a comment or email from someone asking why we don’t focus on alcohol the same way we do marijuana. The fact is we do have concerns about alcohol–and we have for years. Our friends on our mailing list received letters and emails from us last year that included, among other things, information on efforts to expand alcohol sales in Arkansas’ grocery stores. The difference between marijuana and alcohol is simple: Alcohol’s dangers are widely known and acknowledged while marijuana’s are widely unknown or ignored, and there is no concerted, statewide push at the moment to expand alcohol in every city and county in Arkansas the same way there is with marijuana.

Weird Claim #4: It’s Organic, and It’s a Plant, So Marijuana Must Be Harmless.

This claim is easily debunked. As we have written before, poison hemlock is a plant. It grows naturally in the wild, but, plant or not, it is extremely toxic. Being a plant doesn’t make marijuana harmless.

Weird Claim #5: “Medical Marijuana” is Different From “Recreational Marijuana”

The truth is there really is no difference between so-called “medical marijuana” and so-called “recreational marijuana.” It’s all marijuana.

“Medical marijuana” doesn’t come packaged in tiny, green capsules from a pharmacist. It is grown, dried, and smoked just like “recreational marijuana.”

Below are a few examples of people who have been harmed or killed as a result of marijuana use. Some of these people were using “recreational marijuana.” Others were using “medical marijuana.”

  1. August, 2016: A Connecticut man crashed his vehicle into a police cruiser after smoking marijuana. The driver reportedly admitted to smoking marijuana two hours before the crash; had marijuana in his possession; and failed a field sobriety test.
  2. August, 2016: Two dozen people were hospitalized in Ohio after accidentally ingesting large amounts of candy laced with marijuana at a musical festival. The candy was reportedly labeled “Prescribed Medibles by Dr. Greenbuds,” which would seem to indicate the candy was originally intended for “medical use.” Health professionals initially believed concertgoers had overdosed on opioids, but later realized the candies contained high levels of marijuana’s active ingredient, THC.
  3. August, 2016: Nineteen people were hospitalized after accidentally ingesting gummy candy laced with marijuana at a birthday party in California. They suffered adverse reactions including rapid heart rates, high blood pressure, dilated pupils, dizziness, light-headedness, nausea, lethargy, and confusion.
  4. July, 2016: A 5-year-old Oregon girl was hospitalized after eating candy laced with marijuana. According to officials, the girl experienced hallucinations and an elevated heart rate. Local police issued a press release, saying, “As many of these edibles come in the form of cookies, brownies, and candy, children are naturally drawn to them. However the small size of children, and the usually higher/concentrated THC levels found in the edibles can easily lead to overdoses by children and adults.”
  5. July, 2016: A Massachusetts teen called 911 after his friend began reacting negatively to marijuana-laced candy. Authorities say the pair had eaten marijuana-laced candy that appeared to have come from a medical-marijuana supplier. The two teens reportedly were sent to the hospital.
  6. July, 2016: Police in Arizona arrested a mother for allegedly giving her 11- and 12-year-old children gummy candy infused with marijuana. Police say the marijuana-infused candy was originally purchased by an Arizona medical marijuana user, but was illegally transferred to the mother in question.
  7. July, 2016: Two California teens were hospitalized after eating a marijuana-laced cookie. The teens reported purchasing the cookie from a third teenager who was subsequently arrested.
  8. July, 2016: A Wisconsin teen admitted to using marijuana shortly before his vehicle missed a stop sign and collided with an SUV. The crash killed two people and put a third in the ICU.
  9. July, 2016: A California man was arrested for giving candy laced with marijuana to a 6-year-old boy and an 8-year-old boy; the 6-year-old was hospitalized for marijuana poisoning.
  10. June, 2016: Authorities in Arizona believe the woman who caused a deadly crash was driving under the influence of marijuana. Court documents reveal the woman was driving at least 75 MPH in a 40 MPH zone when she crossed the center line, plowing into an oncoming vehicle and killing a man and his daughter.
  11. May, 2016: A Washington man pleaded guilty to giving his 4-year-old daughter a piece of chocolate cake infused with marijuana. The man reportedly went to his daughter’s daycare, where he gave her the cake. The girl later became “extremely lethargic,” and was taken to a local hospital, where she tested positive for THC–the main, active ingredient in marijuana.
  12. May, 2016: Hospitals in Colorado reported a spike in the number of newborns born with marijuana in their systems.
  13. May, 2016: Several churchgoers were sent to the ER after accidentally eating marijuana-infused cookies following church services.
  14. May, 2016: A 7-year-old boy in Washington was paralyzed by a car accident involving a teen believed to be driving under the influence of Marijuana.
  15. April, 2016: A twenty-four year old man and two teenage girls were hospitalized after eating gummy candies containing high levels of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. One of the girls was even admitted to the ICU. According to investigators, each gummy candy contained 450 Mg of THC, and the three victims experienced negative reactions that included seizures, hallucinations, and vomiting. By contrast, 10 Mg of THC is considered a “standard serving size” for a marijuana edible.
  16. April, 2016: A Utah man was charged with driving under the influence of marijuana following a fatal car crash.
  17. April, 2016: A Georgia woman was arrested after her five year old said he ate a marijuana cake for breakfast. The child was taken to the hospital for treatment following the incident; according to officials, his pulse was measured at over 200 beats per minute. According to the child’s mother, the cake laced with marijuana was given to her by another person.
  18. February, 2016: An eight-year-old Oregon boy was taken to the hospital after eating a marijuana-infused cookie he found. The cookie was sealed and labeled that it contained approximately 50 milligrams of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.
  19. February, 2016: A Pennsylvania driver involved in an accident that severely injured a pedestrian tested positive for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.
  20. October, 2015: A 27-year-old Oregon man admitted to using marijuana shortly before he struck and killed a female pedestrian.
  21. August, 2015: An Indiana woman who tested positive for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, crossed the median, striking another car head-on and killing its driver.
  22. August, 2015: A Michigan man drove his car off the road, crashing it into a tree and killing his girlfriend who was a passenger in the vehicle. Officials initially believed the driver was drunk, but later determined the driver had THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, in his system.
  23. August, 2015: A New York man crashed into a motorcycle carrying two riders; both riders died at the scene of the accident. According to court testimony, the driver admitted to smoking marijuana twice on the morning of the crash.
  24. June, 2015: A California man involved in a fatal crash tested positive for elevated levels of THC, according to police. The crash killed one woman and injured five other people. Police said the driver was at a local medical marijuana dispensary prior to the crash, that marijuana was found in his car, and that the driver admitted to smoking marijuana at the dispensary before the accident.
  25. May, 2015: An Indiana man who officials say tested positive for THC was involved in a head-on collision that resulted in the death of another driver.
  26. March, 2015: Four high school students were hospitalized after eating brownies laced with marijuana hash oil. One student was actually found unresponsive in a school bathroom after eating a marijuana-laced brownie.
  27. March, 2015: A Virginia man driving under the influence of marijuana collided with an oncoming train, killing a three-year-old child riding in his car, and injuring two other children.
  28. February, 2015: A 20-month-old Canadian toddler overdosed after eating a marijuana-laced cookie authorities say his father baked. The child survived, but suffered seizures and had to be admitted to a hospital.
  29. January, 2015: News outlets in Oregon reported a woman overdosed after she ate three gummy candies laced with marijuana.
  30. December, 2014: Oklahoma authorities reported a man with marijuana both in his system and on his person drove into oncoming traffic, crashing into another vehicle and killing its driver.
  31. December, 2014: A high school teacher in Maryland was hospitalized after a student gave her a brownie containing marijuana.
  32. December, 2014: Two middle school students in Oklahoma were rushed to the hospital after one of them reportedly passed out following marijuana-use at school.
  33. November, 2014: A Connecticut teen was taken to the hospital from school after she started having difficulty breathing following ingestion of a marijuana-laced gummy bear.
  34. October, 2014: Officials say a Washington woman with high levels of THC in her system sped through a stoplight at high speed before broadsiding another car and killing its driver.
  35. June, 2014: According to The Aspen Times, a seven-year-old girl was taken to the hospital after eating marijuana-laced candy her mother brought home from work at an area hotel. The candy was left by a hotel guest–presumably as a tip.
  36. May, 2014: A Utah man driving under the influence of marijuana crashed into another vehicle, severely injuring a teenage girl and her 30-year-old cousin. The driver was sentenced to up to 5 years in prison.
  37. March, 2014: A California man driving at high speeds under the influence of marijuana ran a red light before losing control of his car and striking another vehicle, killing its driver.
  38. March, 2014: A 19-year-old college student jumped to his death after eating a marijuana-laced cookie purchased at a licensed marijuana store in Colorado. Reports indicate the man began shaking, screaming, and throwing objects in his hotel room after eating the marijuana “edible.” He ultimately jumped over the fourth-floor railing, into the lobby of the hotel at which he was staying. According to CBS News, the autopsy report listed marijuana as a “significant contributing factor” to his death.
  39. December, 2013: A two-year-old in Colorado overdosed and was hospitalized after eating a cookie laced with marijuana. News outlet indicate the girl found the cookie in the yard of an apartment complex.

As we keep saying, marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.