Marijuana Policy Project

Marijuana use has been shown to affect short-term memory, disrupt cognitive functions and lead to depression and anxiety. Studies have also demonstrated links between massive marijuana usage to occurrences of heart attack, stroke and abnormalities in the brain.

Despite these dangerous consequences, a national survey by the Department of Health and Human Services showed that nearly 95 million Americans over the age of 21 have tried marijuana at least once. Roughly 7.1 million Americans abuse illegal drugs, and more than 60 percent abuse marijuana. In fact, our country is currently struggling to control this substance and make it very clear that policies must be initiated that will further restrict access to the drug versus granting permission to obtain the substance.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which opposes the use of smoked marijuana, is the federal agency that certifies what drugs are safe and those that have a medicinal benefit. It is critical that scientific research be conducted to determine the ramifications of smoking a potentially dangerous substance. In 2006, the FDA declared that marijuana has a high potential for abuse and that there is a lack of accepted safety for its use, even under medical supervision. The very idea of ingesting a "medicine" by smoking it is counter-intuitive.

On Dec. 15, the New Jersey Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee approved the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act by a 6-1 vote, with two abstentions. The proposed bill would permit patients, who are diagnosed by a physician as having a debilitating medical condition, to smoke marijuana either by cultivating up to six plants themselves or having it provided by a state-authorized personal caregiver. The legislation would also empower the Department of Health and Senior Services to establish alternative treatment centers to produce and dispense marijuana for medical purposes to those possessing a registry identification card.

This legislation is reckless public policy. I empathize with the stories described by the bill's supporters of the relief that smoking marijuana gives those with debilitating diseases, but I fear that New Jersey would be making a mistake bearing unforeseen and unintended consequences if we think we can systematically control who will have lawful access to a controlled and dangerous substance. The pitfalls associated with this policy are many and the opportunity for misuse and abuse are plentiful.

The Senate committee stated that medical research suggested that smoking marijuana may alleviate pain or other symptoms associated with certain medical conditions. Yet, there have been no studies conducted by the FDA to substantiate this claim.

In fact, the Greater North Jersey chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society weighed in on the issue in 2003, when, in its newsletter, it stated that "it is important for everyone to realize that we still do not have the necessary scientific information to determine the safety and efficacy of marijuana for medical use in MS."

Further, the Multiple Sclerosis Society's Information Sourcebook, which was last updated in 2005, advised that "based on studies to date, it is the opinion of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's Medical Advisory Board that there are currently insufficient data to recommend marijuana or its derivatives as a treatment for MS. Long-term use of marijuana may be associated with significant serious side effects."

New Jersey, like the other 13 states, is in the process of sidestepping the protocol for approving medications. Questions regarding the use and effectiveness of medicine are for the FDA to answer, not special-interest groups, not individuals and not the state Legislature.

I am sensitive to the pain that individuals endure from disease, but that does not make it appropriate to sanction the medical use of marijuana. The ends do not justify the means. The implications of this legislation are far-reaching, with an increased opportunity for abuse. In addition, I am not convinced that a secure system can be put into place that ensures the responsible production, delivery and monitoring of medical marijuana.

Allowing either the patient or their caregiver to possess six marijuana plants for harvesting, or creating alternative treatment centers to dispense this product should raise a red flag to those concerned with executing sound public policy. The average marijuana plant can produce anywhere from one to five pounds of smokeable materials per year, resulting in a total harvest of anywhere between six to 30 pounds of marijuana. Who will oversee its output and ensure that patients do not over-medicate, or that the excess production is not diverted to those who use marijuana for recreational purposes? I would argue that New Jersey is opening a Pandora's box by traveling down this road.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lists marijuana as a Schedule I drug as classified by the Controlled Substances Act, which defines drugs in this category as being the most restrictive for use due to their high potential for abuse and addictiveness. Products in this category are also found to have no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. It is not surprising that the DEA does not endorse the use of smoked marijuana for medical purposes.

What is troubling about this legislation is the message that it sends to our youth. I have seen firsthand the devastation that drugs and alcohol bring not only to the individual who uses these products, but to their families and friends, as well. We should not be in the position of trying to justify to young people that smoking marijuana under certain circumstances is permissible, but unlawful and harmful under others.

While we strive to be a compassionate society, there must be a balance between alleviating or managing pain and creating a system that potentially does more harm than good. The road that medical marijuana legislation is traveling is laden with potholes. There are too many unanswered questions regarding this serious public policy issue to justify its becoming law. And once the box is opened, it will be difficult to return its contents and close the lid if things do not work out.