Marijuana Dangers & Reefer Madness

Dr. Phillip Leveque has spent his life as a Combat Infantryman, Pharmacologist, Toxicologist and Physician.

Image courtesy: law.case.edu

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - I will be the first person to admit that I am very new at this computer toy/contraption. I am astonished at what is on it. Any computer gazer knows that I am an advocate for medical marijuana and that I have more than 4 thousand patients on it.

To discover what the opposition was, I punched up marijuana dangers. I was astonished to see there were 100 pages or 1000 postings and 500 of Marijuana Toxicity. It appears that at least 90% requoted the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) with the following “dangers”:

1. Trouble remembering things
2. Slowed reaction time
3. Difficulty concentrating
4. Sleepiness
5. Anxiety
6. Paranoia
7. Altered time perception
8. Bloodshot eyes.

I cannot perceive any of the above being dangerous but they added a few more:

1. Tremors
2. Nausea
3. Headache
4. Poor coordination
5. Breathing problems
6. Increased appetite
7. Decreased blood flow to the brain
8. Changes in reproductive organs

What really baffles me is that marijuana is used to treat many of those latter symptoms. However, if people were using NIDA controlled and distributed “floor sweepings marijuana” none of this would surprise me (it’s lousy). As far as any of these being dangerous, I invoke “Reefer Madness” by those publishing that garbage.

Even the U.S. Govt. prints that an estimated 80 million have used marijuana and possibly 15 million use it daily when they can get it. Any harm?

The greatest danger of marijuana is arrest by the scotch drinking cops and DEA agents which is over 800 thousand people in the United States. *

At the same time Alcohol, a legal drug, causes more problems and kills hundreds of thousands per year. Tobacco, another legal drug, may be even more dangerous. Tobacco tars kill with a slow and agonizing death by lung cancer.

Comparing this to cannabis/marijuana which has NEVER killed anyone is the worst part of Reefer Madness. What were those actors smoking? It could have been NIDA weed.

* Police arrested an estimated 872,720 persons for cannabis violations in 2007, the highest annual total ever recorded in the United States, according to statistics compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Of those charged with cannabis violations, approximately 89 percent, 775,137 Americans were charged with possession only. An American is now arrested for violating cannabis laws every 38 seconds. (For more information see: DrugSense.org)

Got a question or comment for Dr. Leveque?
Email him: Newsroom@Salem-News.com

More information on the history of Dr. Leveque can be found in his book, General Patton's Dogface Soldier of WWII about his own experiences "from a foxhole".
Order the book by mail by following this link: Dogface Soldier

If you are a World War II history buff, you don't want to miss it.

Watch for more streaming video question and answer segments about medical marijuana with Bonnie King and Dr. Phil Leveque.

Click on this link for other articles and video segments about PTSD and medical marijuana on Salem-News.com:
Dr. Leveque INTERVIEWS & ARTICLES

Salem-News.com Marijuana Coverage

Where and How to Smoke Legal Marijuana without Fear of Arrest in the U.S.

Eulogy of a Great Warrior: Hoss Plourde

The Ripple Effect How Marijuana Laws Are Impacting Society

Audit the Audit

Welcome Home, Tom

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Buffalo Bill February 9, 2009 3:59 pm (Pacific time)

You are absolutely correct! There was a study out today about how marijuana gives you testicular cancer. Guess what, it was funded by NIDA. If you read the study, you can tell that it is more "Reefer Madness".

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ChrisJones February 3, 2009 4:12 pm (Pacific time)

Keep up the good fight Leveque! Plants are not evil.

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