What The Experts Say About Marijuana

U.S. Code - Federal Law
Marijuana is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Schedule I drugs are classified as having a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.

Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
FDA has not approved marijuana for medical use in the United States.

Glaucoma Research Foundation
"There are 400 different chemicals in marijuana, some of which may be damaging. Moderately long-term studies have shown that cannabis has no proven effect on glaucoma."

American Lung Association
Marijuana smoke contains a greater amount of carcinogen than tobacco smoke. Marijuana use is not only associated with adverse physical effects, but also mental, emotional and behavioral changes.

National Multiple Sclerosis Society
There is a very real need for additional therapies to treat stubborn and often painful symptoms of MS. However, based on the studies to date -- and the fact that long-term use of marijuana may be associated with significant, serious side effects -- 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 symptoms. Research is continuing to determine if there is a possible role for marijuana or its derivatives in the treatment of MS. In the meantime, other well tested, FDA-approved drugs are available (including baclofen and tizanidine) to reduce spasticity in MS.

Harvard University:
Harvard University researchers report that the risk of a heart attack is five times higher than usual in the hour after smoking marijuana.

The American Cancer Society
"There are some reasons to think that marijuana smoking might increase lung cancer risk. Many of the cancer-causing substances in tobacco are also found in marijuana. Marijuana contains more tar than cigarettes. (Tar is the sticky, solid material that remains after burning, which is thought to contain most of the harmful substances in smoke.)"

American Academy of Pediatrics
"...any change in the legal status of marijuana, even if limited to adults, could affect the prevalence of use among adolescents.." "From a public health perspective, even a small increase in use, whether attributable to increased availability or decreased perception of risk, would have significant ramifications."

American Medical Association
"Cannabis is a dangerous drug and a public health concern. In virtually all societies where it has been extensively used, sanctions against both users and distributors have been necessary." Marijuana smoking, like tobacco smoking, may be associated with increased risk of lung cancer. Source: PDF

Mayo Clinic
"It's possible to develop a psychological addiction to cannabis compounds including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in marijuana and hashish. People who have a marijuana addiction generally use the drug on a daily basis..

Notable Quotes

Burning leaves as a drug delivery system:
Dr. Robert DuPont, former director of NIDA

"There is no acceptable role in modern medicine for using burning leaves as a drug delivery system because smoke is inherently unhealthy."

Marijuana use by students:
Rev. Dr. D. Stuart Dunnan, Headmaster of Saint James School in St. James, Maryland,

"The chemical effect of marijuana is to take away ambition. The social effect is to provide an escape from challenges and responsibilities with a like-minded group of teenagers who are doing the same thing. Using marijuana creates losers. At a time when we're concerned about our lack of academic achievement relative to other countries, legalizing marijuana will be disastrous."

Source: Heritage.org