COULD ONE PLANT SAVE THE EARTH?

By Howard Anshell
What if you could wave a magic wand and come up with a single plant that
could help save the rain forests, power our cars cheaply, reduce pollution
drastically, and preserve the precious knowledge that is crumbling away in
libraries throughout the world?
Sounds far-fetched, doesn't it?
What if that very same plant could help ease the suffering of cancer
patients, and actually prevent certain kinds of blindness? What if it could
even feed the world's starving peoples more efficiently than any current food
source, and clothe them in materials that would last far longer than what they
now wear?
If this all sounds like a fairy tale to you, let me tell you right now that
no magic wand is necessary. A plant that can do all these things, and more,
exists right now and grows in virtually every country of the world. That plant
is Hemp -- Cannabis, known in the U.S. primarily as the intoxicant Marijuana.
Most people are aware that, in our passion for paper goods, we have cut down
too many trees already. Terrible damage has been done to the earth's fragile
environment, particularly the vital rain forests of the world. A great deal
of this destruction is caused by the world's ever-growing need for paper
products. Not only are trees -- which supply a great deal of the oxygen we
breathe -- being chopped down, but it takes tons of toxic chemicals to turn
the pulp of these trees into paper.
Ironically, the paper we have so diligently plundered our planet for is
basically temporary. It is disintegrating so rapidly that libraries and
universities all over the world are warning of the consequences. What is
needed, then, is a source of pulp fiber that is cheaper, less polluting, and
more durable than wood. Hemp is that fiber, and it's annually renewable.
As a matter of fact, hemp was the source of much of the world's paper until
this century. Most people don't know it, but the original draft of the
Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper. Later, it was copied
onto parchment for the final draft, but the hemp draft still exists more than
200 years later. Many books even older than that, printed on hemp paper, are
still in existence today, whereas wood paper dissolves in less than a single
century.
But what of the cost? Is hemp cheaper to produce than wood paper? An
acre of hemp can produce as much pulp as four acres of trees. Furthermore,
the growing of hemp does not deplete the soil in the same manner as trees.
Hemp can be grown annually, whereas trees take decades to replace. And hemp
requires only one fifth of the chemicals to turn the same amount of pulp into
paper. Thus, much of our irreplaceable rain forests could be left standing.
The hemp plant's own natural production of oxygen, and the fact that it grows
easily in many adverse climates, would help to reverse global warming. The
oil extracted from hemp seeds can also be used to replace potentially
dangerous linseed oil as a base for paint. Hemp could help to alleviate the
"Greenhouse Effect" and cut water pollution. Hemp is also an extremely
efficient plant to use for biomass instead of corn, the most popular source
of biomass today; it can yield as much as eight times the methanol. In our
search for cleaner fuels, methanol has been the most promising, but it
currently costs more than gasoline. If hemp methanol could cut costs by that
much, it would make the cleaner fuel cheaper so more people would use it. Hemp
could help reduce auto emissions.
Furthermore, hemp fiber can be used to make clothing. As with paper, hemp
was, until this century, one of the primary sources of cloth, from the coarsest
canvas (which was named after Cannabis) to the finest silk-like garments.
There are still a few countries in the world which use hemp fiber for clothes;
its durability is over 20 times greater than that of cotton.
Perhaps even more astonishing is the seed of the Cannabis plant. It is a
more efficient source of protein than the soybean. Mass production of hemp
seeds alone could do a lot toward easing the tragedy of hunger. Hemp seeds
can be made into a nutritious porridge, brewed into a tea, sprouted, or even
used for animal feed. Hemp could help feed and clothe the world's starving
children.
Since the hemp plant is a weed which easily grows where most other plants,
especially food crops, wither, it is an ideal plant to use in efforts to
refoliate arid land and to retain topsoil. Hemp can help fight drought.
If you're an environmentalist, or just care about solving the world's
ecological problems, you should support efforts to legalize cannabis-hemp
for industrial purposes.
But there is another important use for the Cannabis plant, and the fact
that our government is blocking this use should encourage every single
American. I am speaking of the important and immediate medical relif that
hemp can provide. Cannabis has been used as herbal medicine for a myriad
of conditions throughout world history. right now, in particular, we know
of at least two extremely serious situations in which marijuana is the most
effective medicine available. The first concerns cancer patients. Modern
treatments for many kinds of cancer often involve the use of chemotherapy
in order to kill or reduce the cancer. An unfortunate side effect of
chemotherapy is that it causes severe nausea in the patient. Even Marinol,
the government's synthesized THC drug, has to be swallowed to be administered,
and the hardest thing for someone with severe nausea to do is to swallow
something! For that matter, even when Marinol can be used, it is relatively
ineffective; although THC is the primary active ingredient in Cannabis, it
is augmented by dozens of other active ingredients, mixed as only Mother
Nature can, each of which contributes to the overall effect. Only actual
marijuana can help these people -- it alone relieves the feeling of nausea.
Sometimes it even actually stimulates their appetites, enabling them to
gain the considerable advantage of regular nourishment. Some AIDS patients
can benefit similarly. The other medical use of Cannabis that is widely
known is as a treatment to prevent the advance of glaucoma, a disease of
pressure in the eyes, which ranks among the leading causes of blindness.
Many glaucoma patients do not respond to other methods of therapy, and for
them, pot is the only thing standing between them and the loss of their
eyesight!
NORML -- the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws --
has already fought for the right of cancer patients and glaucoma sufferers
to use medical marijuana. They have even won a court case in the Drug
Enforcement Agency's own courts; a DEA judge decided that marijuana should
be reclassified as a recognized medicine, so that thousands of people who so
desperately need it can obtain it legally and under controlled conditions.
Unfortunately, the bureaucrats of the DEA have refused the judge's request
to reclassify it, thus adding needlessly to the suffering of untold numbers
of people who are already going through the agony of these diseases. Patients
are forced to obtain the one drug that helps them illegally. The DEA's spurious
reasoning is that letting anyone smoke marijuana, even for medical reasons,
sets a bad example for young people.
This kind of callousness is absolutely unconscionable.
What kind of "example" is it for kids to see that a government agency
does not act to save people from dying or going blind, when a mere stroke
of the pen could prolong thousands of lives?
Is it a better "example", then, to be more concerned with how things might
appear than with the real suffering of real people?
Out of all the cancer patients and all the glaucoma patients that exist
in this country, there are, as of this writing, only five certified legal
users. Five! Inaction and red tape on the part of the DEA, largely fueled
by ignorance and myth, have stymied the efforts to aid all the rest of these
thousands of chronically and terminally ill patients, while ignoring even more
who suffer from other diseases that marijuana could help treat. No one has
ever been known to have died from an overdose of pot.
We should not stand for it! How can this continue in the U.S.A.?
Whether or not you think marijuana should be allowed to be smoked for
personal pleasure -- and that's a whole other story -- we should all stand up
for those who need it as medicine. We can help those who need this relief
today, and at the same time help to heal the earth's ecosystem.
Write or call your State and Federal Representatives and Senators and tell
them how Hemp can help the environment. Moreover, demand that marijuana be
made legally available for doctors to prescribe. Or, write to NORML, and we
will forward your letters to the people who need to see them.
And join NORML!
(Reprinted from Vol. 3 No. 118 (1991) of The Truth Seeker, Box 2832, San
Diego, CA 92112 USA, send $1 for sample issue.)
-------------------
Here's a list of national/local contacts in the Hemp Movement for more
information or to get involved:
N.O.R.M.L.
1636 "B" Street, NW, #3
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 483-5500
Colorado N.O.R.M.L.
137 W. County Line Road #500
Littleton, Co 80215
(303) 470-1100
Hemp information, lawyer referal, lots of other info.
Hemp Initiative Project
Jon Baraga
1015 S. Gaylord # 181
Denver, Co 80209
(303) 470-1100 ext. 511
They need petitioners for the 1992 Colorado Hemp Initiative.
No More Drug War Foundation
P.O. Box 18780
Denver, Co 80218
Rocky Mountain Hemp Network
Connie Barr-Rowe
P.O. Box 150804
Lakewood, CO 80215
(303) 239-6410 or 470-1100 ext. 611 (leave msg)
General Hemp info., coalition of people with illnesses requiring hemp
for medicine. Lots of legal hemp products such as clothing, nutritional
hemp products, etc.
Sustainable Futures
Auga Das, director
(303) 470-1100 ext. 711
Your one-stop shop for hemp-seed oil, hemp-seed cake, instructional
hemp videos.
Auraria Hemp Club
Student Union Building Room 230-C, Meets every Monday 3:30-5:00 PM
Headed up by a knowledgable herbalist, lots of good info and videos.
Hemp Educational Media Productions
Rt. 7, Box 373
Golden, Co 80403
Hemp videos, information, activism.
San Diego County N.O.R.M.L.
Box 171396
San Diego, CA 92197
(619) 571-0088
.END
COULD ONE PLANT SAVE THE EARTH?
By Howard Anshell
What if you could wave a magic wand and come up with a single
plant that could help save the rain forests, power our cars
cheaply, reduce pollution drastically, and preserve the precious
knowledge that is crumbling away in libraries throughout the
world?
Sounds far-fetched, doesn't it?
What if that very same plant could help ease the suffering of
cancer patients, and actually prevent certain kinds of blindness?
What if it could even feed the world's starving peoples more
efficiently than any current food source, and clothe them in
materials that would last far longer than what they now wear?
If this all sounds like a fairy tale to you, let me tell you
right now that no magic wand is necessary. A plant that can do
all these things, and more, exists right now and grows in
virtually every country of the world. That plant is Hemp --
Cannabis, known in the U.S. primarily as the intoxicant
Marijuana. Most people are aware that, in our passion for paper
goods, we have cut down too many trees already. Terrible damage
has been done to the earth's fragile environment, particularly
the vital rain forests of the world. A great deal of this
destruction is caused by the world's ever-growing need for paper
products. Not only are trees -- which supply a great deal of the
oxygen we breathe -- being chopped down, but it takes tons of
toxic chemicals to turn the pulp of these trees into paper.
Ironically, the paper we have so diligently plundered our
planet for is basically temporary. It is disintegrating so
rapidly that
libraries and
universities all over the world are warning of the consequences.
What is needed, then, is a source of pulp fiber that is cheaper,
less polluting, and more durable than wood. Hemp is that fiber,
and it's annually renewable. As a matter of fact, hemp was the
source of much of the world's paper until this century. Most
people don't know it, but the original draft of the Declaration
of Independence was written on hemp paper. Later, it was copied
onto parchment for the final draft, but the hemp draft still
exists more than 200 years later. Many books even older than
that, printed on hemp paper, are still in existence today,
whereas wood paper dissolves in less than a single century.
But what of the cost? Is hemp cheaper to produce than wood
paper? An acre of hemp can produce as much pulp as four acres of
trees. Furthermore, the growing of hemp does not deplete the
soil in the same manner as trees. Hemp can be grown annually,
whereas trees take decades to replace. And hemp requires only
one fifth of the chemicals to turn the same amount of pulp into
paper. Thus, much of our irreplaceable rain forests could be
left standing. The hemp plant's own natural production of oxygen,
and the fact that it grows easily in many adverse climates, would
help to reverse global warming. The oil extracted from hemp
seeds can also be used to replace
potentially
dangerous linseed oil as a base for paint. Hemp could help to
alleviate the "Greenhouse Effect" and cut water pollution. Hemp
is also an extremely efficient plant to use for biomass instead
of corn, the most popular source of biomass today; it can yield
as much as eight times the methanol. In our search for cleaner
fuels, methanol has been the most promising, but it currently
costs more than gasoline. If hemp methanol could cut costs by
that much, it would make the cleaner fuel cheaper so more people
would use it. Hemp could help reduce auto emissions.
Furthermore, hemp fiber can be used to make clothing. As with
paper, hemp was, until this century, one of the primary sources
of cloth, from the coarsest canvas (which was named after
Cannabis) to the finest silk-like garments. There are still a few
countries in the world which use hemp fiber for clothes; its
durability is over 20 times greater than that of cotton.
Perhaps even more astonishing is the seed of the Cannabis plant.
It is a
more efficient source of protein than the soybean. Mass
production of hemp seeds alone could do a lot toward easing the
tragedy of hunger. Hemp seeds can be made into a nutritious
porridge, brewed into a tea,
sprouted, or even
used for animal feed. Hemp could help feed and clothe the
world's starving children.
Since the hemp plant is a weed which easily grows where most
other plants, especially food crops, wither, it is an ideal plant
to use in efforts to refoliate arid land and to retain topsoil.
Hemp can help fight drought. If you're an environmentalist, or
just care about solving the world's ecological problems, you
should support efforts to legalize cannabis-hemp for industrial
purposes.
But there is another important use for the Cannabis plant, and
the fact that our government is blocking this use should
encourage every single American. I am speaking of the important
and immediate medical relief that hemp can provide. Cannabis has
been used as herbal medicine for a myriad of conditions
throughout world history. Right now, in particular, we know of
at least two extremely serious situations in which marijuana is
the most effective medicine available. The first concerns cancer
patients. Modern treatments for many kinds of cancer often
involve the use of chemotherapy in order to kill or reduce the
cancer. An unfortunate side effect of chemotherapy is that it
causes severe nausea in the patient. Even Marinol, the
government's synthesized THC drug, has to be swallowed to be
administered, and the hardest thing for someone with severe
nausea to do is to swallow something! For that matter, even when
Marinol can be used, it is relatively ineffective; although THC
is the primary active ingredient in Cannabis, it is augmented by
dozens of other active ingredients, mixed as only Mother Nature
can, each of which contributes to the overall effect. Only
actual marijuana can help these people -- it alone relieves the
feeling of nausea. Sometimes it even actually stimulates their
appetites, enabling them to gain the considerable advantage of
regular nourishment. Some AIDS patients can benefit similarly.
The other medical use of Cannabis that is widely known is as a
treatment to prevent the advance of glaucoma, a disease of
pressure in the eyes, which ranks among the leading causes of
blindness. Many glaucoma patients do not respond to other methods
of therapy, and for them, pot is the only thing standing between
them and the loss of their eyesight!
NORML -- the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana
Laws --has already fought for the right of cancer patients and
glaucoma sufferers to use medical marijuana. They have even won
a court case in the Drug Enforcement Agency's own courts; a DEA
judge decided that marijuana should be reclassified as a
recognized medicine, so that thousands of people who so
desperately need it can obtain it legally and under controlled
conditions. Unfortunately, the bureaucrats of the DEA have
refused the judge's request to reclassify it, thus adding
needlessly to the suffering of untold numbers of people who are
already going through the agony of these
diseases. Patients
are forced to obtain the one drug that helps them illegally. The
DEA's spurious reasoning is that letting anyone smoke marijuana,
even for medical reasons, sets a bad example for young people.
This kind of callousness is absolutely unconscionable.
What kind of "example" is it for kids to see that a government
agency does not act to save people from dying or going blind,
when a mere stroke of the pen could prolong thousands of lives?
Is it a better "example", then, to be more concerned with how
things might appear than with the real suffering of real people?
Out of all the cancer patients and all the glaucoma patients
that exist in this country, there are, as of this writing, only
five certified legal users. Five! Inaction and red tape on the
part of the DEA, largely fueled by ignorance and myth, have
stymied the efforts to aid all the rest of these thousands of
chronically and terminally ill patients, while ignoring even more
who suffer from other diseases that marijuana could help treat.
No one has ever been known to have died from an overdose of pot.
We should not stand for it! How can this continue in the
U.S.A.? Whether or not you think marijuana should be allowed
to be smoked for personal pleasure -- and that's a whole other
story -- we should all stand up for those who need it as
medicine. We can help those who need this relief today, and at
the same time help to heal the earth's ecosystem. Write or
call your State and Federal Representatives and Senators and tell
them how Hemp can help the environment. Moreover, demand that
marijuana be made legally available for doctors to prescribe.
Or, write to NORML, and we will forward your letters to the
people who need to see them. And join NORML!
(Reprinted from Vol. 3 No. 118 (1991) of The Truth Seeker, Box
2832, San Diego, CA 92112 USA, send $1 for sample issue.)
-------------------
Here's a list of national/local contacts in the Hemp Movement for
more information or to get involved:
N.O.R.M.L.
1636 "B" Street, NW, #3
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 483-5500
Colorado N.O.R.M.L.
137 W. County Line Road #500
Littleton, Co 80215
(303) 470-1100
Hemp information, lawyer referral, lots of other info.
Hemp Initiative Project
Jon Baraga
1015 S. Gaylord # 181
Denver, Co 80209
(303) 470-1100 ext. 511
They need petitioners for the 1992 Colorado Hemp Initiative. No
More Drug War Foundation
P.O. Box 18780
Denver, Co 80218
Rocky Mountain Hemp Network
Connie Barr-Rowe
P.O. Box 150804
Lakewood, CO 80215
(303) 239-6410 or 470-1100 ext. 611 (leave msg)
General Hemp info., coalition of people with illnesses requiring
hemp for medicine. Lots of legal hemp products such as clothing,
nutritional hemp products, etc.
Sustainable Futures
Auga Das, director
(303) 470-1100 ext. 711
Your one-stop shop for hemp-seed oil, hemp-seed cake,
instructional hemp videos.
Auraria Hemp Club (Fastest Growing Club on Campus.)
Student Union Building Room 230-C, Meets every Monday 3:30-5:00
PM Headed up by a knowledgeable herbalist, lots of good info and
videos.
Hemp Educational Media Productions
Rt. 7, Box 373
Golden, Co 80403
Hemp videos, information, activism.
HEMPwear, etc.
1090 S Wadsworth Unit D
Lakewood, Co
Colorado's first Hemp-only emporium...hemp-clothing, fabric &
textiles;Hemp-seed-oil and nutritional products;Hemp
bracelets,etc., including Jack Herer's "The Emperor Wears No
Clothes"...the book that spawned the 90's HEMP Movement, 188p,
extensively footnoted/documented.
H.E.M.P. (Help End Marijuana Prohibition)
5632 Van Nuys Blvd.,Suite 210
Van Nuys, CA 91401 (213) 392-1806
Business Alliance for Commerce in Hemp (BACH)
P.O. Box 71093
Los Angeles, CA 90071-0093 (213) 288-4152
information on getting started in the legal hemp
business;economic information on hemp. Extensive information on
the 50,000 commercial products which can be made from hemp.
Hemp Institute
P.O. Box 65130
St. Paul, MN 97204
(612) 222-2628
Cannabis Action Network
P.O. Box 54528
Lexington, KY 40555
Drug Policy Foundation
4801 Mass Ave. NW #400
Washington DC 20016-2078
(202) 895-1634
American Hemp Council
P.O. Box 71093
Los Angeles, CA 90071-0093
(213) 288-4152
T.E.A.C.H.(Therapeutic & Ecological Applications of Cannabis
Hemp) 2833 Frankford Ave.,
Panama City, FL 32405 (904) 763-6812
Medical information, Petition for Herbal & Medical Rights to
immediately end federal and state prohibition of herbal and
medical use of cannabis sativa(l), also known as hemp.
Family Council on Drug Awareness (FCDA)
Box 71093
Los Angeles, CA 90071-0093 (213) 288-4512
Many educational pamphlets, including "10 Things You Should Know
About Marijuana...", "Marijuana & Christianity", "10 Things Every
Parent, Teenager & Teacher Should Know About Marijuana...",
"Marijuana & The Bible", etc. @ 30 cents apiece.
Freedom Fighters c/o
High Times, 211 E. 43rd St
New York, New York 10017

DIRECTORY OF B.A.C.H. REPRESENTATIVES

NATIONAL OFFICE: 213/288-4152
POB 71093, LA CA 90071-0093
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Ucluelet: Chris Bennett 604/726-7239
Vancouver:Charles Crossland 604/874-5435
Paul DeFelice 604/229-4338
CALIFORNIA
Los Angeles:Chris Conrad 213/288-4152
Fresno:Chuck Corcoran 209/277-1319
San Francisco:Peter King 415/826-0787
San Diego:John Storey 619/274-0034
Santa Cruz:Roland Wilson 408/423-4974
Arcata:Aaron Rose 707/442-8689
Sacramento:Matthew Russell 916/444-0718
GEORGIA
Atlanta:Kathy Alterman 404/928-0827
James Bell 404/739-1870
HAWAII
Hilo:Roger Christie 808/969-9712
IOWA
Des Moines:Carl Olsen 515/243-7351
KENTUCKY
Louisville:Randy Davis 502/895-7757
LOUISIANA
New Orleans:Gary Kohibach 504/899-8417
MAINE
Lincoln:Collin Stuart 207/794-6941
MASSACHUSETTS
Pittsfield:David Estrom 413/443-4957
MICHIGAN
Kalamazoo:Carl Stelter 616/372-7208
MINNESOTA
St.Paul:John Birrenbach 612/222-2628
MISSISSIPPI
Jackson:Chris Donovan 601/355-4920
NEW JERSEY
Stanton:Sally Miller 908/236-2048
NEW YORK
Buffalo:Marilyn Craig 716/873-0255
Staten Island:Ross Elakman 718/273-5649
OKLAHOMA
Tulsa:Michael Thompson 918/775-6041
OREGON
Portland:Patty Collins 503/289-9298
Steve Orgel 503/236-9231...232-1128
Eugene:Cat Hecate 503/485-3579
SOUTH DAKOTA
Alexandria:K.C.Hague 605/996-0086
SOUTH CAROLINA
Ft.Mills:Richard Wetzel 803/548-4768
Claude Moore 803/474-2192
TENNESSEE
Pulaski:Kenny Breeding 615/565-3898
TEXAS
Austin:Tom Thacker 512/825-3317
VIRGINIA
Crewe:Sandy Hayer 804/645-8816
WASHINGTON
Seattle:Mike Miller 206/481-8830
SOURCES OF LEGAL,NON-SMOKING HEMP PRODUCTS
Hemp Textiles,Clothing:
(Free sample w/$10 donation to BACH)
BACH POB 71093, LA CA 90071-0093
Stoned Wear(tm) Division of Sativa Creations, Inc
Order Line: 1-800-544-0577 x 13 (Dealer Inquires Welcome)
Joint Venture Hempery 604/737-8539
POB 2006 Main Stn.
Vancouver BC Canada V6B 3P8
Hemptek Industries 619/436-7835
POB 27809 Dept HT-4C
San Diego, CA 92198-1809
Kashiri Dyeworks 415/647-5046
Berkeley, CA 94704
Hemp Twine:
(Free sample w/$10 donation to BACH)
Wholesale:
Schermerhorn 213/946-8366 (120 twine balls/carton $72)
POB 3885
S.F.Springs,CA 90670
Norman Supply Co.(#60 Parcel Twine and Spring Twine)
818/349-3120
18709 Napa St.
Northridge,CA 91324
Sterile Hemp Seed:
(Free sample w/$10 donation to BACH)
Wholesale/Retail:
Elmwood Pet Supply
706 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo, NY 14222
Bloomington Pets, CA 714/877-5391
Elliot Pets Supply, CA 714/824-5011
Minn-Dak Ltd, MN 701/746-7453
Hemp Fiber:
Twinrocker Papermaking Supplies 317/563-3119
POB 413, Brookston, IN 47923
Danforth Int. Trade 203/668-7486
3156 Rt. 88, Point Pleasant, NJ 08792
CNNP&ABP Import Export Corp:Henan Native Produce Branch
(Chinese Hemp sacks, yarn, and rope
No.69 Wenhua Rd., Zhengzhou, China. Tel. 33582, Telex:46047 HNTPB
CN
HEMP RESOURCES:
BACH
Cambridge Pharmaceutical Laboratories, Inc. 617/864-6660
POB 748 Cambridge, MA 02139
H.E.M.P. 213/392-1806...818/377-5886
House of Hemp 503/232-1128
POB 14603/2111 E. Burnside St.
Portland, OR 97204 FAX:503/232-0239
Institute for Hemp 612/222-2628
POB 65130, St.Paul,MN 55165
Key Fiber Co. 415/647-5046
NORML 202/483-5500
NORMLColorado 303/470-1100
Nature's Way Hempery 201/291-1619
Sampler $10
San Diego County N.O.R.M.L.
Box 171396
San Diego, CA 92197
(619) 571-0088
What The Law Says:
Custom Regulations of the United States, Official U S Custom
House Guide, 1987. Marijuana Statutory Provisions
Sec. 302.58-CR-360.(a)MARIHUANA. The term 'marihuana' means all
parts of the plant Cannabis sativa(l.), whether growing or
not,the seeds thereof,the resin extracted from any part of such
plant:and every compound,manufacture,salt,derivative,mixture or
preparation of such plant,its seeds or resin;BUT SHALL NOT
INCLUDE the mature stalks(except the resin extracted
therefrom),fiber, oil or cake or the STERILIZED seed of such
plant, which is incapable of
germination.[Controlled Substances Act USFDA (1970) Chapt.
22,Sec. 802-15.]
5 Things you can do RIGHT NOW to help legalize hemp/marijuana
1. Talk about hemp/marijuana today to friends, family, co-workers
and everybody. Just say you think hemp/marijuana should be made
legal again. You'll be amazed at how many agree. Talk about
medical marijuana, free choice and non-smoking commercial hemp
(rope, paper, fabric, fuel, oil, food, etc.). Be proud of what
you believe. This is America. Remember, you're in good company:
Both Washington & Jefferson were hemp farmers. People needing
legal help should call NORML.
2. Photocopy Literature to pass out and send with your letters.
Always keep it handy. You never know who or when somebody will
want it. Give it out at meetings, events, campuses, etc.
3. Write letters to your elected officials (see scripts below),
newspapers, magazines, TV & radio stations. Be brief. Be clear.
Don't mix issues. Better yet, write at least one letter every
month, and every time there is an editorial or commentary on
marijuana or "drugs." Respond to articles and events or just
state your opinion. They'll read it, even if they don't publish
it. 4. Help out a local group. Come to meetings. Make phone
calls, do office work, fold and mail literature, etc. Share your
special skills (like computer, data entry, research, speaking,
organizing, art and other talents.) If there is no group, start
one. It's easier than you think. The groups listed at the bottom
of this page are glad to help.
5. Donate money to active groups like NORML, BACH, HEMP, the
American Hemp Council, Freedom Fighters and others. Contribute
supplies or postage. All groups need access to free or cheap
printing service. Donate books and magazine subscriptions to
schools and libraries, maybe even buy an ad or billboard space to
get out the message. It's better to spend a little money now to
re-legalize hemp/marijuana than a lot of money later to stay out
of jail.
Whatever you do, Start Doing It Right Away! Studies show that if
you don't get started within a day or two, you might not ever get
around to it, and we have to act today to build the momentum we
need to re-legalize hemp/marijuana tomorrow.
 Letter/phone scripts:
President Bush
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW,
Washington DC 20050
(or)
Senator___________________:
Senate Office Bldg.,
Washington,DC 20510
(or)
Representative____________:
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear_________________________,
Please take whatever action is necessary to legalize
personal use of marijuana and see to it that everyone who needs
it for medicine receives it immediately.
Also, you must know that the barriers to commercial use of
hemp for paper, fabrics, fuel and so on hurt our economy, and
must be removed immediately. It just doesn't make any sense to
punish farmers and people whose businesses don't have anything to
do with drugs at all.

Sincerely,

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+
State Senator___________________:
State Senate
200 East Colfax Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80203
(or)
Representative:__________________:
House of Representatives
200 East Colfax Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80203
Dear_____________________________:
Please act immediately to legalize personal use of marijuana
and see to it that everyone who needs it for medicine receives it
immediately.
Also, you must realize that the barriers to non-drug,
commercial use of hemp for paper, fabrics, fuel, and so on, hurt
our businesses and the state economy. They must be removed
immediately, because if other states do this before we do,
Colorado will lose its competitive edge in bringing in new
businesses and the jobs and tax revenues that come with it.
In addition, it is a waste of tax money to enforce
prohibition laws when we have so much real crime to deal with.
You say you are for a strong Colorado and America. Well, do
something about.
Sincerely,
=================================================================

Phone Script: Hello, by name is____________________and I'm

calling to register my opinion with (Senator, Representative,
etc.)_________________. I think it's time to re-legalize personal
use of marijuana and see to it that everyone who needs it as
medicine receives it immediately.
Laws that block commercial use of hemp for paper, fabrics
fuel and so on hurt our economy and the environment. They should
be completely eliminated. It doesn't make sense to punish
American Farmers and people whose businesses don't have anything
to do with drugs. I want to know what (Sen.,Rep.,etc.)
____________________ is doing about this problem.(Give them your
address and ask for a written reply.)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--==-=-
=-
Here's a list of local organizations which are glad to help you
get involved:
NORML Colorado
137 West County Line Road #500
Littleton, Co 80126
303/470-1100
Rocky Mountain Hemp Network
470-1100 x 611
Hemp Initiative Project
470-1100 x 511
Great Tee-shirts, need volunteers for Ballot Initiative Drive
This is the Colorado Hemp Information Hotline. Simply dial from
your touch-tone phone, and punch in the desired extension for tons
of great recorded information. Of particular interest is a 10
minute recording of Hugh Downs ABC 20/20 broadcast about the many
uses of commercial hemp for paper,fiber,fuel,medicine,food, etc.
Also contains a brief summary of the 1937 conspiracy which led to
the current hemp prohibition.(ext.477)
From your touch-tone phone dial: 303/470-1100 for Hemp Info +
desired extension:
Ext. Message:
111.......Initial Greeting
123.......Person with AIDS Speaks Out On Hemp
124.......Leave YOUR "War On Hemp" Horror Story
222.......FAX Mailbox
411.......Information
422.......How To Leave A Message
423.......How To Send A FAX
424.......How To Receive Our FAX Newsletter
431.......An Introduction To NORML
441.......How To Get Involved
*442.......How To Join NORML-Colorado
*443.......Coming Events
444.......Chapter Mailing Address
445.......National Office Information
446.......Legislative Alert Signup
447.......Other Organizations
 448.......Recommended Reading
449.......Chapter Meetings
451.......Current News
452.......Marijuana and Medicine
453.......The HEMP Patrol
454.......Colorado RoundUp
456.......WECOF:Freedom Fighter Radio Network
461.......Legal Information
462.......Lawyer Referral
463.......State Laws
464.......Urine Testing
471.......Hemp Information
472.......Marijuana And Health
473.......Fuel & Energy
474.......Paper
475.......Fiber
476.......Food & Seed Products
*477.......Hugh Downs' ABC 20/20 Program On Hemp
481.......General Information
491......."The Emperor Wears No Clothes" By Jack Herer
492.......High Times Magazine
511.......Hemp Initiative Project-Leave A Message
512.......Hemp Initiative Project:Legalize in '92!
611.......Rocky Mountain Hemp Network
711.......Colorado Made Legal Hemp Products (Oils,Foods,etc.)
IT'S TIME TO TAX HEMP!
Look at The Denver Post--Oct. 18.1991
*"$48 million, 366 jobs hit by state budget ax"
*"As many as 7,000 more layoffs by 1998"
*"Higher education funding shaved by 3%"
*"Gov. Romer advocates tax increase for education"
*Youthful offenders face more overcrowding,less help"
*"$200 million education shortfall only months away"
*"$4 million cut from State Department of Health"
Colorado taxes alcohol, tobacco, lottery, and gambling, BUT ONLY
DRUG KINGPINS MAKE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PROFITS ON
MARIJUANA SALES!
The government's war on hemp has turned millions of law-abiding
Americans into criminals with the stroke of a pen. As a result,
America now has the HIGHEST number of prisoners per capita than any
other nation on earth! Advocates of Omnibus Crime Bill pending in
Congress promise to DOUBLE the number of prisoners in the next 20
years! Will we continue to build prisons instead of schools,
subsidize deadly tobacco while we criminalize harmless hemp, waste
hundreds of millions of tax dollars on police arresting marijuana
users while essential services are cut?
Facts About Hemp:
*Hemp is the oldest known cultivated plant on Earth, grown for over
12,000 years.
*George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp for medicine,
food and fiber.
*The Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence were
written on paper made from hemp.
*Hemp is a medicinal herb effective in
treating:glaucoma,epilepsy,migraines,AIDS wasting syndrome
Chemotherapy side effects, MS, MD, Anorexia, etc
*One acre of hemp produces 4.1 times the amount of paper as one
 acre of trees and with far less pollution.
*Half the world's trees are cut down for paper.These trees are
needed to replenish the ozone layer.
*Hemp seed is second only to soy beans in percentage of protein.
Diesel engines run on hemp seed oil.
*Hemp prohibition is an attempt by petrochemical and pharmaceutical
monopolies to eliminate the world's premier renewable resource for
medicine,food,fuel,fiber,paper,and energy.
*Read"The Emperor Wears No Clothes" By Jack Herer for the
authoritative historical record on hemp.
Get Involved. Join NORML! Call Our Free Hempline 303/470-1100. Hear
more about the Colorado Hemp Initiative. Call 470-1100 then press
512.To Volunteer to become a Petitioner for the Hemp Initiative
Project press 511 and leave a message. We only need 50,000
signatures to get hemp on the November '92 ballot! We can do it!
55% of Coloradans favor re-legalization now! Wait until they learn
the truth about hemp for paper-fiber-fuel-food-medicine!
How Dangerous is Marijuana Compared to Other Substances?
# of Deaths Per Year
Tobacco................................340,000 to 425,000
Alcohol................................150,000+
Aspirin................................180 to 1,000
'Legal'Drug Overdoses..................14,000 to 27,000
MARIJUANA..............................0
(Figures from 1988 federal Bureau of Mortality Statistics)
"Prohibition...goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts
to control a man's appetite by legislation and make a crime out of
things that are not crimes...A prohibition law strikes a blow at
the very principles upon which our government was founded."
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, December 1840
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Please print this and make copies...pass it on to friends...Post
copies on public bulletin boards in supermarkets, laundromats, etc.
And upload it to every BBS you can! Let's spread the word about
hemp!
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DEBATING MARIJUANA LAW: The most common arguments against ending
marijuana prohibition are as easy to refute as they are to
summarize:
1. Marijuana alters consciousness.
2. We have so much trouble with alcohol, tobacco and bad driving;
why make matters worse?
3. Ending prohibition will "send the wrong message."
4. Some people just can't cope with marijuana use.
5. Marijuana smokers have no motivation.
6. What about the children?
Anyone who advocates hemp/marijuana reform will hear these
statements time and again. But these engaging yet specious
arguments cannot hold up to rational scrutiny. Let's look at them
individually:
1."Marijuana alters consciousness."
Granted;but how is that bad? People who argue against getting
on this natural herb often suggest getting "high on life" or "high
on God." This says that getting high is not, in itself, wrong.
The real issue is freedom of thought. Eating chocolate,
drinking coffee, watching TV, drinking beer, smoking cigarettes,
even prayer and meditation alter consciousness. Who gave
prohibitionists the power to dictate to the rest of us what we can
or cannot do for fun? Will they ban these pastimes one day, too?
Neither the U.S. Constitution nor the Bible prohibits
marijuana use. In fact, the Bible says God gave man "all" the seed
bearing plants to use and the Declaration of Independence
specifically declares that we have a right to the "pursuit of
happiness." But people who make certain choices are now persecuted
for doing so.
2."We already have so much trouble with alcohol, tobacco and bad
driving; why make matters worse?"
If you think we have an alcohol problem today, just remember
the "Roaring Twenties," when competing liquor outlets used to send
carloads of gangsters out with machine guns to settle their
differences.
The criminal violence caused by Prohibition (the 18th
Amendment) were so much worse than the effects of drinking that the
American people soon voted in the 21st Amendment, and liquor was
re-legalized.
Society has since learned to cope with alcohol use, just as we
have accepted marijuana use for thousands of years. People are
quick to adapt, and most knowledgeable sources agree that marijuana
smokers are generally peaceful, law-abiding people. In fact, they
are often among the nicest people you'll meet.
Drinking can lead to reckless driving. You shouldn't drive
when using common medicines like antihistamines, either. This is a
matter of common sense and personal responsibility. No one should
ever drive if they are not fully alert and capable of doing so.
Also affecting public safety, alcohol and tobacco carry health
risks that marijuana does not have. Some 500,000 people a year die
from using tobacco or alcohol, but not one single person ever died
from smoking marijuana in all of history. In fact, cannabis has
hundreds of proven medical uses. Society might set age limits on
marijuana use, as we have for alcohol and tobacco, but it is
criminal to have set prison terms.
3."Ending marijuana prohibition 'sends the wrong message'--that we
condone drugs."
Prohibition is not about sending messages: It's about sending
people to jail. And prison cannot rehabilitate patriotic Americans
who believe that the marijuana law is unconstitutional and immoral.
Marijuana is not a manufactured drug: It's a natural herb.
Some people enjoy smoking, others don't. It's just a matter of
taste. A difference of opinion: And that's what democracy is all
about. Experts predict that marijuana use will level off soon after
prohibition ends and people will reduce their use of hard drugs.
So, the real message of prohibition is this: Despite all the
safeguards in the Constitution, petty tyrants still spread lies and
take away the freedoms of others.
If we want society to send the "right" message, we must do it
through honest educational programs about personal freedom and
responsibility. Ending prohibition will be the first part of that
lesson.
4. "Some people just can't cope with marijuana use."
That;s right: About 10% of Americans have addictive
personalities and they should avoid marijuana.
Each of us has the right to say "no" to marijuana: But the 90%
of us who can control our appetites also have a right to say "yes,"
if we so desire.
Let's not ruin our lives with hysterical laws that do nothing
to solve the real problems facing society.
5."Marijuana smokers have no motivation."
Blaming marijuana is just a cop out. The Beatles wrote many of
their finest tunes while being quite open about smoking pot. Judge
Douglas Ginsburg was nominated for the Supreme Court and many
members of Congress, as well as successful professionals and
working people have smoked marijuana.
When a person loses motivation, there are usually many factors
to consider. They need our understanding and help. Arresting them
and putting them in prison does not solve these problems: It makes
matters worse.
Most people prefer to smoke marijuana for relaxation or
creative inspiration during leisure hours--not when they have work
to do. And if marijuana smokers are so unmotivated, how come it
takes urine tests, blood samples and hair analysis to tell who
smokes it?
The simple fact is that most marijuana smokers are highly
motivated and productive citizens.
6."What about the children?"
An excellent question. What kind of world are we making for
our children: One full of prisons, secret police and intrusive laws
that encourage them to spy on their own parents. I say, let's build
them a world that respects each individual while it educates them
about the responsible use of freedom.
This is precisely why we must repeal prohibition. Not only
will it protect the rights and liberties that generations of
Americans have fought and died for: Hemp will also provide our
children with a healthy environment and a sustainable economy to
live in.
Throughout history, hemp has been a help to our human society.
It now holds the key to our future.
HEMP FOR HEALTH
Compiled by the Business Alliance for Commerce in Hemp (BACH)
HEMP HAS A LONG, PROUD HISTORY OF MEDICAL USE AND HUNDREDS OF
THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS.
For more than 3,500 years, Hemp has been (depending on the
culture or nation) either the most used or one of the most widely
used plants for medicines. This includes: China, India, the Middle
and Near East, Africa and Europe. From 1850 to 1937, Hemp was
America's prime medicine for more than 100 separate illnesses or
diseases.
Research by Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, etc. indicates that when
Cannabis Hemp is legally available, it will directly replace some
10%-20% of all prescription pharmaceutical drugs and that probably
40%-50% of all medicines could use derivatives of the cannabis
plant.
_______________________
HEMP FOR HEALTH-Medical uses of Hemp include treating back pain,
asthma, glaucoma, epilepsy, cancer, muscle spasms, migraines,
tumors, stress, depression and anorexia. It is an antibiotic and
expectorant, useful in muscle ointments and to treat arthritis and
rheumatism. Hundreds of other therapeutic uses are likely, but
hard-to-get permits are required to use it, and the federal
government banned research into medical use of Hemp, so millions of
people continue to suffer needlessly, and a valuable herbal
medicine with minimal side-effects is held hostage by out-of-date-
laws.
Cannabis users statistically live one or two years longer than
non-users. Hemp offers affordable health care for America.
________________________
HEMP HELPS ASTHMA-Medicines based on hemp would be most beneficial
to young people, bringing a lifetime of relief and adding years to
their lives. Asthma symptoms could be permanently reduced. Hemp
eases the symptoms of epilepsy and prevents glaucoma from
developing, bringing effective relief to those unfortunate enough
to suffer from these illnesses.
_________________________
HEMP FOR CANCER-Hemp reduces the nausea suffered by chemotherapy
patients. This same characteristic has also recently been utilized
by AIDS patients and is sometimes indicated for motion sickness
(sea sickness.)
__________________________
HEMP SAVES EYES- Medical Hemp would benefit some 90% of victims of
glaucoma, a blinding disease. Cannabis does not cure it or reverse
the loss of vision, but can halt the glaucoma sufferer's
progressive deterioration of eyesight.
___________________________
HEMP FOR ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM-A traditional treatment for these
ailments is to soak cannabis in alcohol and apply it locally in a
poultice.
____________________________
HEMP RELIEVES STRESS-Cannabis reduces mental agitation and ulcers.
One out of two American marriages end in divorce and domestic
violence is on the increase. Studies indicate that these problems
often result from the stress and depressed sex drive associated
with the fast pace of modern life. Hemp is well known for its
ability to reduce stress and promote relaxation, and has long been
regarded as an aphrodisiac, yet it is not available on the open
market.
_____________________________
CANNABIS WAS WITHDRAWN FROM THE AMERICAN PUBLIC in 1938 against the
advice of the medical community. Hemp was moved from the Class 2
schedule of drugs (having demonstrated medical value) and listed as
Class 1 (dangerous substance with no known medical value) by the
Nixon administration in 1970-despite all evidence to the contrary-
and was retained as Class 1 by the Bush administration in 1989.
In 1972 the Nixon-appointed Shafer Commission urged that
cannabis be re-legalized, which was not done. Still, medical
research continued--often with remarkable results. Cannabis was
shown to help treat numerous health problems with very few side
effects.
Eleven states went on to adopt laws authorizing prescription
use of medical marijuana.
______________________________
MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED--At the 1975 National Institute of Drug
Abuse (NIDA) Asilomar Conference, participants were amazed at the
documented results of marijuana research and agreed that a massive
national research project was in order. Instead, all federal
research grants were terminated in 1976 and subsequent private
research has been heavily restricted.
By late 1983 the Reagan/Bush administration had destroyed
large amounts of data compiled in government sponsored marijuana
research and put out a feeler to private and state universities to
destroy their own records. Most refused to do so.
In September, 1988, DEA Administrative Judge Francis Young
concluded that cannabis should be rescheduled as Class 2 and made
available for medical use. It has not been. Write to your
representatives and ask that Hemp be re-legalized for use in
America.
There are thousands of other uses for Hemp: textiles, paper,
fiber, food, fuel, medicine and more.
______________________________
FOR MORE INFORMATION we recommend that you read "The Emperor Wears
No Clothes," by Jack Herer and "The Medical Marijuana Papers" by
Dr. Tod Mikurya. For more information on hemp or to support the re-
legalization of hemp/marijuana, send $1 + SASE to:Business Alliance
for Commerce in Hemp (BACH) P.O.Box 71093, L.A. CA 90071-0093. THE
EMPEROR is available at HEMP etc. 1090 S Wadsworth, Unit D,
Lakewood. They also have a nice line of legal non-smoking Hemp
products such as clothing, hemp-oil, hemp based foods, etc.
For More Information Call 303/470-1100.
HARVARD MEDICAL REPORT ON MARIJUANA
--excerpted from the Harvard Medical School Mental
Health Letter, November 1987
Although still illegal, marijuana has become a commonplace
part of the American social scene, used regularly by millions and
occasionally by millions more. A realistic view of this drug is now
more important and easier to achieve.
The use of marijuana reached a high point in the late 1970's
and early 1980's, and has been declining ever since. In a 1978
survey, 37% of high school seniors said they had smoked marijuana
in the last 30 days, and 11% said they used it daily. By 1986 the
number who said they had smoked it in the last 30 days had fallen
to 23%--lower than in 1975--and the proportion of daily users had
dropped steadily to 4%. The trend among people\ aged 18 to 25 is
similar. More people over 25 may now be using it occasionally, and
young people are still experimenting with it.
The main active ingredient of cannabis is delta-9-
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). one of more than 60 related chemicals
found in the resin that covers the flowers and top leaves of the
cannabis (hemp) plant. Leaves and flowers can be ground up in
drinks or food, but are more often dried and smoked in a cigarette
or pipe. The pure resin, known as hashish, can also be smoked,
eaten or drunk. New breeding and cultivation techniques have raised
the THC content of marijuana smoked in the United States as much as
10 times over the last 20 years, from an average of 0.4% to 4%.
EFFECTS: The effects last two to four hours when marijuana is
smoked, and five to 12 hours when taken by mouth. Although
intoxication varies with psychological set and social setting, the
most common response is a calm, mildly euphoric state in which time
slows and sensitivity to sights, sounds and touch is enhanced.
The smoker may feel exhilaration or hilarity and notice a
rapid flow of ideas with a reduction in short-term memory. Images
sometimes appear before closed eyes;visual perception and body
image may undergo subtle changes. It is dangerous to operate
complex machinery, including automobiles, under the influence of
marijuana.
The main physiological effects of cannabis are increased
appetite a faster heartbeat, and sightly bloodshot eyes.
NEGATIVE REACTIONS: Although the increased heart rate could be
a problem for people with cardiovascular disease, dangerous
physical reactions to marijuana are almost unknown.
No human being is known to have died of an overdose. Like many
other drugs, cannabis produces a toxic delirium when taken at very
high doses, especially by mouth. The symptoms are confusion,
agitation, disorientation, loss of coordination, and often
hallucination; the delirium ends when the drug passes out of the
body. The most common disturbing reaction to marijuana is acute
anxiety, sometimes accompanied by paranoid thoughts, which may lead
to panic. The most likely victim of this reaction is an
inexperienced user inadvertently taking a high dose in an
unpleasant or unfamiliar setting. The best way to handle the
anxiety and paranoia is calming support and reassurance.
Cannabis is less potent than hallucinogenic or psychedelic
drugs and the user is better able to control its effects.
LONG TERM EFFECTS: In recent years the psychological and
physical effects of long-term use have caused the most concern.
Studies are often conflicting and permit various views of
marijuana's possible harmfulness.
Two recognized signs of addiction are tolerance and withdrawal
symptoms. These are rarely a serious problem for marijuana users:
almost no one reports an urgent need to increase the dose to
recapture the original sensation, and there is little evidence that
withdrawal ordinarily presents serious problems to users, or causes
them to go on taking the drug.
People suffering from drug dependence find that they are
constantly thinking about the drug, or intoxicated, or recovering
from its effects. The habit impairs their mental and physical
health and hurts their work, family life, and friendships. They
often know that they are using too much and repeatedly make
unsuccessful attempts to cut down or stop. Those problems seem to
occur in proportionately fewer marijuana smokers than users of
alcohol, tobacco, heroin or cocaine.
Most people who develop marijuana dependency would be would be
likely to develop other dependencies because of anxiety, depression
or feelings of inadequacy. The troubled teen who smokes cannabis
throughout the school day certainly has a problem, and excessive
use may be one symptom.
BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS: Experiments in the U.S. show no effects of
fairly heavy marijuana use on learning, perception or motivation
over periods as long as a year.
In three major studies, conducted in Jamaica, Costa Rica and
Greece, researchers compared heavy long-term cannabis users with
non-users and found no evidence of intellectual or neurological
damage, no changes in personality, and no loss of the will to work
or to participate in society.
Much attention has also been devoted to the idea that
marijuana smoking leads to use of other illicit drugs: the
"stepping stone" hypothesis. There is no convincing evidence for or
against this. What is clear is that at many times and places
marijuana has been used without these drugs, or these drugs have
been used without marijuana.
REPRODUCTION: Most recent studies on the health hazards of
marijuana concerns its long-term effects on the body. Studies have
examined the brain, the immune system, the reproductive system, and
the lungs. Suggestions of long-term damage come almost exclusively
from animal experiments and other laboratory work. Observations of
marijuana users and the Caribbean, Greek and other studies reveal
little disease or organic pathology associated with the drug. If
there were significant damage, we might expect to find a higher
rate of these diseases among young people beginning in the 1960's,
when marijuana first became popular. There is no evidence of that.
The effects of marijuana on the reproductive system are a more
complicated issue. In men, a single dose of THC lowers sperm count
and the level of testosterone and other hormones. Tolerance to this
effect apparently develops; in the Costa Rican study, marijuana
smokers and controls had the same testosterone levels. There is no
evidence that the changes in sperm count and testosterone affect
sexual performance or fertility.
In animal experiments, THC has been reported to lower levels
of female hormones and disturb the menstrual cycle. When monkeys,
rats and mice have been exposed during pregnancy to amounts of THC
equivalent to a heavy smoking human's dose, stillbirths and
decreased birth weight are sometimes reported in their offspring.
There are also reports of low birth weight, prematurity and even a
condition resembling the fetal alcohol syndrome in some children of
women who smoke marijuana heavily during pregnancy.
The significance of these reports is unclear because controls
are lacking and other circumstances make is hard to attribute
causes. To be safe, pregnant and nursing women should follow the
standard conservative recommendation to avoid all drugs, including
cannabis, that are not absolutely necessary.
LUNGS: A well-confirmed danger of long-term heavy marijuana
use is its effects on the lungs. Smoking narrows and inflames air
passages and reduces breathing capacity; damage to bronchial cells
has been observed in hashish smokers. Possible harmful effects
include bronchitis, emphysema and lung cancer. Marijuana smoke
contains the same carcinogens as tobacco smoke, usually in somewhat
higher concentrations, and is inhaled more deeply and held in the
lungs longer, which increases the danger. On the other hand, almost
no one smokes 20 marijuana cigarettes a day.
Higher THC content in cannabis may reduce the danger of
respiratory damage, because less smoke is required for the desired
effect. This is only true as long as no significant tolerance
develops and users do not try to get proportionately more intense
effect from a stronger form of the drug.
END