Marijuana Legalization


In June, a good high school friend, Walt Kubilius from Aiken, SC, attended the 14th annual Symposium on the Cannabinoids, in Paestum Italy, sponsored by the International Cannabinoid Research Society. Walt's summary of the proceedings posed a question concerning marijuana legalization that I heard none of the 2003 California gubernatorial candidates address, which can be summarized as:

• the medical marijuana movement, without saying so explicitly, proposes to give the role of determining the safety and effectiveness of new drugs to legislatures and public referenda, rather than to medical professionals or the FDA, and that may be a problem.

Does anyone want to address that particular question? It's thought-provoking! Here's Walt's write-up:
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I recently attended a research conference on cannabinoids, a group of compounds one member of which is active ingredient in marijuana. I learned a lot at that conference, and I’ll share that here.

Cannabinoids are a group of chemicals, some natural and some synthetic, which share the property of being able to either increase or decrease the concentration of a neurotransmitter, glutamate, in brain cells. Modulation of glutamate levels in the human or animal brain affects/controls mental status. It’s a natural process - every minute, every day, operation of higher brain functions are associated with transient increases and decreases of cannabinoid concentrations, and therefore glutamate concentrations, in the brain.

Cannabinoids which occur naturally in humans are "endocannabinoids", and the molecules with which they interact are "cannabinoid receptors". In order to control glutamate concentrations on a time scale of minutes or seconds, both positive and negative feedback must operate. Cannabinoids which promote glutamate formation - which "activate" the receptors, are "agonists". Those with the opposite effect are "antagonists". Two endocannabinoid agonists are known. There also must be endocannabinoid antagonists as well, but none have yet been identified.

Endocannabinoids and cannabinoid receptors participate in higher brain functions: learning, memory, attention, and planning. Plants and lower animals do not have endocannabinoid systems; vertebrates do. A strain of mutant laboratory mice has been developed which lacks one of the three cannabinoid receptors. They look just like normal mice, but they are learning-disabled. Unlike insulin and vitamins, cannabinoids are not necessary for life, but they are necessary for learning and memory formation.

THC is not normally present in the human body, but it affects brain function because the molecule’s shape is similar to the shape of anandamide, one of the endocannabinoid agonists. The marijuana plant does not produce THC for its own use; plants cannot learn or form memories. It is thought that the marijuana plant evolved THC production in order to either be attractive to certain animals (like flowers are attractive to bees), or to be unattractive to certain animals (like toads taste bad). Its not yet known which way it goes.

There are definitely legitimate medical uses for cannabinoids. Its been known for over 20 years that marijuana can reduce nausea, enhance appetite, reduce intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients, and relieve muscle spasms in MS patients. However, recent research has found additional possible applications for cannabinoids. Probably the most important one is that cannabinoids facilitate early death of some kinds of cancer cells; they show promise as a chemotherapy. Endocannabinoids may also have a role in regulating bone mass. In addition, they may serve an antioxidant role in cell metabolism.

These known and possible medical applications form the basis for the medical marijuana movement. However, it is not clear that cannabinoids found in marijuana - THC, cannabinol, and cannabidiol-are the best choices for treatment. Marijuana has side effects known to every college student: intoxication and lethargy which make driving safely, operating machinery safely, or any mental work impossible. The trick is to find a compound with maximum benefit, and minimum side effects. Since endocannabinoids occur naturally in the brain, they might serve better. Drug companies and academic researchers are experimenting with synthetic cannabinoids, which exist neither in the animal kingdom, nor in the plant kingdom. It remains to be seen which compound is best for which medical condition.

Medical marijuana activists point to the known effectiveness of marijuana in managing MS, glaucoma, and nausea, and advocate legalization for medical purposes. I can’t blame people for wanting it. If I had glaucoma or MS, I’d obtain marijuana, illegally if necessary, to see for myself whether it could help. Marijuana advocates insist it is safe, and like to point out that nobody ever died of a marijuana overdose. That may be true, but acute nonlethality does not preclude chronic lethality. Nobody ever died of an acute tobacco overdose, and yet tobacco kills hundreds of thousands per year due to chronic effects. Medical marijuana advocates seem to be unaware of the possibilities. Here are some things I learned at the ICRS conference:

• In contrast to the common wisdom of the 1970s, marijuana is addictive. Researchers in Baltimore interviewed 20-year heavy-use pot smokers. They each reported an average of 5 unsuccessful attempts to quit. Reasons for failure were psychological withdrawal symptoms, including craving for marijuana.
• Long term frequent marijuana use causes enduring cognitive impairment. Researchers in Australia measured test performances of three groups of subjects: long-term heavy users, long-term light users, and non-users. Long-term heavy users performed worst in tasks related to learning, memory, attention, and planning. In addition, long-term users showed reduced MRI activity in the prefrontal lobe and hippocampus. Since Alzheimer’s disease affects the same brain functions, it is possible that persons destined to develop Alzheimer’s may show symptoms earlier if they are also long-term pot smokers.
• There is a "Fetal Cannabinoid Syndrome" observable in rats, analogous to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Progeny of female rats dosed with cannabinoids while pregnant showed hyperactive behavior while juveniles, and learning/memory deficits in adulthood.
• Marijuana causes the HIV virus to replicate faster. Scientists at UCLA dosed HIV-infected human white blood cells with THC, and subsequently found viral loads 50-60 times higher in the dosed cells as compared with un-exposed HIV-infected cells.
  

Several effects listed above are quite serious. Despite the claims of some, medical marijuana use will carry significant risk for some patients.

Debate on medical marijuana touches cultural battlefields. First, is the conflict between local vs. federal power. Efforts to make it accessible are made locally, it cities and states. It is the federal government which resists. Second, is the libertarian or counter-culture argument that there’s nothing wrong with using it if we want to. I believe that this is the major motivation of medical marijuana advocates; a desire to promote alternative lifestyles, more than a desire to treat patients. Centers of the movement are the centers of alternative lifestyles, and centers of medical expertise are not highly involved in the movement.

What has not received enough attention is the "Trojan Horse" of the medical marijuana movement. Without saying so explicitly, it proposes to give the role of determining the safety and effectiveness of new drugs to legislatures and public referenda, rather than to medical professionals or the FDA. There’s nothing special about marijuana. If it can be approved for medical use without the sanction of the FDA, then so can any number of treatments. For example, cancer sufferers who don’t want to undergo surgery will be encouraged to try various speculative and perhaps unsafe or ineffective remedies. The patent cure-all medicine days may return. Thalidomide-type tragedies may be repeated.

If the medical marijuana advocates want to make cannabinoids available for safe and effective medical use, they have already won. Pharmaceutical companies are developing and testing cannabinoids, including THC, cannabidiol, endocannabinoids, and synthetic compounds. They are going through the process, and may be in drugstores in several years if they are found to be safe and effective. The advocates don’t mention this much.

I don’t actually care whether marijuana is legalized or decriminalized for recreational use. It’s not morally wrong. It is no more dangerous than alcohol, and perhaps less so. However, long-term use is self-destructive. I do not wish to assign the FDA’s technical evaluation responsibilities to city councils without first clearly talking about the medical consequences down the road. I haven’t heard much of that talk yet.

Shame

There is a time for shame: shame can be good. Shame helped propel the Peace Movement of the 60's, with it's revulsion against patriotic symbols. There was an intimation of shame with Abu Ghraib. Nevertheless, the time is not ripe yet to indulge the impulse. Because it wasn't MY government that did this: it was THEIR government. THEIR Supreme Court, THEIR proto-fascist jackboot neoconservative mentality. False election means false legitimacy. I'll indulge shame after the election.

More Tales of Sacramento at Night

Last night, about 1:45 a.m., while walking Sparky north on 21st Street, a high-speed chase came through the neighborhood. The perp came east on 2nd Avenue, over the tracks, with four police cruisers in alarmed pursuit, then turned right (the wrong way) down 21st, passing just a few feet from my inattentive dog. The evil-doer turned left on 3rd Avenue, disappeared a while into the neighborhood, then reappeared, turned right again onto 2nd Avenue after having gone north on 24th Street, and roared off to Oak Park. Where they went after that, I don't know, but the sirens echoed in the distance. Sparky, as usual, took little note of the commotion.

Bush Just Kills Me

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

Hi Cheryl!

Cheryl Bly-Chester called today! She's looking for political support from the left side of the political spectrum for a political appointment, and I'll do my best to help such a fine Fellow Historical Figure!

Prediction

Given the unusual polarization of the electorate I wasn't really surprised that Kerry didn't get much of a post-convention bounce. In fact, I predicted it (although I kept the prediction to myself, so it doesn't count). The second part of the prediction, however, has yet to occur, so it's game: I predict that not only will George W. Bush fail to get much of a bounce from the Republican convention, he will actually see an erosion of his support. I think this will happen because of outrageous rhetoric at the convention and the antagonistic and hostile welcome the Republicans will get in New York.

Looking at current electoral vote predictions, it's quite impressive to see just how close they hew to the 2000 Election results. What a brittle, polarized, stubborn group of people we've all become!

Carbon Morons

Re "Are Power Plants Crying Wolf Over Lawsuit?," August 2 Sacramento Bee: Bee staff writer Chris Bowman did a horrible disservice to his readers by suggesting power producers exaggerate the difficulty of controlling carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. Traditional pollution control focuses on eliminating trace gases in the exhaust, but to a considerable extent, carbon dioxide IS the exhaust. Bowman propagates the idiocy that a regulatory approach can help stave off global warming. Promoting efficiencies, not creating new inefficiencies, is the ONLY workable way to slow global warming. That, and conservation. It's like two approaches to weight control: cutting back on desserts or cutting off a leg. Both approaches "work", but only one is helpful. Time for Bowman to go back to school.

Baaa!

Persistent, Intelligent, Aggressive......Sheep.

Random Weekend Notes

Saw Vallejo Music Theater's "A Chorus Line" on Saturday, directed by Pam Kay Lourentzos. The show was good: the parts were well-cast and the dancers well-rehearsed. The fellow playing "Mike" (I'll find the program) was a phenom: I also liked "Sheila" and "Bobby" and "Bebe" and "Paul". Regina was fantastic as "Cassie". And it was great to see Monica and Michael Miiller on-stage again.

The weak point of the show was the music (not live). It was vaguely unsettling to see the audience reflected in the mirrors during "Music in the Mirror": Cassie, the mirrors, .... and all her friends too.

Saw another show on the weekend too: unsettling, unexpected, worrisome, even. Makes me nervous.....

Went to David Holme's and Jeremiah Lowder's birthday party at the Carmichael Garcia's: it was great connecting with those folks again (David and Lori and Jeremiah and Kristin and Keri and Richard and others). We got news of the Elly Award nominations from Ray Fisher during the party. The great annual game Community Theater Russian Roulette awarded a bushel of nominations to RSP (deservedly or not).

Went to the weekly Carmichael Elks Ballroom Dance. One African-American woman was wearing a pretty pin, which seemed to be shaped very much like a spider. I asked her if the pin was symbolic. She said not really: she was wearing a black widow pin because that was what she was!

Strange weekend.

Al Qaeda in Spain

Can't forget this fine link. I remember Osama bin Laden's first public remarks after 9/11: he warned Christians to leave Al Andalus. Just like the last 500 years hadn't happened!

Fafblog

Pretty darn funny blog! I'm tempted to copy his style, but a rabbit and a dog talking sotto voce in sober and measured tones just doesn't cut it.

Ron Reagan

Has issues with G.W. Bush.

Democratic Convention

As fine an affair as you could ask! Everyone is united! Democrats like Howard Dean were furious when the national leadership, in a patriotic spirit, unwisely tried to work with Mr. Bush on a variety of important issues (e.g. Sen. Edward Kennedy working with Bush on education initiatives; Democrats joining with Bush on the Iraq War, etc., etc.) The Angry Democrats pointed out, with their endearing red-faced screams, that Bush took this willingness to be weakness, and indeed, Bush betrayed every Democrat who ever worked with him (except maybe Zell Miller). The Angry Democrats were right, of course: they won that debate with the national leadership in March, in the primaries. Everybody is happy now. No more concessions! Onward we march, to November, to Armageddon!! Happy people (but not quite like Michael Moore's creepy happy shining Saudi people).

Offer of Credit

I'm much relieved that Bank of America has offered DMTC a credit line, based on the strength of the company alone, of $175,000. That's not enough to complete the new theater all by itself, but it'll be a big, big step.

I wonder if I'll be called upon to help out, with a 2nd. I hope not, just for simplicity's sake, but we don't live in simple times.

Mr. Ghailani's Capture

From the comments: "there are known to be elements of the Pakistani military and security infrastructure which are sympathetic to - and may be providing aid and comfort to - Al Qaida."

It's worse than that. Musharraf is actually dependent on the favor of jihadi groups in and out of Al Qaeda. Musharraf has to appease America and the jihadi groups at the same time, which probably means Bush will never get top-rung Al Qaeda leaders from Pakistan - I'm sure the Pakistan military knows approximately where they are - but the second-rung people like Ghailani are vulnerable. Musharraf is just looking out for Number One (Musharraf, of course).

Is Kerry Able Enough?

Chris Suellentrop has an interesting question:

"Even a casual viewer of Hardball knows that the first rule of an election that involves a sitting president is that it's a referendum on the incumbent. This election, however, has turned out to be the opposite. It's a referendum on the challenger. Kerry probably isn't responsible for this turn of events, but he's benefiting from it: The referendum on the incumbent is over. President Bush already lost it. This presidential campaign isn't about whether the current president deserves a second term. It's about whether the challenger is a worthy replacement."

In last year's California Recall Election, the September 24th CBA debate, the only one that Arnold Schwarzenegger participated in and by far the most watched debate in California history, did much to establish Schwarzenegger as a viable candidate. Arnold didn't have to do very much - after all, there was the embarrassing squabble with Arianna Huffington, where he indirectly offered to put her head in a toilet - but it was good enough to convince people he was good enough. That low bar was the only barrier between Arnold and the governorship. Same this year with Kerry and the Presidency. Kerry doesn't have to meet high expectations: all he has to do is show that he's at least G.W. Bush's equal, and Kerry will soon be picking out his favorite wallpaper for the Oval Office.

Wedge Issues

By the LA Times Rick Perlstein:

Republicans are skilled at reaching into the distant past of Democratic candidates to stage their melodramas. Democrats wouldn't have to go back far at all. Take something President Bush said in a 1993 Houston Post article: Heaven is open only to those who accept Jesus Christ.An aggressive campaign by Kerry and the Democrats would pressure Bush to explain whether he still believes that. As it happens, Bush has an answer: Billy Graham told him not to "play God." But thereby hangs the wedge.Put the issue in Bush's face again, forcing him — Chop! — to choose whether to offend one party segment or another. Republican voters who believe you have to be Christian to go to heaven, and want their president to believe the same, fall to the right side of the hatchet. Moderate Republicans, who like Bush for his tax policies but are embarrassed to be associated with intolerance, fall to the left.

The False War on Terror

By Newsweek's Fareed Zakaria:

It is increasingly clear that the conflict in Afghanistan falsely fed the idea that the war against terrorism was a real war. In fact, Afghanistan was an exception. The reality of this threat, the very reason it is so difficult to tackle, is precisely that it cannot be addressed by conventional military means. Yet the prism of war has distorted the vision of important segments of Washington, especially within the Bush administration. This has produced bad strategy. The Yale historian John Lewis Gaddis has written on the Bush administration's strategy and describes its three pillars as hegemony, preemption and unilateralism. All three approaches seem justifiable if you believe that we are in a war that can be won militarily. All are counterproductive in a struggle that seeks to modernize alien societies, win over Muslim moderates and sustain cooperation on intelligence and law enforcement across the world.

Antipodes

Some people sample good food. Some people sample good wine. Some people sample the entire Earth. (I wonder sometimes if aliens from Titan dropped a spacecraft randomly on the Earth, what they would find).

Virgin Surprise

After watching Runaway Stage's "A Chorus Line" this afternoon, the DMTC borg retired to Arden Fair mall to sample the new Cheesecake Factory there, but the effort turned into a debacle:  the place was far too crowded.  After getting separated from the DMTC folks, I ended up eating alone, but Michael McElroy found me, and we ended up going to Virgin Megastore, where CDs, DVDs, and related entertainment paraphernalia are usually found.

To my surprise, on the new merchandise display, were copies of the 9/11 report, released late last week.  I didn't realize Virgin also sold books.  I especially didn't realize Virgin sold politically topical reports.  I quickly snatched up one of the books.  (A caustic blogger is taking bets about how many pages of the report G.W. Bush reads).

Time willing, I hope to read the 9/11 report.

The DMTC borg eventually ended up, predictably enough, at Max's Opera Cafe, but vast amounts of time were squandered this evening.  Cheesecake Factory another time.......