Arizona's top health official says voters should reject a ballot measure that would allow doctors to recommend marijuana to their patients.
Will Humble, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, said there probably are some people who would benefit by being able to inhale the now-illegal substance. These include those who have nausea from chemotherapy and individuals who need an appetite stimulant to keep from wasting away.
But Humble said health chiefs from other states with similar laws told him the vast majority of the "medical marijuana'' cards they issued were for people with "severe and chronic pain.'' Humble said that, at best, is subjective.
More to the point, he said there is no evidence marijuana actually alleviates pain.
Humble is one of several individuals who crafted statements in opposition to Proposition 203 that will appear in a pamphlet to be mailed to the homes of all registered voters. County prosecutors and law enforcement officers also are urging a "no'' vote on the measure, as are officers of an addiction-recovery program.
There were just a handful of statements in favor, including one from Heather Torgerson, a brain cancer survivor, who used and continues to use marijuana, illegally, during her chemotherapy treatment. She now chairs the campaign for Proposition 203.
The arguments come as legislative budget staffers figure that 39,600 Arizonans are likely to have the medical marijuana cards by 2013, with another 26,400 people licensed by the state as caregivers.
Humble said his decision has nothing to do with his feelings about marijuana. He even admitted to having inhaled "in my youth'' when he was a student at Northern Arizona University in the late 1970s.
But he said the initiative is based on the flawed premise about what marijuana can and cannot do. And the result, he said, is likely to be abuse of the law, both by individuals who want legal access to marijuana and physicians who may, for whatever reason, be less than attentive to what will really help their patients.
The measure, being financed by the national Marijuana Policy Project would allow patients who get a written "recommendation'' from a physician to purchase up to 2 1/2 ounces of marijuana every two weeks from state regulated non-profit dispensaries.
The list of conditions that would permit such a recommendation include HIV, AIDS, Crohn's Disease and Hepatitis C. And the law would permit the legal use of marijuana to treat various symptoms of diseases including nausea, wasting syndrome and muscle spasms.
What worries Humble is the catch-all of "severe and chronic'' pain.
"By opening it up to chronic pain, what you're really doing is letting a bunch of people through the door that are really applying for the cards for other reasons,'' Humble said. He said that's what happened in Colorado, where three fourths of the cards issued there are for pain.
What makes him believe not everyone needs it, Humble explained, is that the vast majority of Colorado residents in that category are in their 20s, 30s and 40s, ages where he said that kind of pain should not be prevalent.
He said his counterpart in Montana reported a similar pattern.
Humble said he cleared taking a public position on the measure with the governor's office.
"I felt it was kind of my job, in the position I'm currently in, to educate the voters about, in the end, what's most likely going to happen if this passes,'' he said.
"There would be a few hundred people that may benefit every year,'' Humble said.
"But, in exchange, we'll be giving tens of thousands of medical marijuana cards to people to manage their pain,'' he continued. "And it's not an effective pain management strategy.''
That got an argument from Andrew Myers, manager of the Proposition 203 campaign. He said there are studies which show that marijuana can be useful in reducing pain.
Myers said what Humble fails to say is that the alternative for many people would be much more addictive and dangerous drugs, like OxyContin and other opiates.
"What he's basically saying is he would rather have patients take narcotics than take marijuana,'' Myers said.
But Humble said that's not true.
He said while narcotics are one tool in the arsenal of fighting pain, doctors have an entire range, starting with over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen. Humble also said there is ample research for other alternatives including acupuncture and biofeedback.
Humble said the potential for abuse is underlined by the fact that an corporation has been set up called Colorado Medical Marijuana which says it has doctors on site specializing in marijuana recommendations.
"They talk about how easy they can make it for you to get your marijuana card,'' he said. That, according to the company's web site, includes same-day appointments.
Informed2 posted at 7:04 am on Tue, Jul 13, 2010.
Humble has a long history of getting it all wrong, so this is no surprise. He's the same guy who used bad science to say that the toxic smoke from a South Phoenix chemical fire disaster was "safe to breathe," which resulted in the ADHS being sued and settling out of court for $210K. The toxic smoke ate the chrome off the fire engines responding. Whatever Humble says is just wrong...
n2mark posted at 8:39 am on Tue, Jul 13, 2010.
I knew someone who was dying from cancer and in severe pain - never smoked before but did use marijuana up to her death. Yes, this helped tremendously. I wonder if someone should check to see if Humble is connected with the pharmeceutical companies.
I have never used mariguana before but if this helps with pain go for it. I never used narcotics before but know that this is hard on the body and habit forming.
JourneyHealingCenters posted at 10:56 am on Tue, Jul 13, 2010.
Thank you for raising these points about the potential abuse of medical marijuana. While Journey Healing Centers (drug and alcohol rehab centers) supports giving critically ill patients medical marijuana, the legalization risks outweigh the benefits. We're concerned about the long-term health risks, including increased substance abuse, relapses and addictions to harder drugs. Journey Healing Centers opposes the Arizona Medical Marijuana Proposition and California's Proposition to legalize marijuana for 21+ on Nov ballots. If you have any drug or alcohol addiction questions, call our Free 24-Hour Hotline to speak with an Addiction Specialist: 1-866-774-5119
echoplex posted at 6:33 pm on Tue, Jul 13, 2010.
The ignorance expressed by the director of the Arizona Department of Health Services is appalling. Humble "said there is no evidence marijuana actually alleviates pain."
Department of Justice, DEA Office of Diversion Control acknowledges that THC is analgesic: ... has delta 9-THC-like activity in animals. In mice, it decreases overall activity, produces ANALGESIA ...
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugs_concern/spice/spice_jwh018.htm
"What makes him believe not everyone needs it, Humble explained, is that the vast majority of Colorado residents in that category are in their 20s, 30s and 40s, ages where he said that kind of pain should not be prevalent."
This is not true per Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's patient statistics. The AVERAGE age of all patients is 40, so how can the 'vast majority' be lower than the average?
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hs/medicalmarijuana/statistics.html
Further, pain occurs at all ages due to injury, disease, birth defects, infection, surgery, etc.
"He said while narcotics are one tool in the arsenal of fighting pain, doctors have an entire range, starting with over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen. Humble also said there is ample research for other alternatives including acupuncture and biofeedback."
There are dangers with over the counter analgesics including ibuprofen (an NSAID), aspirin, acetaminophen (like Tylenol):
"An unfortunate side effect of NSAIDs is that they block the function of an enzyme that protects the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. Loss of this protective layer can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding, ulceration and even perforation, all potentially deadly conditions. In fact, gastrointestinal bleeding due to chronic NSAID use is responsible for thousands of hospital admissions and even deaths in this country every year."
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100622/HEALTH/6220308/1113/Over-the-counter-meds-come-with-side-effects--too
Acetaminophen Is Leading Cause of Acute Liver Failure in the USA:
"Acute liver failure related to use of the painkiller accounted for 28% of all cases in 1998, and 51% in 2003. "
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Psychiatry/Depression/2233
In contrast, DEA Judge Francis Young after hearing arguments on both sides of the argument wrote "Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man."
http://www.iowamedicalmarijuana.org/documents/young.aspx
Dr Lester Grinspoon (Harvard Medical School) has said "Marijuana is remarkably non toxic. In all the years that marijuana has been used, there's not been one single documented death from it. I don't know that you can say the same thing about any other drug."
http://www.abc.net.au/quantum/poison/marijuan/lester.htm
US patent 6630507 (filed by 3 doctors from the USA Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institute of Health (NIH) branch) sees value using cannabinoids to protect the brain:
"Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties, unrelated to NMDA receptor antagonism. This new found property makes cannabinoids useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases, such as ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and HIV
dementia."
TrentOs posted at 10:42 am on Fri, Jul 23, 2010.
Why is the biggest opposition to Prop 203 is that people will use marijuana for pain? Oh I get it we should all be addicted opiates right? My back has been messed up since Jr. High. After working all day my back is in server pain. My doctor wants to just give me narcotics. I have to take them twice daily. The problem is they mess me up too much. I can't drive my car or the forklift at work. Even if I take them when I get home I'm messed up in the morning. Hell if I get pulled over while on my meds ill get a DUI! So I smoke a bowl when I get home and I'm good the whole night till the next morning. I don't see why the opposition wants everybody addicted to narcotics. Even Journey Healing Centers wants you on narcotics. I guess there drumming up business. I mean what better way to sell you treatment if your doctor is the one who got you hooked? No wonder they oppose 203. People please vote YES for 203 vote for patients rights.