Menace or Medicine?


Given that nearly 100 million people in the U.S. alone have tried marijuana at least once, if it truly was causing problems there would be a hefty body count to attest to the "devastating effects" it is said to cause. Efforts to stop people from using marijuana recreationally may be denying others access to a truly useful natural medicine, and even seriously limiting the potential discovery of new drugs derived from the marijuana plant. Also, have a look at this site documenting the medical uses for cannabis before it was declared illegal in 1937.


If the risks are so great, then where are the bodies?
Year Headline Publication Issue Date
1936 Uncle Sam fights a new drug menace: marijuana Popular Science May
1937 Marijuana, assassin of youth American Mercury Jul
1938 Marihuana more dangerous than heroin or cocaine Scientific American May
1938 Youth gone loco; villain is Marijuana Christian Century Jun 29
1942 Marihuana found useful in certain mental ills Science News Letter May 30
1946 Marijuana and mentality Newsweek Nov 18
1967 Marijuana causes psychiatric dependence says physician Today's Health Sep
1970 Pot facing stringent scientific examination Science News Jan 24
1970 Pot samplers may be dabbling with psychosis Today's Health Aug
1971 We know too little about marijuana; questions and answers Science Digest Feb
1971 Pot report: still inconclusive Time Feb 15
1971 Marijuana harmful? the dispute goes on US News May 31
1971 Cerebral atrophy in marijuana smokers Science News Dec 18
1972 Marijuana and health, latest government findings US News Feb 21
1972 Pot smoking: less harm than feared? Science Digest Jun
1972 Pot may become a wonder drug Science Digest Nov
1973 Marijuana vs. the work ethic: the amotivational syndrome Science Digest Nov
1974 Perils of pot start showing up US News Jun 10
1974 Marijuana, does it damage the brain? Science Aug 30
1974 Pot as medicine: possible THC-related drugs to prevent transplant rejection and to combat cancer Newsweek Sep 2
1974 Marijuana: more dangerous than you know Reader's Digest Dec
1975 Special: the alarming new evidence about marijuana's effects Good Housekeeping Feb
1975 Marijuana: possible use as medicine Science News Oct 25
1975 Marihuana: new support for immune and reproductive hazards Science Nov 28
1976 Marijuana for better breathing Science News Jul 24
1977 All the evidence on pot isn't in! Seventeen Apr
1978 Marijuana as medicine Psychology Today Apr
1979 Marijuana: hints of medicinal value FDA Consumer Mar
1979 Marijuana can be advantageous in varied therapeutic roles Science Digest Jun
1980 A new study says that cannabis leads to dependence World Health Apr
1980 Marijuana: now the fears are facts Good Housekeeping May
1980 Marijuana: the myth of harmlessness goes up in smoke Sat Eve Post Jul/Aug
1981 Marijuana as medicine McCall's Mar
1981 Marijuana is far from harmless Education Digest Nov
1981 Pot goes pharmaceutical Maclean's Nov 23
1981 Marijuana alert III: the devastation of personality Reader's Digest Dec
1982 Marijuana "justifies serious concern" Science Mar 19
1982 Is it time to worry about marijuana? Mademoiselle Nov
1985 Marijuana report: the latest dope on its dangers Mademoiselle Jun
1985 Here comes prescription pot Business Week Jun 24
1986 Reagan aide: pot can make you gay Newsweek Oct 27
1987 Marijuana update: new reasons to "keep off the grass" Current Health 2 Mar
1987 Marijuana use may cause mental problems: study Jet Sep 28
1988 Take two puffs and call me in the morning Science News Feb 20
1988 Lungs hit harder by pot than by cigarettes Science News Feb 20
1988 Marijuana: is there new reason to worry? American Health Mar
1988 The perils of pot Discover Jun
1989 Marijuana and learning: grass gets an F Current Health Jan
1997 Reefer madness: why the Clinton administration is terrified by medical marijuana Reason Mar
1997 Marijuana: useful medicine or dangerous drug? Consumers' Research May
1997 Marijuana: harder than thought? Science Jun 27
1998 The battle for medical marijuana in the war on drugs America Apr 11
2001 'They become raving maniacs' [views of E. Murphy about marijuana use] Maclean's Aug 6
2001 Ashcroft's other war [med pot in California] Rolling Stone Dec 27

Source: Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature

truth: the Anti-drugwar Analysis & Commentary More Drugwar Headlines