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P R O V E N :
C A N N A B I S   I S   
S A F E   M E D I C I N E
By Ian Williams Goddard
In reaction to medical cannabis access referendums on 
the ballots in Arizona and California, former presidents 
Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George Bush signed a let-
ter stating that they ``categorically oppose'' access to 
cannabis for its many proven therapeutic uses such as the
prevention of blindness and epileptic seizures [1].
Their chief concern was that legal medical access would 
send the message that cannabis is safe.  The presidents 
can, however, lay their safety concerns to rest because 
the scientific literature overwhelmingly confirms that 
cannabis is both an effective and safe medicine.
The Cannabis Safety Profile 
The journal PHARMACOLOGICAL REVIEWS [2] reports that
decades of research prove that, "Compared with legal
drugs...marijuana does not pose greater risks."  Yet
based upon mortality statistics,  we can safely con-
clude that cannabis is one of the safest medical drugs
known, for, while prescription drugs, defined as safe
by the FDA, kill up to 27,000 and aspirin up to 1,000 
Americans per year, cannabis kills 0 per year [3].
When we know the facts we can understand why in 1988, 
after extensive review of the scientific literature, 
the DEA's own administrative judge Frances Young con-
cluded that ``Marijuana is one of the safest thera-
peutically active substances known to man.'' [4]
Opponents of legal cannabis access would have us be-
lieve that there is not enough research available to
determine its safety.  Nothing could be further from 
the truth. Cannabis is one of the most thoroughly re-
searched drugs in history, and the evidence gathered 
over the centuries clearly proves that it is safe:
* The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission Report (1894): an
exhaustive seven-volume, 3,281-page report that con-
cludes: "Moderate [cannabis] use produces practically 
no ill effects." [5][6][7]
* The Panama Canal Military Study (1916-1929), amass-
ing extensive data on the health impact of cannabis
smoking upon  American soldiers stationed in Panama,
recommended that "No steps be taken by the Canal Zone 
authorities to prevent the sale or use of Marihuana." 
The research also concluded that, "There is no evi-
dence that Marihuana...is...'habit-forming.'" [7][8]
* The LaGuardia Report (1939-1944), commissioned by
New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, which includ-
ed evidence gathered over thousands of years,  con-
cluded that "Smoking marihuana does not lead to add-
iction... does not lead to morphine, heroin, or co-
caine addiction"  and that  "the publicity concern-
ing the catastrophic effects of marihuana smoking
in New York City is unfounded." [7][9]
* The Baroness Wootton Report (1968), commissioned 
by the Advisory Committee on Drug Dependence of the 
United Kingdom Home Office, concluded, "There is no 
evidence that...serious physical dangers are directly 
associated with the smoking of cannabis." The report 
also noted that "Cannabis use does not lead to heroin 
addiction" and that  "there is no evidence that [can-
nabis]...is producing in otherwise normal people con-
ditions of dependence or psychosis, requiring medical
treatment." [7][10] 
The HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH LETTER [11]
reports the findings of other major cannabis studies:
     In three major studies conducted in Jamaica, 
     Costa Rica, and Greece, researchers have
     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 participate in society. 
The Jamaican study states that,  even as cannabis use
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