RUTH SKILLICORN's DRUG AWARENESS SITE
MARIJUANA
HOW CAN YOU TELL IF A PERSON IS USING THIS DRUG
Republished with kind permission of
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union of South Australia Inc.,
145 Hutt Street, Adelaide, 5000, S.A., Australia. Phone / Fax +61+8+8223+2723
It may be only a few months, but usually years, before family or friends notice any significant changes in the personality and general health of a person affected by Marijuana. It is almost impossible for users, themselves, to detect deterioration of their own mental and physiological processes.
Marijuana use produces 'acute' and 'chronic' effects. The 'acute' effects include a feeling of euphoria and poor visual perception. There is also an impairment of ability to perform complex and precise motor, visual or mental tasks, e.g., operating equipment, playing sport, driving a car or having rational thoughts or discussion. The 'chronic' or regular users of marijuana usually lack motivation, show loss of interest in school or work and lack proper hygiene. They often become irrational and alienated from family and former friends, choosing, instead, companions with similar personality traits. There is also the possibility that sub-clinical conditions are present in the lungs, liver, kidneys, adrenal glands, bone marrow, ovaries and testes and the most sensitive of all the organs to the effects of Cannabinoids - THE BRAIN
Some people say they drive better when they have been on marijuana ????
Listen to what the experts say :- Dr. Gabriel Nahas - Reprinted by courtesy "Readers Digest" - ' Twenty four hours after smoking a single marijuana cigarette, veteran pilots tested in a flight simulator, although they insist they are in peak form, are unable to line up a plane with a runway.'
United Nations Commission on Narcotics analyses and evaluates all data relevant to marijuana and concluded that:- 'Marijuana is very dangerous. Extensive research has indicated that marijuana impairs short term memory and slows learning, interferes with normal reproductive functions, adversely affects heart functions, has serious effects on perception and skilled performance, such as driving and other complex tasks involving judgement of fine motor skills. A marijuana cigarette contains more cancer agents than the strongest tobacco cigarette.
Bill Saunders - School of Psychology, Curtain University, W.A. - ' Driving ( on marijuana) is not advised and while there is no evidence that cannabis causes accidents, being "high" and driving well, do seem to be different things.'
Marijuana dangerously distorts the brain's ability to judge timing and distances. Studies have shown that smoking only one "joint" can produce an impaired driver for 5 - 6 hours.
CAN MARIJUANA BE EFFECTIVE IN MEDICAL TREATMENT ? - To date, there have been insufficient scientific data to allow Marijuana to be rescheduled from Schedule 1 (Controlled Substances Act), to Schedule 11. This change of status has been advocated in many Western countries by pro-marijuana organisations for the last few decades. They claim effective, medical use of marijuana for a wide variety of ailments, including nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, glaucoma, spasticity in amputees and those with multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, poor appetite, addiction to drugs and alcohol, pain and asthma. In December 1989, the U.S. Government, after an extensive inquiry, issued an order rejecting an application from various organisations to reschedule cannabis. The following is an extract from the Federal Register, Vol.54, No.249, December 29, 1989.
'It is clear that cannabis cannot meet the criteria for safety under medical supervision. The chemistry of cannabis is not known and reproducible. The record supports a finding that cannabis plant material is variable from plant to plant. The quantities of the active constituents, the cannabinoids, vary considerably. In addition, the actions and potential risk of several of the cannabinoids have not been studied.
These are not the Dark Ages. The Congress, as well as the medical community, has accepted that drugs should not be available to the public unless they are found by scientific studies to be effective and safe. To do otherwise, is to jeopardise the American public, and take advantage of desperately ill people who will try anything to alleviate their suffering. The Administrator strongly urges the American public not to experiment with a potentially dangerous, mind-altering drugs such as cannabis, in an attempt to treat a serious illness or condition. Scientific and medical researchers are working tirelessly to develop treatments and drugs to treat these diseases and conditions. As expressed in the record, treatments for emesis (nausea and vomiting) associated with cancer chemotherapy, have advanced significantly in the last ten years.
NORMAL (National Organisation for Reform of Marijuana Laws, and ACT (Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics) have attempted to perpetuate a dangerous and cruel hoax on the American public by claiming cannabis has currently accepted medical use for treatment of any condition, and that it is safe to use, even under medical supervision.' (From "Marijuana" - An Australian Crisis . Elaine Walters. Page 70)
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AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO PARENTS-TO-BE, ESPECIALLY MOTHERS
FOETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME
If you are planning a pregnancy or are already pregnant, you will want to give your baby the best possible start in life. You will be aware that drugs you take could harm your baby and so will be careful to take only medication prescribed by your doctor. However, one drug which you may not have considered is -
IMPORTANT FACTS:- (1) Alcohol, drunk by a mother, crosses the placenta and enters the blood stream of her baby. If the mother is drunk, so is the baby. (2) As the fetal liver is not mature until the latter half of pregnancy, most of the alcohol which reaches the fetus is retained there until the mother's liver has eliminated her alcohol. It then passes back to her bloodstream for elimination. (3) ALCOHOL IS A POISON as well as an addictive drug, so alcohol in the fetus has a toxic effect on the developing cells and organs, especially the brain. The greatest damage occurs during the first three months. (4) From the fourth to sixth months, alcohol saps from the mother's body certain proteins and vitamins necessary for the baby's growth. (5) In the last three months, it contributes to dulled mental abilities and minor abnormalities. (6) The damage to a developing fetus as a result of the mother's alcohol intake is known as:- "FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME (F.A.S.)
A baby suffering from complete or partial F.A.S. will show some of these features :- # Prenatal and Postnatal growth retardation Serious Nerve Abnormalities, including # Evidence of central nervous system damage --- mental retardation, poor sucking and swallowing reflexes, apathy, eating problems, poor muscle tone and motor co-ordination , irritability. # Craniofacial abnormalities --- microcephaly (small head), a flattened groove between the upper lip and nose, a small upturned nose, a broad, low, nasal bridge, small, slant-like eyes set wide apart, with heavily-folded eyelids, a small jaw, a cleft palate, protruding, often imperfect ears, eye problems, thicker than normal facial hair. # Skeletal abnormalities -- painful immobility of elbows and knees, small or abnormal fingernails and toenails, abnormal creases in the hands. # Defects in major organs -- heart, liver, kidneys and genitals.
F.A.S. is the third commonest known cause of mental handicap after Down Syndrome and neural-tube defects and is the commonest preventable cause
BABIES AT RISK - Studies in Britain and the U.S.A., show that the babies most at risk are those whose mothers take more than 5 - 6 drinks a day. Heavy drinkers (10 drinks per week) were more than twice as likely as light drinkers (5 drinks a week) to have a low birth-weight baby. Even one "binge" (5 or more drinks at one time) during the most critical period - the early weeks after conception - and before you may be aware that you are pregnant, can cause your baby to suffer some F.A.S. symptoms. You cannot be certain of safely drinking any alcohol during pregnancy. For this reason, the U.S. Surgeon General and the British Royal College of Psychiatrists have adopted a play-it-safe policy and uncompromisingly advise TOTAL ABSTINENCE FROM ALCOHOL DURING PREGNANCY
Now it is over to you. For your baby's good health, and your own, why not decide to give up alcohol during your pregnancy - and perhaps for good ?
Finally, a word to fathers :- You also have an important role to play in ensuring that your child is healthy. There are two points to consider: (1) According to Dr. Donald MacPhee, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology at LaTrobe University, the taking of mutating agents such as alcoholic drinks BY THE FATHER may also lead to birth abnormalities. When your wife decides to avoid alcoholic liquor, it is important that you respect her decision and give her your support. ( With thanks to the WCTU for permission to publish this material)
PARENTS, WHAT SORT OF AN EXAMPLE ARE YOU SETTING BEFORE YOUR CHILDREN? DO YOU CONSUME ALCOHOL INTERNALLY? - THIS HEALTH PROGRAM MAY HELP YOU SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM
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