...One publication, “Dangers and Consequences of Marijuana”, contained 23 of the 25 factual inaccuracies in violation of the Information Quality Act. Such inaccuracies included claims that cannabis was a gateway drug, caused irreversible cognitive decline in adults, and contributed to psychosis and lung cancer.

“The DEA’s removal of these popular myths about cannabis from their website could mean the end of the Washington gridlock” said Steph Sherer, Executive Director of Americans for Safe Access. “This is a victory for medical cannabis patients across the nation, who rely on cannabis to treat serious illnesses. The federal government now admits that cannabis is not a gateway drug, and doesn’t cause long-term brain damage, or psychosis. While the fight to end stigma around cannabis is far from over, this is a big first step.”

But the fight is not over. As of February 13th, the government is one week beyond the required deadline to respond to the Americans for Safe Access’ legal petition and the group claims that the DEA is still spreading false information about cannabis.

“We are pleased that in the face of our request the DEA withdrew some of the damaging misinformation from its website” said Vickie Feeman, of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. “However, the DEA continues to disseminate many damaging facts about the health risks of medical cannabis and patients across the country face ongoing harm as a result of these alternative facts. We are hopeful the DEA will also remove the remaining statements rather than continue to mislead the public in the face of the scientifically proven benefits of medical cannabis.”

Without a clear understanding of the mental and physical effects of marijuana, its use on our youth, our families, and our society, we will never understand the ramifications it will have on the lives of our younger generation, the impact on their future, and its costs to our society.
Legalization of marijuana, no matter how it begins, will come at the expense of our children and
public safety. It will create dependency and treatment issues, and open the door to use of other drugs, impaired health, delinquent behavior, and drugged drivers.

Teens who smoke marijuana at least once a month are three times more likely to have
suicidal thoughts than non-users.

The President of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), Raymond Yars, voiced
grave concern about the recent referenda in the United States that would allow the recreational
use of cannabis by adults. “Legalization of cannabis within these states would send wrong and
confusing signals to youth and society in general, giving the false impression that drug abuse
might be considered normal and even, most disturbingly, safe. Such a development could result
in the expansion of drug abuse, especially among young people, and we must remember that all
young people have a right to be protected from drug abuse and drug dependency.”

Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that frequent or long-term marijuana use may significantly increase a man’s risk of developing the most
aggressive type of testicular cancer, nonseminoma. Nonseminoma is a fast-growing testicular
malignancy that tends to strike early, between the ages of 20 and 35, and accounts for about 40
percent of all testicular-cancer cases. Dr. Stephen Schwartz stated that researchers are still
studying the long-term health consequences of marijuana smoking, especially heavy marijuana
smoking and “in the absence of more certain information, a decision to smoke marijuana
recreationally means that one is taking a chance on one’s future health."

Smoking marijuana can cause changes in lung tissue that may promote cancer growth,
according to a review of decades of research on marijuana smoking and lung cancer. However,
it is not possible to directly link pot use to lung cancer based on existing evidence.
Nevertheless, researchers indicate that the precancerous changes seen in studies included in
their analysis, as well as the fact that marijuana smokers generally inhale more deeply and hold
smoke in their lungs longer than cigarette smokers, and that marijuana is smoked without a
filter, do suggest that smoking pot could indeed boost lung cancer risk. It is known, they add,
that marijuana smoking deposits more tar in the lungs than cigarette smoking does.