es of marijuana.” [1]Some medical professionals argue that there are already man-made drugs used for most of the illnesses that marijuana can be used for. “In fact, there is not one substance in this entire ‘Physician’s Desk Reference’ that is completely harmless,” [9] said Chuck Thomas at the Testimony Before the Institute of Medicinal Marijuana Hearing in New Orleans. “…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,” [2] according to the Bureau of Mortality Statistics. “Nearly all medicines have toxic, potentially lethal effects, but marijuana is not such a substance…Marijuana in its natural form, is one of the safest active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within a supervised routine of medical core,” [3] the Guardian Newspaper printed in 1993 on the issue. “Compared with legal drugs…..marijuana does not pose greater risks,” [8] according to the Pharmacological Reviews: Health Aspects of Cannabis. THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, has been produced in a pill form. Marinol is one of the pills: “The poor availability of Marinol in aqueous solutions and its high first-pass metabolism in the live account for its poor bioavailability; only 10-20% of an oral dose reaches the systemic circulation. The on set of action is slow; peak plasma concentration are not attained until two or four hours after dosing. In contrast, inhaled marijuana is rapidly absorbed…variation in individual responses is highest for oral THC and bioavailability is lowest. It is well recognized that Marinol’s oral route of administration hampers its effectiveness because of slow absorption and patients’ desire for more control over dosing.” [5]“The...
