Tuesday, May 23, 2006

WebMD reports Pot Smoking Not Linked to Lung Cancer We've been aware of this study for a little while now -- but still it's nice to see it showing up: WebMD Pot Smoking Not Linked to Lung Cancer Study Shows No Increased Risk for Even the Heaviest Marijuana Smokers By Salynn Boyles, WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 May 23, 2006 -- People who smoke marijuana do not appear to be at increased risk for developing lung cancer, new research suggests. While a clear increase in cancer risk was seen among cigarette smokers in the study, no such association was seen for regular cannabis users. Even very heavy, long-term marijuana users who had smoked more than 22,000 joints over a lifetime seemed to have no greater risk than infrequent marijuana users or nonusers. [...] Studies suggest that marijuana smoke contains 50% higher concentrations of chemicals linked to lung cancer than cigarette smoke. Marijuana smokers also tend to inhale deeper than cigarette smokers and hold the inhaled smoke in their lungs longer. So why isn't smoking marijuana as dangerous as smoking cigarettes in terms of cancer risk? The answer isn't clear, but the experts say it might have something to do with tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is a chemical found in marijuana smoke. [...] [Thanks, Allan] 8:57:02 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

Prisoners Nell Bernstein, author of "All Alone in the World: Children of the Incarcerated," writes in We Are All Prisoners Now: One of the basic functions of incarceration is invisibility: We place our prisons in remote rural counties, build high walls and lock out the media. Then we fortify those walls with stigma, so that those who have been there, or seen family sent there, will keep that journey secret. But an elephant can grow only so large before people start remarking on its presence in the living room. One in 10 American children has a parent under criminal justice supervision today -- in jail, in prison, on probation or parole. The number does not include those who have had this experience at some point in their lives, or those who will. Those who have lived or worked inside a prison, or seen a family member spirited away, have seen what we are hiding from ourselves, and they are beginning to speak out. I have to believe that it is their voices, their experience, that will turn back the tidal wave that incarceration has become. The question is, what will prevail... The voices of the families of the prisoners? or The financial and political interests of the drug war and the prison system? 7:09:53 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

Jury comes through - Dr. Paul Heberle acquitted A victory for pain sufferers in the Government's war to inflict pain upon them -- Via Radley Balko: Erie, PA- Nearly one year following his splashy perp walk courtesy of Attorney General Tom Corbett of Pennsylvania, physician Paul Heberle, D. O. was cleared of all charges by an Erie jury earlier today. Citing a lack of evidence, the jury acquitted on the 14 controlled substances charges and the 12 Medicaid fraud counts that purportedly stemmed from Heberle's "criminal" prescribing. One controlled substance charge and one Medicaid fraud charge were dropped at the beginning of the trial which began a week and a half ago. "Initially, the case was a combined effort by the DEA and the state of Pennsylvania but the Feds pulled out when we got involved. More and more we are seeing that they only follow through on prosecutions that they are certain they are going to win," said Siobhan Reynolds, President of Pain Relief Network, the organization credited with coordinating tactical support for the defense effort. "Without the Pain Relief Network we would have been lost," said Christine Heberle, Dr. Heberle's wife. "It isn't going to end here," Mrs. Heberle vowed "the world must come to understand what the state of Pennsylvania did to these patients, how they covered up evidence of actual drug diversion in order to 'get' Paul... and all the other terrible things going on here. They shouldn't be allowed to just do this to these doctors and patients." Reynolds added that PRN will be calling for a formal investigation into the agents' conduct and that of the attorneys of the Attorney General's office. " Once people come to understand the degree to which this whole thing was an elaborate set up, designed it seems, to score political points, we hope that these prosecutions will be seen for what they are; government attacks on our most vulnerable population, those in severe chronic pain." [...] I really got to know more about this despicable case through the extensive segment on Dr. Paul Heberle in John Holowach's film High: The True Tale of American Marijuana. It's nice to see Dr. Heberle exonerated, although it's already too late for some of his patients, and the destruction caused by this malicious witch hunt has been extensive. 8:09:00 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

Various things Cosmic Tap on Marijuana Muffins, Reefer Madness and Drugging Kids LastOneSpeaks on an an annoying puff piece about Karen Tandy Disturbing Statistics: 1,000 jailed per week; 62% of those in jails not convicted. 12:34:46 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []