Federal Drug Agency Denies Marijuana is Less Toxic Than Alcohol

[cali]

Stupid agenda driven shit.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse released an eyebrow-raising statement to PolitiFact on Monday, denying that marijuana is less toxic than alcohol.

"Claiming that marijuana is less toxic than alcohol cannot be substantiated since each possess their own unique set of risks and consequences for a given individual," wrote the institute. NIDA, part of the National Institutes of Health, funds government-backed scientific research and has a stated mission "to lead the nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction."

The statement was in response to a declaration by the pro-pot policy group Marijuana Policy Project that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol –- a claim that was the centerpiece of a controversial pro-marijuana commercial aired during a NASCAR race last month.

PolitiFact took the claim to task, comparing marijuana-related deaths to alcohol-related deaths and toxicity levels of the two substances.

As noted by PolitiFact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics reported 41,682 alcohol-related deaths in 2010. The center had no reports listing marijuana as a cause of death.


<snip>

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/19/marijuana-less-toxic-alcohol_n_3782100.html

[99th_Monkey]

1. Well, Monsanto OWNS the FDA, thanks to Obama

what did you expect?

[cali]

2. why would Monsanto give a fuck?

[99th_Monkey]

6. They want to KEEP it illegal until they can figure out a way to

make a buttload of money off of it, and of course to genetically corrupt/patent the seed
so that it actually DOES become toxic. .

[rdharma]

3. I thought you meant Food and Drug Administration ......

And I thought.... WTF! They know better than that.

But you were talking about the National Institute on Drug Abuse. They also know that it's BS.... but they have a vested interest in spreading that lie.

[DirkGently]

5. Right. Not the FDA. Thought that was weird too.

[cali]

7. Sorry, I abbreviated Federal Drug Agency. Brain fart. fixed.

[rdharma]

9. They come under the DHHS not the FDA nt

[War Horse]

8. As did I. A WTF moment there...

[DirkGently]

4. Sure. Long as you define "toxic" as "We don't like it."

[Warren Stupidity]

10. Then surely the NIDA can provide us with the LD50 comparison

Alcohol: approximately 0.40% BAC, and around 100,000 deaths annually.

Tobacco: 40–60 mg (0.5-1.0 mg/kg)

Delta 9 THC: unknown. Experimental evidence unable to establish any ld50 value in large mammals.

All THC: unknown. Experimental evidence unable to establish any ld50 value in large mammals.

concentrated marijuana extract: unknown. Experimental evidence unable to establish any ld50 value in large mammals.

Source: http://www.oregon.gov/pharmacy/Imports/Marijuana/StaffReview/ReschedulingCannabis-NOTES_3-10.pdf

And at least 100 other places. Except it seems at the NIDA.

[RainDog]

11. yep

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023505766

[Scuba]

12. I propose a simple test ....

You drink booze and I'll smoke two, strike that, six bowls for every drink you take. We'll keep going until one of us dies.

[RiffRandell]

13. Ridiculous.

Keep it illegal to put more people in jail and more money for big Pharma.

[mick063]

14. What else would you expect?

1) They must justify the size of their infrastructure.

2) Confiscating cash and property is a windfall for law enforcement.

3) It provides an excuse for "stop and frisk"

4) It justifies (in their mind) racial profiling.

5) An odor can be claimed at any point to justify entering a home without a warrant.

6) It is a free supply to confiscate for your own stash.