DOCUMENT RESUME CG 006 943 ED 060 477 to Congress fromthe TITLE Marihuana and Health: A Report Secretary, U. S. Departmentof Health Education and Welfare. Health (DHEW), Bethesda, INSTITUTION National Inst. of Mental Md. Mar 71 PUB DATE prepared for theSubcommittee NOTE 100p.; Committee print on Alcoholismand Narcotics of theSenate Committee on Labor andPublic Welfare, 92ndCongress, 1st Session Washington, D. AVAILABLE FROMU. S. GovernmentPrinting Office, C. MF-$0.65 HC-$3.29 EDRS PRICE *Health DESCRIPTORS Drug Abuse; DrugAddiction; *Drug Education; Education; *Marihuana;*Scientific Research ABSTRACT This report to congressis designed to summarizethe of the use current status of ourknowledge of the health consequences of the drug on the of marijuana, thatis, not only the effects psychological health, butalso the effects individualls physical and knowledge of marijuana use onthe society as awhole. Certainly, our health is at presentincomplete and fragmentary. of marijuana and rather, Marijuana is not asingle, simple substanceof uniform type; of the plant, it consists of varyingmixtures of different parts Cannabis Sativa. The routeof absorption maymake a significant of use. Other areasexplored in the difference in the consequences effects of report include:(1) subjectiveeffects;(2) physiological (3) acute psychoticepisodes;(4) intellectual acute marijuana use; (6) effects and motor performance;(5) marijuana andbirth defects; of long-term chronic use;(7) marijuana and the useof other drugs; and (8) future researchdirections. (TA) 92d Congress 1st Session COMXITTEE PRINT MARIHUANA ANDHEALTH A REPORT TO THECONGRESS FROM THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENTOF HEALTH, EDUCATION, ANDWELFARE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ALCOHOLISMAND NARCOTICS OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABORAND PUBLIC WELFARE UNITED STATESSENATE MARCH 1971 Printed for theuse of theCommittee onLabor and Public Welfare v.s. Govzionuarr ram=mum 55-sze WASZUSGTON 2171 COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND PUBLIC WELFARE HARRISON A. WILLIAMS. 3s. New Jersey, Chairman JENNINGS RANDOLPH. West Vlrgbila zAcon K. JAVITS. New York CLAIBORNE PELL, Rbode Island WINSTON L. PROUTY. Vermont EDWARD 11. KWNIMY. Massucbusett PETER H. DOMINICK. Colorado GAYLORD NELSON. Wisconsin RICHARD S. KIIWEIKER, Penasylvania WALTER F. MONDALE. Minnesota BOB PACKWOOD. Oregon TBOMAS P. EAGLETON. Missouri ROBERT TAFT. 3a., Ohio ALAN CRANSTON. California J. GLWIN BEALL, 3s, Maryland HAROLD E. IIUGHES. Iowa ADLAI E. STEVMVSON IT'. Illinois STZW.INT E. Mc etym. Staff Direr, itr ROOM E. Mists Gentes1 Cownsd ROT U. MUSX7411100. Jifisserni ifteff D:fteter Eeussa birrrtucas. 11 Levity Comusad $1171000MMITTSC ON Atone:luau AND Num:ones HAROLD E =cum Iowa, Chairman 3-MNINGS R7.NDOLPII. West Virginia BOB PACKWOOD, Oregon HARRISON A. WILLIAMS. Is. New Jersey JACOB K. JAVITS. New York EDWARD M. KW:1=DV. Masenebusetts PETER H. DOMINICK. Colorado WALTER IP% MONDALE. Illnarsota RICHARD S. SCIIWEILER. Pennsylvania ALAN CRANSTON. California WASit CLAIUC. Compel Iticnann 3. Wain. Minorite Counsel te: This report is being printed for the information of the Cowen and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Members ot the committee.) 3 FOREWORD marihuana has:nvolved dis- concerning theeffects of country. The debate in virtually everypart of the cussion bycitizens and experts Narcotics of theP....znate Onn- onAlcoholism and ;via the pre- The Subcommittee Welfare, whichis charged mittee on Laborand Public legi.slation in thedrug abusefield, is liminary handlingof reports and deeply interested inthe debate. Health, A Reportto theCongress "Marihuana and and Welfare," This document,Department ofHealth, Education, from theSecretary, 0:ingress andreferred to this com- which has beentransmitted to the controversial drugto our much informationabout this be of great mittee provides and enlightenmentIt will also citizens fortheir education and to Stateand localofficials who are interest to Membersof Congress public policyconcerning charged withmaking andrecommending marihuana. pleased to makeit avail- the use of useful and I am the The re + irtis timely and necemarily rezlectthe views of able for .ribution. It does not members of thecommittee. HAREVON A.WILLIAMS, Jr., (mid PublicWeZfare. Chairman,Committee on Labor urn me, I ON. 4 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL US. Smarr., COMMTEE ON LABOR AND PUBLIC WY:LIAM Washington, D.C., February 1971. H. ILMEISON WILLIAMS, Jr., Chairman, Committee on Labor and Public Wel fare, New Senate Office Building? lVashington, D.C. Dr.An Mc. CitAinmax : Pmsent figures indicate that eight to twelve milli= Americans have had some experience with marihuana, and the use of the drug continues to grow: especially among our young people. Ai; the usage of marihuana continues to increase, so seemingly do the el"; t:-.3 concerning the effects of the drug. Az you know, the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare felt hu a report by the Secretary of Hvilth, Education and Welfare :Jutaining current information on the health conseluences of usirg marihuana, and whatever recommendations for letTislative and ad- minigtrative action that the Secretary felt were appropriate, would prove to be a useful tool in the public debate onthis imam would be helpful as a matter of public information and education, and would stimulate additional research coz,vrning marihuana in those areas which need furatrr attention. CoLsequently. the Committee rvconi- mended the enactment of the Marihuana and treahlt Reporting Act to the 91st Congrem. The legislation was subetTuently :aiacted as tiCe V of Public Law 9-296 and became law on Pm* 3:I 1070. I am convinced that the reports made uzder the authority of this new legislation will prove to be valuabletools in the public educa- tion and debate concerning the health i»yact of tzii widely discussed drug. Conseuent1y, I am pleased to tains:nit this latest Marihuana and Health Report to you and t.) recommend its distribution by the Committee. Sincerely, HAROLD E. Urcurs, Clusirman,Subcommiliet Akoholism and Narcotics. Submission of Report TIIE SECRETARY or EnrCATION, AND Wri.FARE, W ashington, D.0 February 1,1971. Hon. Srnto T Aci.s.rw, President of the Senafe, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. PREStlENT: This report, "Marihuana and Health," is be- ing submitted in accordance with Title V of Public IAw C1-.290, the "Marihuana and Health Reporting Act." This Ls the frst. of the requirvi annual reports to the Congre,s on the health consequences of marihuana usage. The report repn:ents a summary of current scientific knowledgeregarding marih.num usag,e and its effects on man. However, since there are many unanswered questions regarding marihuana, particularly those regardinn long- term use, this report z-annot be considered u definitive arymment on the health consequences of this most controversial drug. The marihuana research progre:gg within thz. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare has been accelerated and is concentrating on those areas where information is most lacking. It is Antkipated that additional information from these studies will enable us in 3mbserfuent reports to assess more comprehensively the health implications of marihuana usage, Sincerely, Er.uor L. McilARWON. Secrete- y. ACKNowtzomm-rs A special ncte of thanlm is due to the many members of the .s7ien- tific community who generously made available reports of their cur- rent cork to the staff of the'National Institute of Mental Heakh. With- out their cooperation it would not have been possible to produce a docu- ment reflecting the most current data in a rapidly changing area. Scientists of the Institute who had the parnary responsibility for authorship of the report itself were: Dr. Robert C. Petersen, Dr. Jack Blaine, Dr. Monique Braude, Miss Eleanor Carroll, Dr. ',miles Rich- at& and Dr. Join Paul Smith. (VW CONTENTS Pm I. Introduction 1 IL Summary IIL The Natural and Synthetic MateriaL. 13 IV. Extent and Patterns of Use and Abuse V. Preclinica: Studies in Animals-- 39 VL Effects in Man.. 53 VIL Social and Cultural Concomitants-- VIIL Research Needs and Future Directions-- 97 (tx) MARIHIJANA AND HEALTH AREPO&T TO TEM CONGIG135--FROX TICE SECRZTAZT, DEParrmzirr OF 15:AL1HT "EDUCATION, ANDWELFARE January 31, 1971 INTRODUCTION This report has been prepared in accordance with the "Marihuana and Health Report Act" (Title V of P.L. 91-296) which requires sub- mission by the &cretary of Health, Education, and Welfare of annual reports to the Congress on the health consequences of marihuana usage. Unlike the preliminary report ofSeptember 1970, which more briefly outlined the nature ot the research questions currently being posed and the Federal promram desianed to elicit some of the answers, the present report isdesigTiedto summarize the current status of our knowledge of the health consequences of marihuana use. "Health con- sequences for the purposesof this documentinclude not only the effects of the drag on the individual's physical and psychological health but also the effects on cannabis use on the society. As was indicated in the report of September 1970, the health iiic- ture with respect to marihuana must at present be regarded as frag- mentary and clearly incomplete. Many of the most importantquestions regarding the implications of long-term, chronic use will require signi- ficant periods of time to answer. Extrapolation from data based on cultures in many respects significantly different from our own is in- evitably hazardous. The picture is father complicated by the degree to which drugs as actually used in a given society differ from _pure laboratory chemicals.