ASAM opposes state ballot measures to legalize marijuana

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The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) opposes proposals to legalize marijuana anywhere in the United States, including three state measures on November 2012 ballots. Legalization initiatives in Colorado, Washington and Oregon create unacceptable risks to public health, according to a white paper approved by the ASAM Board of Directors at its July 25 meeting. Physicians and other health professionals must learn more about the real health threats posed by marijuana use, all of which are made worse by legalization.

Physicians should encourage public education about these facts and lead efforts against ballot initiatives to legalize marijuana, the report said. ASAM is the nation's foremost association of physicians dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of the disease of addiction. "ASAM has brought to bear its commitment to science and public health in taking a strong position against marijuana legalization," said Robert DuPont, M.D., the report co-author, who is a former White House Drug Czar and former director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

"ASAM can provide leadership to all physicians and all medical associations about the dangerous and seductive mirage of drug legalization, including marijuana legalization, as a so-called solution to serious health problems resulting from drug use."