I am writing as a family doctor, and more importantly, a mother, in opposition to Ballot Measure 2.  There is limited evidence of benefit or harm of smoked marijuana.  This is in part due to barriers to research, which should be lifted.  There may be medical benefit in treating chronic pain, nausea, glaucoma, neurologic and immune disorders.  There may also be harm from inhaled toxins, addiction and dependence, to brain development in young people, from impaired driving, and in accidental poisonings of children.  It is my understanding that impaired driving is one area that Colorado has found difficulty in addressing, as a positive marijuana test does not correlate with acute intoxication.  It is also my understanding that Alaska's own research suggests there will be significant social cost to adopting this policy.  Whatever tax benefit the State may recoup, it should not do so at the detriment of its citizens.  I believe if marijuana shows medical  benefit, that it should be provided under medical supervision and control for specific medical indications, and regulated like other drugs.  Marijuana's medical indications and risks should be better delineated by controlled studies rather than by uncontrolled social experiment.

Sincerely,

Marin Granholm, MD