MARIHUANA AND HEALTH - Sixth Annual Report to the U.S. Congress - From the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare 1976

Sep 29, 2026

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Sixth Annual Report summarizes the health consequences of marihuana use for the U.S. Congress, emphasizing that the drug is not safe in absolute terms. It highlights evidence that intoxication impairs driving and other cognitive and interpersonal functions, notes highway safety risks comparable to alcohol, and addresses growing patterns of daily or near-daily use. The foreword frames key questions about current and anticipated health risk, identifies vulnerable groups, and outlines plans for large-scale and targeted research.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages56

Reading Time2 h 21 min

AccessFree to download

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

FOREWORD

Introduction

Overview and Perspective

Nature and Extent of Marihuana Use in the United States

Marihuana Use Among High School Seniors

Use Trends - An Overview

Predicting Marihuana Use

Chemistry and Metabolism of Cannabis

Animal Research

Human Effects

Special Health Problem Areas

Chronic Overseas User Studies

Psychopathology

Complex Psychomotor Performance in Driving and Flying

Tolerance and Dependence

Therapeutic Aspects

Future Research Directions

REFERENCES

AUTHOR INDEX

SUBJECT INDEX

MARIHUANAAND HEALTH SIXTH ANNUAL REPORTTO THE U.S.CONGRESSFrom theSecretary ofHealth.Education.and Welfare1976HV.5822M3J531976 ALCOHOL&DRUG ABUSE INSTITUTEUNIVERSITY OF WASHINGI1393715TH AVE.N.E.NL-15SEATTLE,WA 9810563-0241 MARIHUANAAND HEALTH Sixth Annual Reportto the U.S.CongressFrom the Secretary of Health,Education,and Welfare1976 National Institute on Drug Abuse5600 Fishers LaneRockville,Maryland 20857-3°3 只同 usve 上 1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Preparation of the Sixth Marihuana and Health Report was again madepossible by the generous contribution of information by members ofthe research community.Theircontributions are gratefullyacknowledged. Special thanks are also due to several members of the scientificcommunity who provided updated technical reviews of the marihuanaresearch,on which this report is based.Among these are: Dr.Sidney Cohen,University of California at Los Angeles;Dr.Douglas Peter Ferraro,University of New Mexico,Albuquerque; Dr.Reese Jones,Langley-Porter Neuropsychiatric Institute,San Francisco; Dr.Ralph Karler,University of Utah,Salt Lake City; Drs.Steven Matsuyama and Lissy Jarvik,Veterans Administra-tion Hospital,Brentwood and University of Californiaat Los Angeles; Dr.William McGlothlin,University of California at LosAngeles. Scientists on the staff of the National Institute on Drug Abuse whocontributed to the report in a variety of ways include: Drs.William Pollin,Louise Richards,Stephen Szara and Ms.EleanorCarroll. Dr.Robert C.Petersen wrote the Report and,as senior editor,hadprimary responsibility for its overall preparation. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents,U.S.Government Printing OfficeWashington,D.C.20402 Stock No.017-024-00570-3 Marihuana and Health --1976Table of Contents SectionsPageACKNOWLEDGMENTSiiFOREWORDVIntroduction1Overview and Perspective 1 Nature and Extent of Marihuana Use in theUnited States 4 Marihuana Use Among High School SeniorsUse Trends -An OverviewPredicting Marihuana Use10Chemistry and Metabolism of Cannabis11Animal ResearchHuman Effects 9 3 1415202123242526 Special Health Problem AreasChronic Overseas User StudiesPsychopathology Complex Psychomotor Performance inDriving and FlyingTolerance and DependenceTherapeutic Aspects Future Research DirectionsREFERENCES29AUTHOR INDEX38SUBJECT INDEX 41 FOREWORD This report,like its five predecessors,summarizes our growing,though still limited,knowledge of the health consequences ofmarihuana use.To the over simplified question,"Is marihuana usesafe?",we can offer a simplistic,but unequivocal,"No."There isgood evidence that being "high"--intoxicated by marihuana --impairs responses ranging from driving to intellectual and inter-personal functioning. It is hardly surprising that marihuana is not "safe"in any absolutesense for no drug is or can be under all conditions of use.Manysubstances as diverse as alcohol,tobacco,cyclamates and red dyeNo.2,do not harm all users,but may be fraught with adverse healthconsequences for a significant number of them.Marihuana,too,canbe hazardous even when used occasionally. We now know that marihuana intoxication poses a significant threatto highway saf ety in much the same way that alcohol does.The exactsize of that threat remains a matter for conjecture.Many marihuanausers report driving while intoxicated and since we know drivingskills are impaired under those circumstances,the problem is real. A related source of concern is the increasing number of Americanswho use marihuana on a daily or near daily basis. Just over 8percent of the nation's 1976 high school graduates reported vir-tually daily marihuana use. The number of 1976 graduates usingmarihuana on that basis was 40 percent greater than the numbermaking equally frequent use of alcohol. To date,most American marihuana users smoke relatively low potencymaterial and only occasionally. The apparently benign picturepresented by that type of use --aside from possible

FAQs

Does the report treat marihuana as safe under all conditions of use?

No. The foreword states there is unequivocal evidence that intoxication impairs responses, and no drug can be safe under all conditions of use.

What major risk to public safety is emphasized in the foreword?

Marihuana intoxication is described as a significant threat to highway safety, in much the same way that alcohol does.

What questions does the foreword identify as central to understanding health hazards?

It asks (1) the health risk at present and for anticipated levels of use in the United States, and (2) the specific areas of health hazard and who is at risk.

Sep 29, 2026

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