Latin America
Many countries in Latin America have either decriminalized or legalized the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. While few countries have loosened restrictions on cannabis, others are still apprehensive due to the potential risks of drug abuse.
Chile
The state launched plans to cultivate and distribute cannabis for medicinal purposes after planting its first batch of the crop in late 2014 with plans for the production of cannabis oil to be used as a painkiller for 200 cancer patients. Today, the farm has expanded into the largest medicinal cannabis farm in South America.
Until then, patients had to import cannabis-based drugs for medicinal use. Chilean woman, Cecilia Heyder, lobbied the government and received permission to import a cannabis-based drug. Heyder was diagnosed with lupus and later, breast cancer, which led to severe pains and other symptoms related to a mastectomy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. She had used conventional painkillers but these had negative side effects. After the success of cannabis as a medicinal tea for pain
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The young girl was diagnosed with Lennox-Gastatut syndrome, a type of epilepsy that is often difficult to treat due to constant seizures and setbacks in the development of the patient. Elizalde failed to respond to traditional anticonvulsive treatments and her motor functions had been affected. After failed attempts at treatment using surgery and medicines, the family requested permission to import a CBD-based oil for treatment. Initially, their request was rejected due to a lack of scientific evidence to prove its effectiveness but after continuous effort, they were soon allowed to import the drug from the United States. This case prompted the Health Ministry to approve 48 additional import permits for CBD oils in
The Cannabis plant has been harvested around the world since ancient history. Dated 2300 B.C, scientist have found that Cannabis had been used for curing diseases, and other illnesses. Most commonly known, were the Native Americans that used this plant. Cannabis is one of the most natural plants on our planet, usually found in tropical and humid parts of the world. Not to mention, the soil and weather plays a major role in the development of cannabis. Furthermore, it has two main chemicals called CBD(Cannabiniol), and THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), which are mostly used in the medical field. Marijuana has many benefits such as, the root and stalks, are used for different types of lotion, paper, clothes, and fuel. Due to the lack of scientific evidence, that marijuana was medically helpful, it became illegal in the United States in
Jacqueline Patterson was born with cerebral palsy. This condition makes her experience stuttering, crippling pain, and muscle imbalance. She has four children and was living in Kansas City, Missouri. Now she lives in California, where a judge determined that her cannabis use is medically necessary to ease her symptoms (Price, In Pot We Trust). Cannabis use for medical purposes and the relief of various symptoms has been around since before recorded history as the National Institute on Drug Abuse notes that, “The earliest written reference is found in the 15th century BC Chinese Pharmacopeia, the Rh-Ya.” While cannabis can be used for recreational purposes, recent research and history provide evidence to its medical benefits (Procon.org, 2017). While the Chinese Pharmacopeia may not have understood the science behind medical benefits of cannabis on certain ailments, it provides a historical background into the use of medicinal cannabis. WebMD defines medical cannabis (or medical marijuana) as, “A drug that is made up of the leaves, flowers, and buds of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. Medical marijuana is the use of this drug to help treat symptoms like pain, muscle stiffness (spasticity), nausea, and lack of appetite.” (WebMD, 2017) This definition provides us with a basis for what can be considered medical cannabis and what a doctor can prescribe legally. As with any other drugs like opioids, cannabis can be abused and it is important that we distinguish what can be used
Medical marijuana has been proven to an effective drug in the treatment of a number of encumbering medical conditions. A large number of legitimate medical organizations recognize the benefits of marijuana. It is far less harmful and poses fewer negative side effects than many prescription drugs, including painkillers - and patients often find it to be a more effective treatment for a variety of illnesses. However, it is perhaps the most commonly misunderstood substance in America. The usage of the drug has been widely researched and proven to be a “most viable and safe source of medicine to many Americans suffering from Aids, Glaucoma, Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Epilepsy, and Chronic Pains” (Medical Marijuana). According to the Institute of Medicines, (1999) “marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known” (Legalization of Marijuana). More and more resources and case studies will be further discussed and practices to back up the claim, and determine marijuana’s medical value.
While marijuana isn’t strong enough for severe pain (for example, post-surgical pain or a broken bone), it is quite effective for the chronic pain that plagues millions of Americans, especially as they age.” Explanation: People over the age of 18 or 21 (depending on their state laws) can apply for a medical marijuana license. There are over 700 known medical uses of marijuana and these people can “self-medicate” and treat their symptoms with marijuana versus the
Until very recently the only research that has been conducted on the medical use of Cannabis has been for the relief of cancer patients. The primary use at this point has been for the relief of nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy (Nantional Cancer Institute, 2014). Some of the other uses have been for anorexia and cachexia in HIV/AIDS, chronic, especially neuropathic pain, spasticity in multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injury (Nantional Cancer Institute, 2014). The scientific data collected over the years is precisely clear that the use of medical Cannabis is needed and should be allowed everywhere in the United States.
“Small, green and a miracle, It’s helped me for years allowing me to to handle the pain I get with my chemo, it’s like a miracle drug “, once said my grandfather who suffered from pancreatic cancer, who thanks to cannabis , was given 10 more months than the 3 he was expected to live. Even though medical cannabis is viewed as a street drug , it is an alternative to other prescription drugs because it can help prevent complications that prescription drugs cause and can be used to treat many diseases . Cannabis has a great medicinal purpose , and is a somewhat universal drug, that may be used in both animals and humans of all ages.
The use of cannabis toward medicine should not be shocking to anyone, since it has been around for centuries. As a matter of fact, it has been under medicinal aid for an estimated 5,000 years. Western medicine truly grasped marijuana’s medicinal abilities in the 1850’s. Infact, doctors documented over one hundred papers about how marijuana helped numerous disorders, such as nausea, glaucoma, movement disorders, pain relief, depression, and anxiety. It also helps cancer patients and those with HIV or Aids. Currently, many American patients have access to marijuana use so that they can have effective treatments for their illnesses. Medical marijuana use is achievable because
In this article, Yvette states that cannabis has been used over 3,000 years to help treat and manage pain, digestive disorders, and psychological disorders. The FDA has not approved marijuana for medical purposes, yet a growing number of states are legalizing its use for the treatment and management of certain medical conditions. The states that have legalized marijuana require a doctor's approval, an ID card or patient registry. On top of that the patients are required to have a signed document by their physician stating the condition that is being treated, and that marijuana is the recommended treatment. There are laws and specific conditions that differ in every state and there are restrictions to how much medical marijuana can be given out to a person each visit.
In recent years, medical marijuana has become legal in 23 states across the country, including washington D.C, new york,new jersey, oregon, and many others. Medical marijuana has been know too aid cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, along with a large number of medical conditions like Glaucoma, Arthritis, migraines, hepatitis C and many others. While there is a large following in the medical marijuana movement, there is also a large counter-movement who want to medical marijuana to stay illegal. In this paper I will argue why medical marijuana should be legal throughout the united states and how beneficial marijuana is to modern medecine. Marijuana could be used in modern medicine to help aid a wide range of diseases.
Medical marijuana may have a strong medical value to it. Individuals with illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, brain injuries, Hypertension, spinal cord injuries, Tourette’s syndrome, Anorexia, Arthritis, Crohn’s disease, HIV, AIDS, severe migraines, Multiple Sclerosis, Glaucoma, Fibromyalgia, individuals undergoing chemotherapy, and Epilepsy, just to name a few. Recently Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington have legalized the plant use of medical marijuana. While several other states are in the process of or have already legalized certain parts of the marijuana plant such as extracting
The pain is comparable to severe burns, child birth and the bite of a bullet ant and it was nicknamed “the suicide disease” because the severity of it would cause people to end their own lives. Because of this, she decided to try medical marijuana. Once again, CBD is said to help chronic pain and other issues, the Tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC, in marijuana, that results in the “high” feeling, has no effect on pain relief but does not cause any harm. Because of this discovery, scientist has extracted CBD from the marijuana, giving patients the chance to relieve their pain and not experience the feeling of being high. This producer from BuzzFeed tested all different products that the dispensary offered to see what would work best for her and her specific issue. The dispensary offered flowers, which is the plant itself, along with edibles, concentrate, or oil, and topical regimens. According to Kelsey, the flower helped the most with her headaches, she would smoke it the same way typical marijuana is smoked, but she would not experience the “high” feeling, just relief from pain. This is a major scientific breakthrough for people suffering from that same condition. Kelsey and these other people have a disorder that is incurable, everything they do to fix it
The use of medical marijuana is not new to the history of medicine, especially Eastern medicine practices. Almost 5,000 years ago, marijuana was used as a herbal medicine by the Chinese (Rose, 2013). Traditional Chinese medicine was offered through many different practices such as herbal medicine, massage, exercise, dietary therapy and acupuncture. The Chinese made a connection between acupuncture and marijuana. The Chinese believed if a person was being treated for pain, then the person needed cannabis as a remedy. Rose’s article said, “Cannabis is one of the 50 “fundamental” herbs of the TCM, and is prescribed to treat diverse symptoms.” (Rose, 2013) Cannabis is described as one of 50 plants that are used as medicine. The 50 plants that it is referring to is the herbs that actually do something to help the human
Marijuana popularly known as cannabis can also be used in the treatment of several ailments apart from its misuse. There are several differences that have been marked with the knowledge pertaining the medical consumption of cannabinoids and cannabis in a variety of sicknesses. For vomiting and nausea that is associated with chemotherapy of cancer, cachexia in HIV, anorexia, chronic, spasticity in numerous sclerosis and injury of the spinal cord are strong evidences of the medicinal benefits of the plant. For several indications, like pruritus, epilepsy and depression, there is lesser data on the topic. However, methodical evidence for specific indications do not inevitably replicate the definite relaxing potential for a particular disease. Medical studies focusing on cannabinoids or the whole preparation of the plant (whether extracted or smoked) have frequently been stimulated by optimistic anecdotal understandings by patients who employ crude products of cannabis. Medicinal Marijuana should be legal because it enhances appetite, has relaxing effects, and there are therapeutic and analgesia in the syndrome of Tourette as revealed in this method(Healey and Justin).
Millions of people suffer daily from incurable diseases. The reality for a person affected by an incurable disease is that from the moment they are diagnosed and even before that back to the moment they experienced their first symptom, they will have their disease. While these diseases do not have a cure, treatments do exist to manage the symptoms. Often, the prescription drugs available to sufferers of these painful, sometimes life-threatening ailments are expensive and carry side effects of their own. A remedy used for treatment of many of these symptoms and side effects, historically dating back to as early as the 2700’s B.C. has, within the last 20 years, begun its re-ascent into medical potential. Cannabis was first documented in medical
In fact, a Mexican grandmother is using marijuana to treat her and her family’s illnesses. She created a marijuana-infused alcohol that she rubs to her legs whenever she feels pain.