Medical Marijuana By David Casarett Analysis

According to the United Nations, “158.8 million people around the world use marijuana—more than 3.8% of the planet’s population” (Marijuana). Marijuana has become a crucial topic throughout the world in recent years. Marijuana has been legalized medically throughout many countries, such as Australia, Chile, Spain, and Uruguay. Within the United States of America, twenty-eight states have legalized marijuana for medicinal use, the most recent legalization passed was in the state of Florida. Therefore, one can assert that medical marijuana is a controversial topic locally and globally. Medical marijuana portrays many advantages and disadvantages within society. Medical marijuana portrays many benefits to victims of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,

Medical marijuana has been one of the most controversial topics in politics for years regardings its legalization and any possible benefits. Marijuana is commonly referred to as the “gateway drug” and has been thought to be what causes the downfall of our youth in today’s society. This has caused Marijuana to earn a bad reputation due to the immense surrounding propaganda and bias opinions. Cannabis is the scientific name of the plant which is absolutely natural and free of chemicals, but the psychoactive components in the plant has been proven to be of medical use. If medical marijuana is prescribed correctly it has the potential to help thousands of patients due to the variety of benefits it can medically provide. Medical Marijuana should

Joycelyn Elders, former Surgeon General, once spoke about the legalization of marijuana for medical use in a press conference. "It's criminal to keep this medicine from patients," she said (Silverman, 1995, pg. 2). She received criticism not only from many citizens of the United States, but also strong criticism from the President who appointed her. The legalization of marijuana for medical use has always been a sharply debated subject, and many of the debaters are uneducated about the effects of using this illegal drug for therapeutic use. Many studies have been done and the results are clear. As a medical drug, marijuana should be available to patients who do not adequately respond to currently available

With 520 physicians from Colorado taking the survey, 46% said they would not recommend prescribing the plant to patients, while only 19% said they would recommend it. When asked about continuing research, “Nearly all agreed on the need for further medical education about medical marijuana.” With 91% agreeing that it should be explored deeper, it shows that many people don’t actually know the truth of how helpful or harmful marijuana can be.

No matter what it’s called: reefer, hemp, cannabis, or weed, the medicinal properties of the leafy green herb have been recognized for centuries and the medicament was readily available in pharmacies as early as 1840 and continued to be for nearly another one hundred more. Then came “Reefer Madness”, a propaganda movie critical of the effects of marijuana and the plant, despite its known benefits, became prohibited. Fast forward to 1996 and the Compassionate Care Act of California gave the first hope to patients in need of new treatment alternatives. Though some states have legalized the use of marijuana for both medicinal and recreational use, it remains illegal federally. Legalization of medical marijuana will offer a safer, more cost-effective approach to disease management for people suffering from debilitating conditions, as well as generate state and federal

The legalization of marijuana in other states has increased access to and acceptability of this drug for both medicinal and recreational purposes. In the absence of well-designed research and FDA approval, this creates unique challenges for both practitioners and regulators alike. Doctors are being pressured to recommend medical marijuana based off of the requests of the users. The regulations that have been put on marijuana are extremely loose fitting and hard to control

            Many citizens in the United States suffer from lifelong diseases that cause them to lose the ability to live their day-to-day lives. The United States is now faced with the problem over whether or not drugs, often stigmatized by society, should be made legal. One of these lifesaving drugs is medical marijuana. This leaves us with the troubling question: “should medical marijuana be legalized in the United States?”. Supporters of the drug have argued that it should be legalized because it is superior to other painkillers and can be beneficial to people suffering from numerous illnesses. However, those who oppose its use, argue that not enough research has been done and it may be harmful. The

Gray’s article “Legalize Use of Marijuana for Medical Purposes, MDs and Patients Plead” sufficiently appeals to the reader’s pathos. However, she fails to support her claim that marijuana needs to become legal and doctors should have a supply available for their patients due to the lack of detail, statistics, and unreliable

CNN’s documentary “Weed,” led by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chronicles his journey around the world interviewing leading scientists and physicians, growers, patients, and experts, tackling the tough questions regarding marijuana, it’s medicinal value, and witnessing first-hand how it is affecting the lives of individual families. In 2009, Gupta wrote an article in TIME Magazine called “Why I would Vote No on Pot,” but now he has made a complete reversal on his views and has apologized for not looking hard enough, far enough, or reviewing research papers from smaller lab in countries outside of the U.S, and for dismissing the voices of legitimate patients who had success using cannabis to treat one disorder or another His willingness to challenge current views, dispel certain myth, correct his own errors, and enlighten the masses, and advocate for medicinal use of cannabis, has helped to shift

In Carrie Shortsleeve’s article, “The Truth About Medical Marijuana”, she is writing to those who are curious about the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Doctors and Scientists everywhere have been studying the use of marijuana for years and question the medical use of it every day. Some doctors and scientists are ready for it to be legalized in their states so that they can administer the drug as soon as tomorrow. While others are 100 percent against the use of marijuana in the medical environment. In her article, Carrie Shortsleeve interviews different doctors and professors to see what their opinions or thoughts may be on the use of medical marijuana. She goes into great detail using facts and statistics on both the positive and negative uses of the drug. The motivation behind Carrie’s article is to find out answers to the questions that we all ask ourselves every day, “Is marijuana safe to use in medical terms?”, “How do you know how much to administer a patient?”, “Will it be legalized in every state?” etc. There are many ways in which medical marijuana can be used to help you, but there are also many ways where it can do more harm than good.

Unless you 've been living under a rock, you have probably at some point in the last few years had a conversation with a friend or family member regarding medical marijuana. Although it is considered a controversial topic, in recent months it has been gaining approval by the public. But it does not come without opposition and arguments. Medical marijuana is a complex subject and still requires more education for the public, the medical community, and the government.

It was a beautiful Sunday morning for little Tommy. He was playing in the backyard when all of the sudden, he started vomiting constantly. His parents were concerned and rushed him to the hospital. The doctors took him in immediately and ran a series of tests. The doctors didn’t what was wrong with him until the final test. The test came back positive for colon cancer. The doctor greets the parents, and this breaks them down. The doctor suggests that he uses medical marijuana to help with the symptoms. The doctor mentions that the risks outweigh the benefits, but it will help some of his symptoms from chemotherapy. Many patients have symptoms that are very painful and uncomfortable. Many think that medical marihuana will help, but in the long

Medical marijuana use can greatly increase many patients lives tremendously, who have been suffering for too long. Marijuana is seen as a class 1 drug and also a “gateway” drug making the fight for these patients hard. Many states have now legalized the use of Medical marijuana but the fight is not over until every state has won. This essay will examine the scope of the need for medical marijuana.

In the article “Medical Marijuana Should Be Legalized”, Noel Merino talks about the benefits of marijuana and how it can treat several medical conditions. Merino feels that marijuana should be legalized for medical use because it is actually one of the safest drugs currently existing that can be used therapeutically to alleviate a wide range of ailments (Merino 4). As a matter of fact, some of the most common minor and easily treatable illnesses medical marijuana can treat include a decline of nausea and appetite loss, a reduced amount of intraocular pressure, a decreased amount of muscle spasms, and a declined amount of chronic pain (5-8). It is true that marijuana can still

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