Medical Marijuana Cardholder Rights

Marijuana prohibition makes no exception for the medical use of marijuana. The tens of thousands of

The Supremacy Clause: Conflict between Federal and State Law as it relates to Medical Marijuana

Many studies have shown that marijuana can be an effective treatment for pain, nausea, multiple sclerosis, vomiting associated with chemotherapy, and extensive weight loss associated with AIDS. It can be used by itself as a treatment or it can aid in decreasing the side effects of the specified treatment (Clark). A widely known use of marijuana is to improve decreased appetite that is a result of some cancer treatments. (I.e. chemo or radiation). In 1996 the organization WAMM, “Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana” was founded. The members are low income patients with life-threatening illnesses. This group knew the benefits that marijuana had and wanted to fight for their right to make it available to them. The members grew their own marijuana, and despite ongoing threats from the federal government, WAMM eventually secured a “federal injunction” that protected the group from further interference. For a year WAMM had the only fully legal marijuana garden (Chapkis). The acts performed by this group prove that there is a use for marijuana and people will go to great lengths to get what they need to help them during their healing processes. According to Judge Francis L. Young, DEA Administrative Law Judge, evidence shows that marijuana is capable of safely relieving the distress of people with illnesses and it would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for DEA to continue to stand between those who suffer and the benefits of this substance

Medical marijuana laws are currently in effect in 25 states, as well as the District of Columbia. In recent years, medical marijuana advocates, and members within the scientific community have joined together with the New York City Council to present compelling patient vignettes before state lawmakers in Albany to show legitimate need for cannabinoids. New York City maintains its position as actively investigating into these claims. As a New York City nursing candidate, depending on state legislation, this may be an avenue of therapeutic treatment that I must research, educate patients on, and utilize effectively in my future career plan. Currently, opioids remain the only form of

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

The practice of medicinal cannabis dates all the way back to proposition 215 in 1996 when it was passed and became legal in the state of California. Unfortunately, many counties have begun closing down medical dispensaries in their cities for various reasons. In Orange County, city officials and people from the community believe that dispensaries have brought a rise in crime to their streets. In the last coming years Anaheim, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa and even Newport Beach have cracked down on countless dispensaries in their area. The citizens of these cities are not informed what this plant does to these sick impaired people. Veterans usually need to buy and smoke this herb herb for them to be

Medical marijuana has been a debatable subject of whether it is safe or harmful to people with serious conditions, such as cancer. To add on to the debate, medical marijuana clinics, or “dispensaries” have been placed in several communities around the United States, causing uproar between the supporters and the non supporters of medical marijuana. Some argue that dispensaries help their community and the economy, while others believe that they will cause trouble in their towns. Although some people strongly believe that putting medical marijuana dispensaries in their cities will be beneficial to the community, medical marijuana clinics are unsafe and not helpful to the communities where they

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

Picture this, a woman mid 50’s, stage three terminal cancer. The doctors’ have concluded that the cancer is incurable. To make matters worse, she is going through common symptoms of the chemotherapy like pain, depression, nausea, and loss of appetite. It’s not enough that she is dying, but her final moments will be in extreme discomfort. Medical marijuana has proven to succor these symptoms, so the patients last moments in this world are pleasant. The plant, marijuana, derived from the Indian hemp plant, it contains an active ingredient THC. Its classification described as a psychogenic, narcotic, and a hallucinogen. Under federal law, marijuana is a schedule 1 controlled substance with no established medical uses. The extensive benefits pertaining to medical marijuana have shown to relieve chronic pain, severe nausea, and aid in the increase of appetite for anorexic patients. Pharmacists and doctors are aware of the potential benefits in prescribing medical marijuana, but lack the extensive knowledge necessary to accurately prescribe it. The federal legalization has rarely confronted until this presidential campaign, a few candidates have kindled the flame for medicinal advocates, which is leading to the awareness of the cause. Their has also been constant controversy over the past decades about the advantages and disadvantages of legalizing for medical gain. The arguments continuously sway back and forth between the positive and negative sides...The

The Nevada case, Wllson v. Lynch, involved a citizen of Nevada whom a licensed firearms dealer knew possessed a Nevada medical marijuana card. The dealer denied the customer’s application to purchase a firearm on the basis of assuming that the medical marijuana card gave the customer access to marijuana, a controlled substance.

References 1. Bearman, P. (2011, November 30). Medical Marijuana. In Procon.org. Retrieved from www.procon.org 2.

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

Medical marijuana laws are currently in effect in 25 states, as well as the District of Columbia. In recent years, medical marijuana advocates, and members within the scientific community have joined together with the New York City Council to present compelling patient vignettes before state lawmakers in Albany to show legitimate need for cannabinoids. New York City maintains its position as actively investigating into these claims. As a New York City nursing candidate, depending on state legislation, this may be an avenue of therapeutic treatment that I must research, educate patients on, and utilize effectively in my future career plan. Currently, opioids remain the only

Furthermore, under NRS §435A.370 (2),(a) is established to set forth rules “pertaining to the safe and healthful operation of medical marijuana establishments, including, without limitation...” Which, coincides with “the manner of protecting against diversion and theft without imposing an undue burden on medical marijuana establishments or compromising the confidentiality of the holders of registry identification cards and letters of approval.” Others such as State Senator Tick Segerblom even maintain the District Court judge’s original decision. Although Senator Segerblom actually advocated for medical and recreational marijuana usage he was ‘shocked’ by the Nevada Supreme Court's decision. Segerblom suggests that “Our intention was to allow the owners to restrict their financial information like gaming licensees (Scheid, 2017).” Nevertheless, he feels it’s extremely important to know the individuals behind these businesses.

This organization was the first in the country to be granted non-profit status. By 1937, marijuana had been classified as a narcotic by all states. It wasn?t until 1972 that there was a call for the decriminalization of marijuana by the government. The American Medical Association and the National Council of Churches endorsed the decriminalization of marijuana. One must believe that support from an organization with such influence in the medical field that marijuana must have some medicinal purpose. In 1996, California passed Proposition 215, which legalized possession of marijuana for patients with a doctor?s recommendation who are suffering from AIDS, cancer, Glaucoma, and other illnesses. In September of 2000, federal Judge William Alsup of the Ninth Circuit Court in San Francisco ruled that the government could not punish doctors who recommend the benefits of marijuana to their patients. This verdict gave ill people a sign of hope that they will be able to take whatever medication necessary, even marijuana, to treat their sicknesses.