Medical Marijuana in Pediatric Patients

Research has found that teenagers who used cigarettes were twelve times more likely to graduate to marijuana use. A similar study conducted by Denise Kandel (1992) revealed that use of marijuana affects dopamine levels in the brain in a similar way to nicotine. Cigarette smoking facilitates consumption of other substances. Smoking cigarettes initiate juveniles into the sensation of drug inhalation, which desensitizes them from the feeling of smoke clouding their lungs. This paper finds that marijuana pervades the life of a juvenile tobacco smoker. Teenagers who smoke cigarettes

The use of medical marijuana (slang: Acapulco gold, ace, bhang, cannabis, hash, dope, ganja, grass, weed, hashish oil, hemp, home-grown, honey oil, indica, Jamaican roach, sativa, sinse, sinsemilla, tea, weed oil) has a been a major topic of debate for countless years. People all around the United States have seen propaganda of some sort regarding the legalization of marijuana. For example, with the ongoing discussion of legalization throughout the states, it’s abruptly mentioned in the news, everyday conversations, school topics for debate, and within stories of social media. In the article, “Is marijuana prohibition coming to an end”, Michelle Johnson a North Carolina journalist, states “Legalizing marijuana for a medical or recreational

The medical marijuana debate is an interesting one because there’s such a wide diversity of opinions and views that oppose each other. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug. They consider these drugs to have no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse and to be some of the most dangerous drugs, because they’re highly addictive and may cause severe psychological or physical dependence. Other Schedule 1 drugs include heroin, LSD, ecstasy and meth. Many who are against marijuana believe the drug is dangerous, harmful and feel it should remain illegal.

Perception with medical marijuana is constantly changing as we find how it can help others with mental and physical conditions and chronic pain. There is a recent case of a severely autistic child who has Tuberous Sclerosis, is given

Marijuana is the most popular illicit drug used among our teenagers in the United States. Research shows that 42% of high school seniors have smoked Cannabis, 18% within the past month and 5% smoked daily and 1 in 6 are addicts. More than 64% of teenagers reported that marijuana is very easily available (Gary). Unfortunately, some parents live in a world of denial and say “It’s not my kid. My child doesn’t smoke.” Unbeknown to us, there are unfavorable concerns for many young marijuana abusers such as the risk of addiction, poor school performances and a “gateway” to other lethal substances. Smoking marijuana increases respiratory diseases, impaired immune function, cognitive problems and motivational impairment. (National Institute on Drug Abuse). It is the leading cause of abnormal cognitive development which persists long after abstinence. Marijuana is the main drug used by children who seek emergency medical treatments and screened following an arrest or autopsies (Dennis et at).

I am very concerned about the legalization of marijuana, since I am a parent of six children, whose ages range from nine to twenty-two. I have made it a point to educate my children on how smoking marijuana can affect their brain development. Just recently my youngest son, has told me that he has learned that middle school and high school kids have been eating marijuana in different forms of baked foods, such as brownies, chocolate truffles and rice crispies. The kids are over eating the marijuana treats because they don’t think it’s getting them “high”. The children are not realizing that it takes time for the body to absorb the THC. They then end up in the hospital for feeling ill because they have eating too much of the drug. The National Families in Action Campaign, reported that pot-related emergency admissions have tripled and expulsion rate has gone up 40% since the legalization of medical marijuana due to pot related incidents (5). Parents will need to be more aware of the potential risks and signs of THC posing due to the high levels of THC found in the marijuana that

Forty-one-year-old Oregon medical marijuana patient Kristie Groce of Portland is no stranger to adversity. Kristie has suffered immeasurably with numerous medical illnesses and injuries over the years. She had even been written off as terminal and placed on hospice care at one point. Despite the mortal diagnosis, Kristie is now thriving in ways she had never dared to dream of due, in her mind, to the healing properties of cannabis. Cannabis has not only given Kristie her life back, but now she has learned she is creating a new life, something she was told would never happen.

Medical marijuana had been the last resort for Hester, being that she had never been a user herself, but felt there was no where else to turn while her son was “knocking on death doors,”(Mother gives son marijuana to treat autism). She described Joey to be hostile, dangerous, and that his weight plummeted to just forty six pounds while using thirteen conventional medications to try and stifle his erratic behavior, but unfortunately all seemed to be failing (Mother gives son marijuana to treat autism). The marijuana was baked into quarter sized brownies and given to him every couple of days, rather than the other medications that were given to him three times a day. After the first use of the marijuana Hester reported a significant change in her son within hours, he was requesting food he never had before, and he had a calm attitude. After regular use of medical marijuana he gained thirty eight pounds, maintaining a more stable and healthy weight, his temper had nearly ceased to exist, and began to show signs of communication. “He is now no longer a danger to himself or society, and is like a completely different boy,” Hester told Good Morning America. Not only did it affect his overall body and mind but also cut down his once thirteen medications down to only three medications, working on getting it down to only two (Mother gives son marijuana to treat autism). Joey’s psychiatrist stated “it’s affect on Joey’s brain

Her introduction to medical cannabis was also no less than incredible. In September of 2013 she suffered a stroke. While recovering she was provided morphine and endured a horrific allergic reaction. She describes writhing in pain and having the sweats and shakes, rendering her completely miserable and unable to function. Kristie was also reliant on a wheelchair due to an accident causing her back to break in nine places many years prior. She was at a very low point in her health on that autumn day when 4 elderly church ladies showed up at her house. They brought with them cannabis infused brownies with the hope of helping Kristie be more comfortable. The gift they brought Kristie was much more than comfort. She described the brownies as barely edible. The kind hearted church ladies were not experienced cannabis connoisseurs. They were only able to obtain some leaves so they chopped them up, added them to the brownies and hoped for the best. Kristie ate the sugar leaf brownie made with such love and hope not necessarily expecting much from it. A short time later she got up and found herself in the living room enjoying a TV program. After some time she looked around for her wheelchair and realized she had walked across her house for the first time in years with her own two

The topic of legalizing marijuana has been on the fore front of controversial issues ever since marijuana, cannabis, was brought into the United States from Mexico in the early 1920s. Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana use in the past two decades, however, only four of those states, Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington, have passed the law legalizing recreational marijuana use. Some states have already enacted laws that allowed for the possession of marijuana to such individuals that received a written prescription from their doctors. Federal law, however, has continued to prohibit doctors from writing patients a marijuana prescription, meaning

The last option for the hospital was to induce a coma, but Charlotte’s parents were against the idea. Finally, after many therapeutic interventions, they decided to attempt Cannabis, or marijuana. They found that researchers think cannabidiol (CBD) “quiets the excessive electrical and chemical activity in the brain that causes seizures” (2013). A marijuana strain with high CBD and low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which causes the psychoactive “high”, is difficult to find because of the higher demand for THC’s psychoactive effects, according to the Stanley brothers, one of Colorado’s largest marijuana growers and dispensary owners (qtd. in Young 2013). Because the normal Cannabis plant is high in THC content, growers had to cross-breed repeatedly to end up with a high CBD content. Nonetheless, after finding the strain, extracting the oil, and starting her out on a small dose, her seizures stopped for eight days; subsequently, they occur two to three times per month. As reportedly the youngest applicant for medical marijuana, the high CBD, low THC marijuana extract was named “Charlotte’s web” after

In the article How far would you go to save your Child? She discusses her family’s journey to using Charlotte’s web. Ronald Hayman, a psychiatrist, gave a testimony at Yuba counties hearing about medical marijuana and why children should not be given the drug. This is outlined in the article Psychiatrist warns Yuba Supervisors about Medical Pot. Mrs. Gorman and Mr. Hayman come at the issue of giving medical marijuana to children from different points of view and situations. The controversy may not have a right or wrong answer at

Every time you hear the words smoking marijuana what is the first thing that comes to your head? Maybe your first thought is that’s gross or what productive person does that? A lot of people have the notion that marijuana is just for the main purpose to make people “high” (a feeling of high attitudes and euphoria) that is why it is still considered an illegal drug in some states. Today I want to inform you that this natural drug is doing miracles for people with many serious health diseases. There are over 420 diseases that medical marijuana has improved these patients live for the better and many people have come to agree that this natural plant is actually a secret drug to happiness.

Close your eyes and imagine for a moment. You now have a child who suffers from extreme, almost constant, terrifying seizures. Unfortunately, none of the medicine prescribed in the past has worked. In fact, some medication even makes the seizures worse. Suddenly, doctors discover a medicine that has the potential to reduce seizures and sometimes stop them all together, therefore improving your child’s quality of life. They have turned that medicine into safe drops, vapor, and pills. Would you want to at least give the medicine a try? Would you want to give your child some relief? If you answered yes, then you have just proven that it is not the medicine that people feel uneasy about, it is the stigma of the name of plant the medicine comes from, marijuana.

Opponents also support that marijuana may affect brain development and irritate the heart and the lungs. It may be true, but it is not a reason for criminalizing the use of marijuana since we know that smoking cigarette causes lung cancer and many heart diseases. Moreover, mental diseases such as the Parkinson’s disease and the Multiple Sclerosis can be treated with marijuana thanks to two substances it contains called cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol, which permit to reduce inflammation, control spasms, and even prevent neurological damage. For instance, an Australian mother Cheri O'Connell revealed in a report of Herald Sun News about the benefits of liquid marijuana, which she says saved her epileptic daughter Tara who was only given months to live. In fact, Tara could barely walk or talk, and she slept as much as a newborn. She endured more than 20,000 seizures every year; her condition left her parents and siblings, exhausted and scared for the future. Running out of options, they met another family, who had lost a similar battle. This family advices the O’Connell’s to try Marijuana. Then, they did so, and Tara is now seizure-free, walking, running and even dancing after one year of treatment. Cheri says, "We didn't see her having a future at all. But I can now see us being able to