Should Marijuana Be Legalized?

seriously ill Americans who presently use marijuana as a therapeutic agent to alleviate symptoms of

In addition, anecdotal evidence exists that marijuana is effective in the treatment of arthritis, migraine headaches, pruritis, menstrual cramps, alcohol and opiate addiction, and depression and other mood disorders. Marijuana could benefit as many as five million patients in the United States. However, except for the eight individuals given special permission by the federal government, marijuana remains illegal-even as medicine! Individuals currently suffering from any of the aforementioned ailments, for whom the standard legal medical alternatives have not been safe or effective, are left with two choices: Continue to suffer from the effects of the disease; or Obtain marijuana illegally and risk the potential consequences, which may include: an insufficient supply because of the prohibition-inflated price or unavailability; impure, contaminated, or chemically adulterated marijuana; arrests, fines, court costs, property forfeiture, incarceration, probation, and criminal records.

Hall, P. W., & Degenhardt, P. L. (2009, October). Adverse Health Effects of Non-Medical Cannabis Use. The Lancet, 374(9698), 1383-1391.

"Various forms of medicinal cannabis have provided mostly positive responses for patients with different types of pain: Neuropathic, chronic, postoperative, and that related to fibromyalgia, rhematoid arthritis, mutiple sclerosis and cancer" (Borgelt, Franson, & Nussbaum, 2013). In a study outlined in the article The Pharmacologic and Clinical Effects of Medical Cannabis, which evaluated smoked cannabis compared to placebo, significant improvements in pain were observed. The study included 56 patients and used cigarettes wtih varying THC contents. In general, a higher THC content (up to 9.4%) appears to be more effective for pain relief (Borgelt, Franson, & Nussbaum, 2013).

Medical use of Marijuana is probably the most discussed topic of the legalizing campaign over the recent years. Some opponents of Marijuana say that it does not have any medical uses at all, and argue that Marijuana is only harmful and should remain illegal. Others for legalization have an opposite view that is starting to gain more recognition as time goes on. Around the late 1990’s, some members of the nation’s medical establishment began to acknowledge marijuana’s potential health benefits. One respected health organization, the Institute of Medicine, released a report in 1999 which stated that “nausea, appetite loss, pain and anxiety can all be mitigated by marijuana (Medical). In an article Drug Legalization, Advocates of medical marijuana say that in many cases it is the only treatment that has been shown to work. “It is a very effective medication for people who have failed to get good results from standard medications,” says Ethan Russo, a neurologist who has studied medical marijuana, “and that is why so many people are devoted to risking their lives and career to get this drug”(Drug). There are many reports that Marijuana can help with conditions traditional medicines do not seem to help with. Marijuana has also been a huge help to patients with Cancer, HIV/AIDS, Glaucoma, and Insomnia. With a lot of prescription medicines being expensive, Marijuana would be a cheaper alternative to buy if people chose to do so.

“Marijuana has been shown to alleviate symptoms of a wide range of debilitating medical conditions, including cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer 's disease, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), epilepsy, Crohn 's disease, and glaucoma, and is often an effective alternative to narcotic painkillers.” (Merino) Medical marijuana helps increase people 's appetite, relieves symptoms of pain and diseases that affect their ability to move, and helps reduce anxiety levels when dealing with certain diseases or more intense treatments. There are also different and safer forms of using medical marijuana other than smoking such as edibles, oils, vaporizing, tinctures, transdermal patches, and beverages. “ Marijuana took away my nausea, so I could eat healthy. It took away the severe restlessness and anxiety, so I could relax. It allowed me to eat, sleep and be up and active when I was awake — all of which are critical to recovery.” (Bokland) Most medical marijuana supporters suffer from a form of cancer or other disease, medical marijuana is a safe treatment that has been proven to help people who suffer from these diseases. A group of physicians named “The Doctors for Cannabis Regulation” are the largest group of doctors that are in favor of medical marijuana legalization, deming that cannabis is far less dangerous and unhealthy for adults than both alcohol and tobacco. Even with all this information, people still refuse to allow the use of medical

    Many people suffer unbearable pain and discomfort from their illnesses and seek any method that might bring relief. Many suffer from chemotherapy treatment, HIV infection related wasting, glaucoma, or other serious ailments that carry an unbearable amount of pain. They first try the drugs that their doctors have prescribed. These prescribed legal drugs seem to have some benefits, but often carry with them many side effects that may be more harmful than helpful. Many patients give the legal drugs a try and find that they are not effective in relieving them of their symptoms. As a result, many turn to marijuana for its medicinal use. Because it is an effective treatment,

Medical marijuana has been known for its instrumental role in the treatment of several ailments both physical and psychological. It has been found to play a role in the treatment of chronic pain, muscle spasm, multiple sclerosis, nausea, vomiting, appetite stimulation, stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia. The effects of marijuana are produced by the active ingredient found in it - delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Because of these findings according to Hoffmann & Weber (2010) experts in the medical field have had to be revisiting the evidence as it relates to the medicinal benefits of marijuana and the American Medical Association (AMA) has been the driving force behind the petition for marijuana as a ‘Scheduled I controlled substance’ so that further research and development can be done on the plant. Further value is added to the advantages of medical marijuana when regardless of its criminalization, the FDA and American Cancer Society agree that the active ingredients in marijuana, orcannabinoids, have been approved by officials to “highlight increased nausea and vomiting and appetite in people with cancer and AIDS”. The American Cancer Society says that "marijuana has anti-bacterial properties, inhibits tumour growth, and enlarges the airways, which they believe can ease the severity of asthma attacks"

Marijuana can attenuate the symptoms of a wide range of devitalizing medical conditions that include

Although few relevant surveys of practice patterns exist, it appears that physicians caring for cancer patients in the United States who recommend medicinal Cannabis predominantly do so for symptom management.

There have been more than 17,000 published stories and articles on the human body’s cannabinoid receptors and the evidence that favors the use of marijuana to provide symptom relief in many illnesses, including nausea, vomiting, cachexia, muscle spasms, and pain. Marijuana has delivered relief from specific symptoms associated with cancer, severe wasting, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), multiple sclerosis, and other debilitating diseases

According to research published by the New England Journal of Medicine, 1,446 doctors from 72 countries and 56 different states/provinces in North America were surveyed about whether they supported the use of medical marijuana for serious health ailments. Physicians were shown a theoretical situation in which a 68 year old woman was diagnosed with breast cancer that had slowly spread to her chest, spine, and lungs. Next came the question of whether or not the woman should be prescribed medical marijuana to help her manage her painful symptoms. Approximately 76 percent of North American physicians approved and 78 percent of doctors outside of the U.S. voiced their support of medical marijuana in this case, as well. Dr. J. Michael Bostwick at

The use of medical marijuana has been discussed for the last few years. Many studies have been conducted on the effects and benefits medical marijuana has on a person. As of today, 29 states, including DC have legalized the use of medical marijuana. Many medical marijuana users use it as treatment for pain relief, depression, and anxiety. The articles “Medical marijuana use linked to lower prescription drug use, higher rating for Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure,” “Legal marijuana linked to fewer opioid prescriptions,” and “Use of prescription pain medications among medical cannabis patients: comparisons of pain levels, functioning, and patterns of alcohol and other drug use” are informative in delivering their information on how medical marijuana lowers prescription drug use.

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

The Government proclaims there is no therapeutic value in the medicinal use of marijuana, but they do not have hard evidence to prove it (Grinspoon 46). Ira Glasser, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, (at a congressional forum) expressed: “the government has demonized all drug use without differentiation and has systematically and hysterically resisted science.”(Koch 714) Possibly if the two “sides” would work together an agreement could be established concerning procedures for further development and treatment. Marijuana has eased the pain of chemotherapy, severe muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis, weight-loss due to the AIDS virus, and other problems (www.abcnews.go.com/medmj990317.html).