Taking a Look at Medical Marijuana

Marijuana has a deep history in America, being in the Americas since 1545 when the Spanish brought it over with them. Later, it was again brought over with the English colonists to Jamestown. Here it was used as a large cash crop similar to tobacco and was used as a major source of fiber. Later in the 1890s, a similar plant, hemp, became another large cash crop in the southern half of the US even replacing cotton. Around this time marijuana was also used in medications, although it was not on the scale of cocaine and opium, being used to treat everything from labor pains to rheumatism, “any disorder of the extremities or back, characterized by pain and stiffness” (The Definition of Rheumatism). Further on, in the 1920s marijuana became increasingly more popular with jazz musicians and even special cafes/clubs opening for its use. It was not until the 1930s when a campaign conducted by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics whom labeled marijuana as the harmful “gateway drug” it is seen as today. Though

“The oldest known written record on cannabis use comes from the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung in 2727 B.C. Ancient Greeks and Romans were also familiar with cannabis, while in the Middle East, use spread throughout the Islamic empire to North Africa. In 1545 cannabis spread to the western hemisphere where Spaniards imported it to Chile for its use as fiber. In North America cannabis, in the form of hemp, was grown on many plantations for use in rope, clothing and paper” (Cannabis + Coca). Marijuana used to be listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942 and was prescribed for numerous conditions such as labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism. Increased use of pot as an

Marijuana was first used in ancient China by a Chinese Emperor by the name of Shen Nung. Even Queen Victoria used it. Shen Nung the Chinese Emperor was the first recorded person who used marijuana. He would use it as a pain killer during operations. In ancient India marijuana was holy. A Hindu god by the name of Shiva gave hemp as a gift to all humanity. It was inexpensive and available to almost everyone. It was known as “The Poor Man’s Heaven”. Cannabis leaves were commonly brewed, and they would add milk and sugar to make a drink. In ancient Rome there was a physician named Galen. He recommended the use of marijuana to reduce pain in operations, or for just everyday pains.

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

Marijuana was in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942 and was prescribed to patients for various conditions including labor pains, nausea and rheumatism. During the 1850’s up to the 1930’s it was a very popular intoxicant. A movement conducted in the 1930’s by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics (presently the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs) fought to make marijuana appear to be an Addicting and powerful substance that would lead

The first known marijuana user dates all the way back to 2737 B.C. when Chinese Emperor Shen Nung wrote of the incredible euphoria he feels, and what he experiences after smoking marijuana (Guither). It caught on during the 1920’s. Some say this was because of the prohibition of alcohol, while others think that the jazz music culture brought it into the spotlight (Guither). Marijuana was distributed by pharmacies from 1850 to 1942, prescribed to patients for pain,

In the 1900s, weed had already had relatively long legal history in the United States. Many historians believe the Jamestown settlers were the first to introduce cannabis to the United States in 1611. Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, both grew hemp in the 1700s, which was distributed to drug stores to help cure migraines and menstrual cramps. In the beginning weed was used for recreational purposes, and still is used to aid aliments, some aliments worse than others.

The use of Cannabis (Marijuana) for medical treatment is gaining momentum across the United States. Currently twenty three states and the District of Columbia have passed bills legalizing medical marijuana for treatment of cancer, AIDS, PTSD, neuromuscular disease and various other health issues (Medical Marijuana Pros and Cons, 2014). On May 3, 2013, Representative Robert Hagan (Democrat- Youngstown) introduced HB 153 ( a reintroduction of HB 214 to the 129th Ohio General Assembly) to the 130th Ohio General Assembly to legalize medical marijuana for patients and provision for statutory protection regarding medical use of marijuana (Ohio Legislative Service Commission, 2014).

Marijuana was first outlawed in the United States in the 1930s by the Marijuana Tax act of 1934. At the time smoking was done primarily by black men and those in urban or poor communities as well as jazz Musicians. The expansion of users started in the 1960’s with the age of the baby boomers and the vietnam war along

It wasn't until the mid-nineteenth century that western doctors began prescribing it to their patients, and soon it could even be bought in drug stores. It was commonly used in the U.S. to treat asthma, epilepsy, dysmemarrhea, gonorrhea, and migraines, being compared to opium in strength but much kinder on the body. The use of marijuana declined with the development of aspirin and barbiturates, which were much more dependable. The belief that Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. This new law to discourage recreational smoking required anyone purchasing the drug for certain medical purposes to pay a tax of one dollar per ounce, while those inclined to use it for other purposes paid one hundred dollars per ounce. In 1970 Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act, assigning psychoactive drugs to five schedules. Cannabis came under schedule 1, the most restrictive. Drugs outlined under schedule 1 were said to have no medical use, a high potential for abuse and no safe uses. In 1978 New Mexico enacted the first law to make it legal for medical use, and by 1994, 36 other states followed. Cannabis was not recognized as a medicine by the federal government , and in order to dispense it, states had to conduct special research and receive FDA approval. Because this was so hard to do, only 10 states actually established programs in which cannabis was used as a medicine. Patients had to complete extensive paperwork in order to get

Medical marijuana has been a very controversial issue nationwide. Many speculate that marijuana is a harmful drug. When in reality marijuana is a medicine, which has been proven be doctors and researchers, especially in small countries. Marijuana help those who use it with chronic pains and illnesses. Medical marijuana is helpful to individuals with severe chronic pain and comes from a natural growing plant. Marijuana should be a medical option because the benefits of marijuana greatly overwhelm those that oppose to the drug.

of the THC/CBD and the patients could increase their dosage to a maximum of 48 sprays

The drug then was used for cases of weakness, constipation, malaria and some mental disorders. (The Truth about Drugs, New York, 2005 pg. 43). Marijuana seems to have spread from China, south and west to India. There it was used for religious ceremonies around 1000 B.C. (The Truth about Drugs, New York 2005, pg. 43). Marijuana became the normal to the people of India. In fact, it was accepted then just as beer and other alcohol beverages are accepted here now in America. It was perfectly normal then for people to come home after a long day of work and relax by smoking or drinking a liquid form of marijuana. (The Truth about Drugs, New York 2005, pg. 43). Marijuana was then traced to be found in Iran, Assyria, Greece, Rome, Egypt and Africa. Marijuana made is debut in Europe around the 1800s. (The Truth about Drugs, New York 2005, pg. 44) In 1839, the British physician W. B. O’Shaughnessy recommended the medical use of marijuana for a variety of illnesses and as a mild intoxicant.( The Truth about Drugs, New York 2005, pg. 44) Many times marijuana could be obtained without a medical prescription. Several common writers of the time wrote documents regarding the effects of marijuana. It is still unconfirmed when exactly did marijuana enter the United States. Many believe the drug was bought by the Spanish during the exploration of the Americas. Some people believe that it was brought over on

Although marijuana continues to be classified federally as an illegal narcotic, several states have passed laws to allow the use of cannabis (marijuana) as a medicine. "Dozens of peer-reviewed studies," combined with the support of various medical organizations, have slowly paved the way for the use of marijuana to treat illnesses and medical conditions ("Should Marijuana Be a Medical Option?"). The illnesses and medical conditions that have been explored most in research include anorexia, glaucoma, epilepsy, and nausea. In addition to the support of the scientific and medical communities, some government reports also substantiate the claim that marijuana should cease to be stigmatized as a drug ("Should Marijuana Be a Medical Option?"). Marijuana has a long history of use in more than one culture around the world, from Asia to the Americas. It is a natural plant substance, albeit one that contains psychoactive substances that cause a "high." Thus, the use of marijuana for medical purposes remains a controversial topic.

Some people like to call it marijuana, some people like to call it weed, and some people like to call it cannabis. But have you ever took the time to get to know about this drug? Marijuana has been introduced to the world all the way back to 2337 BC. At first the focus was on it’s power as a medication for people to use such as rheumatism, gout, malaria,