Medical Marijuana: A Natural Alternative

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Five year old Charlotte suffers from a rare genetic disorder. In her short life, she has had as many as 300 grand mal seizures in one week, she was confined to a wheel chair, has gone into cardiac arrest and could barely speak. Her doctors were at a loss as to what to do and out of ideas on how to help her. Her mother had heard of the treatment of seizures using cannabinoids, a chemical compound found in marijuana, and as a last resort at saving her little girl, she decided to give it a try. Only two years later Charlotte is almost completely seizure free. She is able to walk, talk and feed herself. Her family has now relocated to Colorado where they are able to legally obtain the specific strain of cannabinoid found in medicinal marijuana that has come to save young Charlotte’s life (“Moving for Marijuana”). This story is not a unique one. Not only have families with young children with seizures disorders found relief and healing, but so many others suffering from anything from chronic pain to depression have benefited from this plant. Medicinal marijuana is a better, safer and sometimes more effective form of treatment than many medications prescribed by doctors today.

America has had a long love-hate relationship with marijuana. Apprehension surrounding marijuana began in the 1930’s when researchers linked the plant with violence and an increase of crime. It was during the thirties that the well-known film Reefer Madness was created sending panic and fear of this plant throughout the states. In the 1960’s Presidents Kennedy and Johnson commissioned reports that found marijuana did not indeed bring violence nor did it lead to other heavier drugs. President Nixon, in the 1970’s, was encouraged by congress to decrim...

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.... The Associated Press, 18 Feb. 2014. Google. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.

Peters II, David C. "Patients and Caregivers Report Using Medical Marijuana to Decrease

Prescription Narcotic Use."Humboldt Journal of Social Relations 35 (2013). Web. 7 May 2014.

ProCon.org. Medical Marijuana. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2014.

Spiegel, Jeremy. "Medical Marijuana for Psychiatric Disorders." Psychology Today. N.p., 11

Mar. 2013. Web. 26 Apr. 2014.

Stromberg, Joseph. "Marijuana Isn't a Pain Killer - It's a Pain Distracter." Smithsonian. N.p., 20 Dec. 2012. Google. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.

"Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) 2001-2011." Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration. Department of Health and Human Services, June 2013. Web. 9 May 2014.

Young, Saundra. "Medical marijuana refugees: 'This was our only hope'." CNN Health. CNN, 10

Mar. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.

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