Argumentative Essay On Alternative Medicine

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The Gedicks have a 4-year old daughter called Rebekah who suffers from epilepsy. Rebecca was also born with an abnormal hippocampus that causes her seizures to spiral out of control. The medication prescribed to Rebekah was unsuccessful in stabilizing her behavior and led to serial vomiting. One doctor prescribed her medical marijuana. The drug is, however, hard to obtain in Massachusetts. Two years after its approval, the state Department of Public Health is yet to license any dispensary.
Owing to the constraints of obtaining the drug, the Gedicks do not know the ratios of its compounds that would work best for Rebekah. They are forced to experiment with several strains, and this may pose some risk to her. The Gedicks are not alone in the …show more content…

Alternative medicine is any health product, practice or therapy that has not been founded on scientific proof, but which has the therapeutic impacts of medicine. When such alternative medicine is used in conjunction with conventional medicine, it is referred to as complementary medicine. Such medicines are taken with the goal of curing and preventing ailments, and managing or minimizing symptoms. It is also used to achieve inner peace and harmony as well as promoting an individual’s wellness (Kemper, …show more content…

However, like many types of alternative medicine that have not been scientifically proven, reception from the community is varied. The medical marijuana market is tight with stringent laws and regulations. The Department of Public Health licensed some dispensaries to sell the same, but they are yet to be launched. Legitimate caregivers sometimes have to operate illegally in order to help patients get access to the drug. A lot of stigma and negative perception is also allied to alternative medicine. One young woman who got clearance from a doctor to use the drug planted it in her family backyard. Her mother, however, was not amused and was worried about the perception of neighbors (English, 2015). Such perception leads to stigma associated with alternative medicine and the inadvertent refusal of many people who need to use it. Some patients also result in illegal means of acquiring alternative

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