A native of Central Asia, cannabis may have been cultivated as much as 10,000 years ago. It was definitely cultivated in China by 2900 B.C. and has long been used as a medicine in India, China, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, South Africa, and South America (Grinspoon). Another thing is that cannabis is the actual term but many know it today as marijuana and there are many other names that it could be called. Marijuana has been used by doctors for many years to treat some conditions, just recently has it became legal in some states to be used medically and recreationally– There are both pros and cons to these uses of marijuana.
The first known use of marijuana medically was by a Chinese emperor in 2900 B.C. This Chinese emperor was known as Fu Hsi. He believed that marijuana contained the elements of both yin and yang and for those who aren’t familiar with yin and yang, yin represents the weak, passive, and negative female influence on nature. While yang represents the strong, active, and positive male force. When yin and yang are together the body is balanced out and is healthy and in harmony, where as if you are missing either yin or yang then your body may be weak, ill, and out of balance. Ma, the Chinese name for cannabis, was used to treat absences of yin, such as: female weaknesses (menstruation), gout, rheumatism, malaria, beri-beri, constipation, and absentmindedness (Abel, 1980). Skipping ahead many years to Feb. 19, 1925 the first year that cannabis was restricted to scientific and medical use only. Researchers believed that recreational use of cannabis was bad for individuals and caused negative side effects on people. Now in almost present day august 31,2013 Illinois became the 20th state to legalize medical mari...
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...gs. The THC in the cannabis is really the main negative on using it medically.
Works Cited
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"Medical Marijuana, Pro and Con.(Editorial Desk)(Letter to the editor)." The New York Times 2006: 18. Academic OneFile. Web. 25 Feb. 2014.
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Grinspoon, L.. N.p.. “pros cons of medical marijuana” Web. 10 Mar 2014.
Marijuana comes from the Cannabis Sativa plant. Its discovery could have been as early as 2700 BC in China. Despite the Cannabis Sativa plant producing Marijuana it also produces hemp, which is a very usefu...
Legalization of Marijuana has quickly become a controversial issue in America. In the United States, legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes is spreading to the state level. For example, in November 1996, the people of California and Arizona voted to legalize marijuana for medicinal reasons. As a result of Proposition 215 in California, patients now smoke marijuana provided their physician recommends its usage. A prescription is not required, and marijuana continues to be illegal to prescribe. The Clinton administration responded that it “would not recognize these decisions, and would prosecute physicians who recommend or provide marijuana to their patients.” Although California and Arizona are the only two states to have already passed laws regulating marijuana usage, twenty-six states and the District of Columbia have laws and resolutions regarding marijuana usage. These laws and resolutions range from establishing therapeutic research programs, to allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana, to asking the federal government to lift the ban. Despite the states’ desires to have marijuana legalized for medicinal purposes, the US National Institutes of Health examined all existing clinical evidence about smoked marijuana and concluded that, “There is no scientifically sound evidence that smoked marijuana is medically superior to currently available therapies.”
"State Medical Marijuana Laws." Legislative News, Studies and Analysis. National Conference of State Legislatures, 2014. Web. Apr. 2014. .
Marijuana is one of the oldest cultivated plants (Nahas 8). Since it became illegal in 1967, there have been questions of whether or not it is good for purposes, such as medicine, other than being a leisure drug. Debates between pro and con groups for the use of marijuana in the medical profession, have been heated and in recent months, referendums have been pasted in a least three states to make it accessible for medical treatment. Personally, I feel that marijuana has the potential to be a significant help with certain aliments, however, more research needs to be done to maximize its potential.
History of Marijuana Marijuana has been used both recreationally and medicinally for centuries. There are numerous accounts of its medicinal qualities in multiple historical artifacts. Its use dates back to 2737 B.C. when the Chinese emperor, Shen Nung, used it for medicinal purposes including malaria, gout, poor memory, rheumatism, and analgesia (Carter et. al., 2003). Eastern Indian documents, in the Atharvaveda, dating back to 2000 B.C. also refer to its medicinal use.
Ever since marijuana’s introduction to the United States of America in 1611, controversy of the use and legalization of the claimed-to-be Schedule I drug spread around the nation. While few selective states currently allow marijuana’s production and distribution, the remaining states still skepticize the harmlessness and usefulness of this particular drug; therefore, it remains illegal in the majority of the nation. The government officials and citizens of the opposing states believe the drug creates a threat to citizens due to its “overly-harmful” effects mentally and physically and offers no alternate purposes but creating troublesome addicts hazardous to society; however, they are rather misinformed about marijuana’s abilities. While marijuana has a small amount of negligible effects to its users, the herbal drug more importantly has remarkable health benefits, and legalizing one of the oldest and most commonly known drugs would redirect America’s future with the advantages outweighing the disadvantages.
Simoni-Wastila, Linda, and Francis B. Palumbo. "Medical Marijuana Legislation: What We Know-- And Don't." Journal Of Health Care Law & Policy 16.1 (2013): 59-75. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.
Marijuana was first introduced by the Chinese back in the B.C (before Christ) time period where it existed as a substance that carried ability to achieve a euphoria or a “high” as we refer to it today. In the early 4200s B.C. marijuana was better known for its medicinal value where it was being used to treat rheumatism, gout and malaria (Narcocon International ). Of course, society at the time was aware of the other effects marijuana had however at the time, they primarily focused on the medication capacity marijuana contained. Fast forwarding to 2015 where the medical use of marijuana is the biggest controversial topic, society views marijuana more of a harmful substance than a solution to nearly all of
The legalization of marijuana has been a highly debated topic for many of years. Since the first president to the most recent, our nation’s leaders have consumed the plant known as weed. With such influential figures openly using this drug why is it so frowned upon? Marijuana is considered a gateway drug, a menace to society, and mentally harmful to its consumers. For some people weed brings a sense of anxiety, dizziness, or unsettling feeling. Like alcohol, tobacco or any other drug, those chemicals may not respond well with their body. For other people marijuana brings joy, a sense of relief, and takes the edge off of every day stress. For those who are associated with cannabis, purposes usually range from a relaxant, or cash crop, to more permissible uses such as medicine, and ingredient to make so many other materials. We now need to look at what would change if marijuana were legal. Benefits to the economy and agriculture, health issues, and crime rates are three areas worth looking at. Deliberating on the pros and cons of this plant we can get a better understanding for marijuana. From there it will be easier to make a clear consensus on what is best for the nation.
Cannabis is indigenous to central and south Asia. In ancient China, there are writings praising the plant for its medicinal uses. Additionally
Smith, Dave. "‘Medical’ Marijuana: 10 Health Benefits That Legitimize Legalization." . N.p., 8 Aug. 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
The debate on Medical marijuana has been a controversial subject mainly because people have an abundance of opinions and very little scientific research to back up either side of the debate. The most important question here is “will medical marijuana be used for medical purposes or will it be used inappropriately?”
Richard Sepulveda (2006). “Marijuana: The Simple, Logical Benefits of Legalization.” August 16, 2006. Retrieved from Lancet 2009; 374: 1383-91.
Despite the 1976 ruling by the federal government that marijuana has “no acceptable medical use”, sixteen states have passed medical marijuana laws that allow for patient use o...
"Legalization of Marijuana." Student Resource Center. Detroit: Gale, 2012. Discovering Collection. Gale. MINITEX. 20 Mar. 2014