Medical Marijuana

Medical Marijuana

One of the most controversial issues in the United States is over medical marijuana. Many experiments test the validity of the drug as a medicine, and results of these experiments receive much praise but also some critique. The DEA and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) are battling over the issue. The underlying matter that cannot be ignored is that marijuana proves to be a useful medication for many patients, especially those with wasting diseases such as AIDS and cancer.

In 1996 California passed Proposition 215, which allowed the use of medical marijuana (4444). Since then, six other states have made medical marijuana legal; Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Maine, Oregon, and Washington. Santa Cruz in California has gone even further, "allowing the medical use of marijuana with a doctor's note certifying that the patient has a condition for which marijuana is considered helpful, including AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, anorexia, chronic pain, arthritis, and spastic diseases (22222)." Santa Cruz law allows growing marijuana so it may be sold for the cost of production. This way, medical users do not have to resort to buying at street prices.

The government made it a requirement that all medical studies on marijuana be paid for by scarce grant money from the National Institute of Health (NIH). In recent years, scientists have tried to persuade the NIH to grant them money for medical studies on marijuana, only to be turned down. Only three studies have been approved by the NIH. On May 22, 1999 the Clinton Administration loosened that restriction, allowing researchers to buy Government-grown marijuana for their research, as long as they can fund themsel...

... middle of paper ...

...ana may be harmful and risky, there is obvious medicinal value. Alternatives to smoking medical marijuana are currently being researched to provide a healthier method of medication. Marijuana is made up of hundreds of cannabinoids, many of which have been proven helpful for patients with severe illnesses, such as cancer and AIDS. Once the federal ban on marijuana is lifted, we will finally discover the true medical value of marijuana.

Bibliography:

Nieves, Evelyn "California Inn Seeking Users of Marijuana as a Medicine" New York Times 20 April 2000: A12

Johnson D. Michael, PharmD Heriza J. Thomas, MD Dennis St. Clark "How to Spot Illicit Drug Use in Your Patients" Clinical Articles 106.4 (1999): 199

Russell, Sabin "Study Finds Pot Safe for AIDS Patients; Government Funding for Research a First" San Francisco Chronicle 14 July 2000: A1