Medical Marijuana Policy

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Introduction
In the United States, marijuana for medical purposes has gained more prevalence in current political discourse than in previous years. Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a flowering plant that originally came from South and Central Asia. For centuries, the cannabis plant has been used for many natural products such as seed oils, seed, fiber that is used to make hemp products and contains over four hundred chemicals, some of which have an antibiotic like effect (Nordqvist, 2013). Studies have shown that two of the chemicals, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD), have a positive effect on humans for mild to moderate painkilling effects and sedative effects (Nordqvist, 2013). The purpose of this paper is to discuss and analyze Medical Marijuana Policy utilizing the benefit-allocation framework.
Policy Analysis
Although Cannabis remains a federally controlled substance, the Controlled Substances Act has made medical marijuana policy discretionary among the states and local governments (Smithon, 2012). Highly selective regulations have been implemented by those states that authorize marijuana for medical purposes in order to prevent trafficking or other modes of abuse. Currently there are twenty-one states that have approved this policy including Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey (Smithon, 2012).
Who?
Patients that are suffering from chronic illnesses can benefit from medical marijuana’s analgesic and therapeutic advantages (Smithon, 2012). Some illnesses include chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, symptoms of cancer, HIV disease and AIDS, epilepsy, glaucoma, arthritis, depression, anxiety, Hepatitis C, Alzheimer’s disease and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

What?
Extreme weight loss is p...

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...on, J., Gouaux, B., & Wilsey, B. (2012). Medical Marijuana: Clearing Away the Smoke. The Open Neurology Journal, 18-25. doi:10.2174/1874205X01206010018
Joynt, C. (2013, 03 25). An early look at one of dc’s medical marijuana dispensaries. Washingtonian.
Kleber, H., & Dupont, R. (2012). Physicians and medical marijuana. The American
Journal of Psychiatry, 169(6), doi: doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2012.12030373
Lucas, P. G. (2008). Regulating Compassion: An Overview Of Canada's Federal Medical Cannabis Policy And Practice. Harm Reduction Journal, 5(1), 5.
Nordqvist, C. (2013). What is marijuana? What is cannabis? Medical News Today
Smithon, D. (2012). Medical marijuana: 10 health benefits that legitimize legalization. IB
Times.
Zemel, F. I. (2013). Medical Marijuana: A Crossroads Between Land Use Planning and Environmental Health. Journal Of Environmental Health, 75(9), 56-57.

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