Medical Marijuana Research

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Marijuana is originated in the dried flowering tops, leaves, stems and seeds of the Cannabis sativa plant. It is a mood-altering drug which can affect almost every organ in the body. Marijuana has limited medical use for relief of severe pain, nausea, and other chronic conditions. (FNP, n. d.) As is known to us all, medical marijuana plays an important role in medical field. The drug as a medicine is so popular that it spreads throughout Asia, the Middle East and then to Africa and India, where Hindu sects used it for pain and stress relief. (Zimmermann, 2015) But, the benefits and risks of medical marijuana have long been debated around the world. For example, in America, there are only 23 states that can be available to medical marijuana. …show more content…

A famous function of marijuana use is the “munchies,” so it has been used to stimulate appetite among HIV/AIDS patients and others who have a suppressed appetite due to a medical condition or treatment. Medical marijuana is also frequently used to treat nausea caused by chemotherapy, although it is limited to study the smoked form of the plant. (Zimmermann, 2015) In addition, medical marijuana has also been used as a treatment for glaucoma, which is an elevated pressure in the eyeball that can lead to blindness. Moreover, marijuana has important effects on seizure control and multiple sclerosis. It may even impede the growth of cancer cells. (Earls, …show more content…

First and foremost, Marijuana does impair short-term memory during intoxication. If you use it for a long time, marijuana will cause permanent impairment. (Bonander, 2016) In the second place, marijuana users usually inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than tobacco smokers do, further increasing the lungs exposure to carcinogenic smoke. (Williams, 2014) In the third place, during pregnancy, if a pregnant use marijuana, it will increase risk of both brain and behavioral problems in babies. Resulting challenges for the child may include problems with attention, memory, and problem-solving. Last but not the least, the overuse of marijuana can increase the rate of heart attack and shorten people’s life.
Taking above factors into consideration, I hold the view that medical marijuana not only has good impact on patients’ treatment but also has potential dangers. Therefore, we should be more careful and weigh its benefits and hazards better when we use marijuana. We should make a decision according to the patient’s actual situation. Although medical marijuana is not widely available now, I believe, with the improvement of medical level, we are able to minimize the dangers of marijuana and make the best use of it in the

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