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).
Although marijuana shouldn't be completely legalized, a compromise should arise in order to medicalize marijuana. Medical marijuana and marijuana have had a long history of repeated use in the United States. First, from 1900 to 1940, marijuana, including opium and cocaine were considered part of everyday drugs. As time went on, the U.S. cracked down on the use of crack and opium with a treaty called International Opium Convention of 1925. Eventually they outlawed them, but continued to be very “loose” with the use of marijuana (Marijuana).
As of today, in most of the states, marijuana is classified as an illegal drug. However, due to its proven medicinal purposes, the drug should be made available for sick people to use. Marijuana has been used for multiple purposes prior to the birth of Christ. Marijuana originated in the Middle East. China played an important part in marijuana's history.
Should it be Legal? In 1978 the state legislator of New Mexico made a law allowing physicians to prescribe marijuana to patients suffering from nausea caused by chemotherapy, much of this due to the efforts of a cancer patient by the name of Lynn Pierson. The Federal government modified the law to make it comply with IND regulations requiring a research program. The FDA also demanded many studies and required the doctors to fill out many pages of forms for every patient and documenting their progress, slowing the process to a stand still. This process of getting marijuana to the patients was taking so long that New Mexico officials considered using confiscated marijuana from the state highway patrol.
It is important to focus on the medicinal marijuana issue because marijuana is an alternative to patients that want to alleviate pain by using marijuana rather than NSAD’s. The American movement towards the legalization of medicinal marijuana under federal law is on the rise. Supporters of legalization claim that medicinal marijuana is harmless because of its pain relieving effects and one cannot overdose. Although both statements are true, marijuana has not been endorsed by any of the major medical programs. Medicinal marijuana isn’t as addictive as heroin or cocaine but daily marijuana use can lead to dependence.
There has been a lot of literature on the medicinal properties of marijuana which physicians in ancient China and India discovered in their practice. However, it was only in 1860 that physicians in America reported the success of marijuana in treating pain, gonorrhea, chronic cough, and several other conditions. This report triggered demand for marijuana-based medications and various pharmaceutical companies embarked on the production of reliable and potent drugs from cannabis plant (Marijuana As Medicine? : The Science Beyond the Controversy, 2000). The widespread use of marijuana continued to the 1960s and the U.S government had to take measures to prevent abuse.
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 made cannabis so expensive to obtain that its usage as a medical remedy in the U.S. came to a halt. Although now illegal in the U.S., marijuana continues to be used for both medical and recreational purposes by many Americans. There are a variety of opinions both for and against the re-legalization of marijuana today. Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the legalization debate is whether marijuana should be legalized for medical purposes. All drugs, both prescription and non-prescription, are federally 'Scheduled' by the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency).
Having a card grants you access to medicinal marijuana. However, the process can seem intimidating maybe even confusing or frown upon to get a medical card to some patients. Doctors would still rather prescribe pharmaceutical drugs then medical
In some medical cases, marijuana is prescribed by the doctors since the pain tolerance is too high. However, marijuana can be considered as less toxic than other medicines that are out there. Medical marijuana is cheaper medicine. One can begin with comparing two medicines such as Marinol and marijuana. Marinol is a generic form of the name brand drug that is an alternative for marijuana.
Medical Marijuana Marijuana is medicine. It has been used for thousands of years to treat a wide variety of ailments. Marijuana (Cannabis sativa L.) was legal in the United States for all purposes - industrial and recreational, as well as medicinal until 1937. Today, only eight Americans are legally allowed to use marijuana as medicine. NORML is working to restore marijuana's availability as medicine.