Should Marijuana Be Re-Classified?

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Should Marijuana Be Re-Classified? The United States makes up less than 5 percent of the world’s population, yet it consumes more than 75 percent of the world’s prescription narcotic drugs. (The American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP), n.d.). Even with the proof that its citizens are using prescription narcotics at an alarming rate, the Drug Enforcement Agency (D.E.A) does not classify any of those substances as a Schedule I substance. However, the D.E.A. classifies marijuana as a schedule I substance; making it very difficult for it to be researched for its many medical uses. There is a need for the D.E.A. to reclassify marijuana; it should not be classified as a schedule I substance because marijuana has many medical …show more content…

It can be used to control seizures and tremors related to illnesses such as Epilepsy, Dravet’s Syndrome, and Parkinsons Disease. By controlling the seizures and limiting the tremors of these patients, marijuana allows them to have some semblance of a normal happy life. Marijuana has been proven to help ease symptoms for individuals who suffer from chronic and severe pain. These individuals include people with Multiple Sclerosis, Arthritis, and pain relating to past recurring injuries. Patients who undergo chemotherapy treatments are often times nauseous and have a lack of appetite. These patients have been proven to have an increase in appetite and a decrease in nausea when using marijuana. This is just a few of the many benefits of marijuana use in the medical …show more content…

These medications are extremely addictive as well as very dangerous. They have a very long list of possible side effects with some of the most common side effects being nausea, vomiting, headaches, respiratory depression, changes in mood or behavior, and severe uncontrollable itching. Now these people are left to decide between using a narcotic pain medication with the risk of experiencing any combination of these side effects or they can suffer with the severe and chronic pain. Yet if these same patients were prescribed marijuana, the risk of side effects would lessen. Dry or red eyes, dry mouth, impaired mental functioning, increased appetite, and slowed reaction time are some of the possible side effects of marijuana. Almost all of the medications that are currently prescribed have many adverse side effects that will affect more of the patients who take

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