Almost anything used in excess, like drinking too much water, can cause harm. Francis Young, a Drug Enforcement Agency Administrative Law Judge stated that, “…marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. For example, eating ten raw potatoes can result in a toxic response… it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death…in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man… marijuana can be safely used within the supervised routine of medical care” (Lee 268). Marijuana was thought of as a drug that was enormously harmful to the user’s health and well-being; however, if used correctly, marijuana has the ability to alleviate a variety of medical conditions, some that were thought to be untreatable. An immense amount of research and evidence has proven repeatedly that marijuana can treat many problems that plague much of our nation. Medical marijuana needs to be legalized across the United States because of its ability to aid those with respiratory issues and arthritis, to mitigate one’s struggle with mental disorders, and to relieve the side effects often seen with people who have cancer.
Marijuana can be used to immediately combat long-term diseases such as asthma and arthritis. A study published in the American Review of Respiratory Disease in 1975 shows how medical marijuana can effectively treat asthma. In this study, eight people—equally split between gender, age, and ethnicity— who suffered from asthma were “induced with bronchial spasms through chemical inhalation in some sessions and bicycle exercise on other sessions,” (Britannica 5). Four people in the group, two men and two women, were given marijuana. Immediately after inhalation, marijuana ca...
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...on our planet. Doesn’t the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit . . . unnatural?" (Hicks).
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Marijuana’s use in the medical field is very valuable and dates back centuries. Marijuana usage dates back to 2737 B.C. in ancient China. The Chinese transcribed its medicinal values during this time and it rapidly spread to India, North Africa, and eventually Europe. As detailed by the emperor Shen Nung, cannabis had healing “powers” that alleviated symptoms of “rheumatism, gout, and malaria” (Narconon n. pag.). In India, the substance has been known to “quicken the mind, lower fevers, induce sleep, and cure venereal disease” (Grinspoon, Lester, Bakalar, James 3). Physicians from centuries ago seem to underst...
Marijuana is one of the hundreds of drugs that holds Americans in the bondage of addiction and causes harm to their health and well-being. Marijuana comes from the hemp plant called cannabis sativa and is the most commonly used illegal drug in the U.S. (Goldberg). Although marijuana has mostly been used as a drug to get high, physicians have recently discovered that marijuana can treat the symptoms of cancer and multiple sclerosis, relieve pain, and treat many minor ailments. Because of the rare healing effects of this drug, many states are working to legalize medical marijuana in their state, but there is much controversy over whether or not medical marijuana should be legalized. Although medical marijuana has been proven to relieve pain and treat the symptoms of many life-threatening illnesses, the harmful side effects, the possibility of addiction and Americans untrustworthiness causes medical marijuana to be an implausible healing agent.
The plant’s therapeutic potential became known in the Western countries during the nineteenth century.(Abel, 1996) From 1840 to 1900, more that one hundred articles on cannabis appeared in European and American medical journals, recommending it as an appetite stimulant, muscle relaxant, painkiller, sedative, and for eliminating convulsions. Since then, marijuana has undergone many tests and thorough analysis for its use as a medical value.
Marijuana is a relatively harmless drug that governments around the world have made illegal. If legalized, marijuana can be beneficial to society in a number of ways: whether it be for medical, economic, or public safety reasons. Marijuana has been proven to treat several life debilitating, and even life threatening diseases. Although it is not a cure, marijuana can ease the pain and suffering of a dying person. Another benefit of legalization is the financial gains that governments will accomplish through the taxation of marijuana. This is a realistic claim if marijuana sales are compared to that of cigarettes; governments make billions each year from cigarette taxes (Caputo and Ostrom 484). Every year law enforcement spends countless man-hours trying to apprehend marijuana dealers and growers. This time would be better utilized in dealing with more serious crimes. This essay will display some main reasons why marijuana is a substance with beneficial uses and applications. First, marijuana can be used as a treatment for the effects of diseases such as AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, and other terminal diseases. A study carried out in California clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of marijuana as a treatment for cancer: “Over 74 percent of the cancer patients treated in the program have reported that marijuana is more effective in relieving their nausea and vomiting than any other drug they have tried.”(Zeese 1990). Chemotherapy for cancer patients often produces nausea and vomiting. Marijuana has been proven to relieve these symptoms and there have been no known side effects recorded (Ad Hoc Group of Experts part 4).
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Marijuana is a very hot topic and also brings a lot of controversy among the topics in the U.S today. Many believe it has medicinal benefits and should be made legal when necessary. Many believe it has a really high risk for abuse. Amongst those arguments, some of the ingredience in medical marijuana have presented a greater argument for possible legalization through their use of research and evidence of beneficial use
Marijuana is a cannabis drug that may be used for medical purposes. It was used to soothe malaria and constipation in many Asian countries including India and China (Ashton). It has the capability to relieve the pain of a serious sickness like malaria as well as a common every day stomach sickness like constipation. Marijuana has also been used therapeutically for the common disease asthma (Ashton). It “exert[s] a bronchodilator action on the small airways” therefore allowing a person to breathe better (Ashton). Marijuana has not only been used for amusement but it has been a treatment for many illnesses therefore; we need to consider all the characteristics of marijuana before making a decision to legalize it for medical purposes.
A considerable amount of literature has been published on cannabis specifically marijuana. These studies classify marijuana into three species: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and cannabis ruderalis. In fact, Cannabis sativa is the most widely used and recognized among the other species due to its ability to produce more fiber and oil. For many years, the plant has been used for making clothes as well as lighting and soap. Nevertheless, cannabis is widely used at the present time for intoxication and medical treatments. Marijuana is usually extracted from the flowers of the female plant (Grinspoon & Bakalar, 1993). According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana is well-defined as the “dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, which contains the psychoactive (mind-altering) chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as other related compounds. This plant material can also be concentrated in a resin called hashish” (NIDA, 2014).