Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
medical marijuana argument
ethics medical marijuana
argument in support of medical marijuana
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: medical marijuana argument
Should Marijuana be legalized for medicinal purposes? Yes, when you consider that in the treatment of cancer and HIV patients, medical Marijuana is used successfully to increase appetite and decrease pain without the serious side effects of other more modern drugs. However, there is a stigma that surrounds Marijuana and this stigma dates back to the Nixon Administration’s war on drugs. Even today the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration defines Marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance. To them, it is a drug that has no accepted medical utility and has an elevated probability of addiction. On the other hand, the United States Government is aware of the medicinal benefits of Marijuana, but it creates a legal conundrum as the DEA erroneously classifies Marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance (DEA Drug Schedule). This classification blocks important research of medical Marijuana and it also makes it difficult for Veterans and others to get the treatment they so desperately need.
The first official government report on the use of marijuana in the United States was initiated by President Richard M. Nixon in 1972. In that report, the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse recommended that Federal Law be changed, allowing simple possession of Marijuana for personal use to be “decriminalized”. The report found that Marijuana was not nearly as addictive as once thought, nor does it cause criminal activity or psychotic episodes. “The Report of the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse” was never released to the American people, nor were its recommendations followed. This was mainly due to the fact that it did not agree with President Nixon’s war on drugs (Nahas). Consequently, Marijuana is still classified by...
... middle of paper ...
...tion and the federal legalization of medical Marijuana is imperative.
Works Cited
“Brown University Health Education-Marijuana." brown.edu. 2010. Web. 5 Apr. 2014
Briggs, Bill. “Out Of Options:Veterans with PTSD Hit Pot Underground.” NBCnews.com. 7 Apr.
2014. Web. 7 April 2014.
Gupta, Dr. Sanjay. “Why I Changed My Mind About Medical Marijuana.” CNN.com. 3 Aug.
2013. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.
“Marijuana-American Cancer Society."Cancer.org. 13 July 2012. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
"Marijuana-National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)." Drugabuse.gov. Jan. 2014. Web. 30 Mar.
2014
Perrone, Matthew. "Federal Government Signs Off On Study Using Marijuana To Treat Veterans’
PTSD." Huffingtonpost.com. 18 Mar 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.
"SC Medical Marijuana Legalization Effort Fails, But State Law Already Allows." WBTW.com. 23
Mar. 2013. Web. 30 Mar. 2014
Throughout history people have used marijuana for its dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds to relieve pain, stress, and other medical issues from one’s life. Within the recent years it has become one of the most debated issues in the United States. In the 1930s, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics (now the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs) claimed that marijuana was a “gateway” drug and was a powerful, addicting substance. During the sixties marijuana became a symbol for rebellion against authority so it became very popular by college students and “hippies”. So in 1982, Drug Enforcement Administration increased pressure on drug farms and houses which decreased the use of marijuana. In the past twenty years marijuana has become a
In the medical profession, doctors and nurses run into ethical dilemmas every day whether it be a mother who wants to abort her baby or a patient who has decided they want to stop cancer treatment. It is important for the nurse to know where they stand with their own moral code, but to make sure they are not being biased when educating the patient. Nurses are patient advocates, it is in the job description, so although the nurse may not agree with the patient on their decisions, the nurse to needs to advocate for the patient regardless.
Marijuana in America became a popular ingredient in many medicinal products and was openly sold in pharmacies in the late nineteenth century (“Busted-America’s War on Marijuana Timeline”). The National Institute of Drug Abuse defines marijuana 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” (“DrugFacts: Marijuana”). It was not until the Food and Drug act of 19...
Marijuana or cannabis, according to the Federal Government is considered dangerous and addictive and is, therefore, placed on the controlled substance list as a schedule 1 drug, making its use and possession illegal, as well it is considered one of the worst drugs. Other more harmful drugs such as cocaine are considered schedule II drugs, so according to the U.S Government cocaine is considered less hazardous than marijuana. There have been many studies conducted by scientist proving the benefits of medical marijuana in relieving chronic pain, nausea and a full array of other ailments. The benefits of legalizing marijuana far outweigh the bad. By allowing people to possess and use marijuana for medicinal purposes, we are improving society as a whole and increasing the happiness or utility of individuals who are living with debilitating conditions in turn this would create a happier society all around.
Ever since marijuana’s introduction to the United States of America in 1611, controversy of the use and legalization of the claimed-to-be Schedule I drug spread around the nation. While few selective states currently allow marijuana’s production and distribution, the remaining states still skepticize the harmlessness and usefulness of this particular drug; therefore, it remains illegal in the majority of the nation. The government officials and citizens of the opposing states believe the drug creates a threat to citizens due to its “overly-harmful” effects mentally and physically and offers no alternate purposes but creating troublesome addicts hazardous to society; however, they are rather misinformed about marijuana’s abilities. While marijuana has a small amount of negligible effects to its users, the herbal drug more importantly has remarkable health benefits, and legalizing one of the oldest and most commonly known drugs would redirect America’s future with the advantages outweighing the disadvantages.
Abstract: For the past few decades, debate has ensued over the putative medicinal value of marijuana. These claims extend back over 4000 thousand years ago to ancient civilizations on the Asian continent. More recently, some scientists experimenting with cannabis have found evidence to support these claims. However, the United States federal government has remained reluctant in supporting further research characterizing the therapeutic properties of cannabis. These policies may have been shaped by cannabis' early associations first with low-income minority groups and later with the youth movement in the 1960s. Government support of additional research is key in settling the long debate over the medicinal value of cannabis.
Marijuana has a greater beneficial impact on society then many people realize. Marijuana should be legalized for medical as well as recreational purposes. This is a highly controversial issue that is being debated throughout the country. In essence marijuana is evaluated by the effectiveness of the drug. It is defined as the dried flowered clusters and leaves of a hemp plant smoked for the intoxicating effect. Whether it should be legalized or not is the real question.
Is marijuana really a harmful drug? The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy
In determining the ethicality of legalizing marijuana, it is necessary to understand the background of the issue, and to identify the most important stakeholders. In the 1930s, many states began outlawing the substance; ironically California was the first of these states (Rendon). In 1937, the federal government outlawed the substance, which pushed the growth and sale underground (Rendon). In 1970, President Nixon declared the substance a Schedule I Substance, which indicates that the substance has “a high potential for abuse” and “no currently accepted medical use” (Controlled Substances Act). The federal government has specified that for marijuana to have an accepted medical use, it must “be subjected to the same rigorous clinical trials and scientific scrutiny that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) applies to all other new medications” ("Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Marijuana"). There are numerous stakeholders in an ethical dilemma of this magnitude, which...
Marijuana has been around for an exceptionally long time. Marijuana is the third most common recreational drug in America (behind only alcohol and tobacco), and is used by nearly 100 million Americans. According to surveys, 25 million Americans have smoked marijuana within the past year and more than 14 million do so regularly despite harsh laws against its use. Our laws should reflect this, not deny it (Norml.org, 2013). Despite it’s many uses, Medical, recreational, and Industrial, the federal government still insists that the growth, cultivation, possession, and use of marijuana is a criminal offences, even though a plethora of evidence exists that the legalization of marijuana would have positive effects on America.
Marijuana has been illegal for less than 1% of the time that it’s been in use (Guither, 2014). Going back to 1619, the Virginia Assembly passed legislation requiring every farmer to grow hemp. Hemp was allowed to be exchanged as legal tender in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland (Block, 2014). It was actually a crime in some states to refuse to grow hemp in the 1700's. In the late 19th century, marijuana was a popular ingredient in many medicinal products and was sold openly in public pharmacies (PBS, 2014). However, in the early 1900’s things changed, a prejudice and fear began to develop around marijuana because it was being used and associated with Mexican immigrants. In the 1930’s, the massive unemployment rates increased public resentment and disgust of Mexican immigrants, which escalated public and governmental concern (PBS, 2014). In 1930 a new federal law enforcement agency, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) was created. Harry J. Anslinger was appointed the first commissioner of the FBN in 1930 (...
“The real crime is knowing cannabis can help others, but doing nothing.” this was stated by governor Mark Dayton. Medical marijuana should be legalized. First it can help people with epilepsy. Second it can help people fight their cancer. Lastly it is known to be less harmful than other legal drugs such as oxycontin.
The first law that regarded marijuana in America required farmers to grow hemp in the year 1619 for clothing, rope, and other materials, but “as early as 1840, doctors recognized the medical applications of marijuana, and the drug was freely sold in pharmacies for over a century.” (Rich and Stingl). In 1937, the use and possession of marijuana was made illegal, but “before 1937 marijuana was freely bought, sold, grown, and used.”(Rich and Stingl). In 1970 the congress decided to classify marijuana as a schedule one drug, which has made the legalization more difficult, “schedule one drugs are considered dangerous, addictive, and have no medical benefits.”(Rich and Stingl). Marijuana fits the schedule one drug classification because marijuana is dangerous to people’s health, has been found to be addictive if used daily, and also has no medical benefits because marijuana can cause more health problems than it can cure.
Marijuana use for medical purposes has been a major controversy in the United States and other countries for several years. A few doctors favor medical marijuana use because it specifically helps certain types of medial issues such as cancer, Aids, etc. It is obviously hazardous to give a patient too much medication and in some cases, the medications that is prescribed does not help and can make the patient more sick. Across the United States doctors should be allowed to use it to help patients whose conditions may be alleviated by marijuana use. Doctors should legally be able to use marijuana to assist patients who have certain types of medical problems.
Marijuana has been a problem since the early 1900s and continues to create problems. The Federal Bureau of Narcotics created a law which prohibited marijuana use in 1937 (Reinarman 128). Twenty years later, THC was discovered to be the main psychoactive component in marijuana causing its negative side effects (Reinarman 129). Almost seventy-five years later, the United States is still battling the problem with illegal marijuana use. Although scientists discovered the negative effects fifty years ago, the information has gone practically unnoticed and the amount of users continues to increase. Approximately half of the United States population has used marijuana at one point (Reinarman 129). Instead of outlawing marijuan...