In 1988, Francis Young, the Drug Enforcement Administration Administrative law judge proclaimed:
In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. For example, eating 10 raw potatoes can result in a toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death. Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within the supervised routine of medical care.
This quote, said by a government official of the DEA, exemplifies the magnitude of how harmless yet curative marijuana, when used medicinally, has proved to be over the years. Some people, although uneducated and ignorant, believe that medicinal marijuana should not be decriminalized because of more potent drugs and its lack of consistency through research. By examining stories of patients and the long use of the plant, it is evident that medicinal cannabis has far more organic, remedial properties than pharmaceuticals. Although the legalization of marijuana, whether recreational or medicinal, is regarded as a controversial topic among many, breakthroughs in medicine suggest the potent therapeutic properties which the plant has to offer.
In order to fully understand the wide range of benefits marijuana presents, it is essential to review its history. Dating back to the Old World, the history of the use of marijuana spans at least 4,000 years. Reaching back to 2737 B.C., “…the mystical Emperor Shen Neng of China was prescribing marijuana tea for the treatment of gout, rheumatism, malaria and, oddly enough, poor memory” (Stack & Suddath, 2009). The popularity of marijuana grew rapidly throughout...
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...t completely accepted, medicine is the only kind that works well for him. Affirming the effectiveness of medical marijuana can give one hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel for patients who need the medicine.
Marijuana has proved to be a powerful, magical herb over centuries of use, research, cultivation and regulation. From insomnia to cancer, cannabis reinforces the idea that sometimes the natural remedy is more effective than the toxic, body devastating drug. The noise of opposing opinions have been drowned out by the superseding benefits of , in many cases, a better alternate. As questioned by Bill Hicks, a satirical author, and many other people who question the irony of this topic, “Why is marijuana against the law? It grows naturally upon our planet. Doesn’t the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit . . . unnatural?”
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).
There has always been controversy about marijuana and the affects it has on health and the issue of legalization. Some people believe it is very destructive to one’s health, and yet others feel the complete opposite about it. Is Marijuana truly harmful to one’s health? “Marijuana, the Deceptive Drug”, written by George Bierson, was published in the Massachusetts News. In this article, Bierson determines that marijuana is harmful in many ways. He seems to think that it damages the brain, the reproductive system, and also contributes to the halt of production in the immune system. Bierson also tries to persuade the reader that marijuana is a “gateway drug” that leads to larger drugs in the future. However, by conducting research of my own, I have come to the conclusion that Bierson’s article simply lacks truth.
Legalization of marijuana in the United States has received much attention and controversy in recent months. The federal government outlaws the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, despite proven research studies that have discovered the plant’s potential to treat the lives of many Americans affected by disease and chronic pain. Medicinal use of the marijuana plant dates back to 2700 B.C. in China. Emperor Shen Nung discovered its’ healing properties and recommended marijuana for a variety of ailments (Mack and Joy 14). Today, bias views and laws plague the advancement of marijuana in present day medicine.
Marijuana is one of the oldest cultivated plants (Nahas 8). Since it became illegal in 1967, there have been questions of whether or not it is good for purposes, such as medicine, other than being a leisure drug. Debates between pro and con groups for the use of marijuana in the medical profession, have been heated and in recent months, referendums have been pasted in a least three states to make it accessible for medical treatment. Personally, I feel that marijuana has the potential to be a significant help with certain aliments, however, more research needs to be done to maximize its potential.
History of Marijuana Marijuana has been used both recreationally and medicinally for centuries. There are numerous accounts of its medicinal qualities in multiple historical artifacts. Its use dates back to 2737 B.C. when the Chinese emperor, Shen Nung, used it for medicinal purposes including malaria, gout, poor memory, rheumatism, and analgesia (Carter et. al., 2003). Eastern Indian documents, in the Atharvaveda, dating back to 2000 B.C. also refer to its medicinal use.
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.
Marijuana has been widely mis-viewed as a bad thing; society classifies marijuana as a drug, parents warn their children to stay away from marijuana because it is bad; but those are all misconceptions. But in reality, it is actually a very beneficial drug to many degrees. Marijuana actually has numerous favorable effects, such as helping people escape the cruel reality for a moment, helping patients who are almost at the end of their lives feel better, and helping the economy recover. In addition, marijuana’s side effects are all due to human abusing it, like the old saying goes, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Although marijuana users have a history of not doing so well in life, marijuana should still be made available to anyone above the legal drinking age and be regulated like tobacco and alcohol; due to its assuaging effects to the economy and human’s mental health.
Marijuana has been used for medicinal purposes for over the 3,000 years and has been met with much resistance in the recent decade (Bearman 12). In the early part of the century, marijuana, also known as cannabis, was a part of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) for about 90 years, but drug companies began to drop marijuana from medications when the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act was passed (4-6). Medical marijuana can be used in two ways; it can be smoked in a cigarette form or taken in a capsule. Marijuana’s most potent ingredient is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can be taken as a pill, but is “easily
The legalization of marijuana has been a highly debated topic for many of years. Since the first president to the most recent, our nation’s leaders have consumed the plant known as weed. With such influential figures openly using this drug why is it so frowned upon? Marijuana is considered a gateway drug, a menace to society, and mentally harmful to its consumers. For some people weed brings a sense of anxiety, dizziness, or unsettling feeling. Like alcohol, tobacco or any other drug, those chemicals may not respond well with their body. For other people marijuana brings joy, a sense of relief, and takes the edge off of every day stress. For those who are associated with cannabis, purposes usually range from a relaxant, or cash crop, to more permissible uses such as medicine, and ingredient to make so many other materials. We now need to look at what would change if marijuana were legal. Benefits to the economy and agriculture, health issues, and crime rates are three areas worth looking at. Deliberating on the pros and cons of this plant we can get a better understanding for marijuana. From there it will be easier to make a clear consensus on what is best for the nation.
Marijuana poses fewer health-risks than many substances that are currently deemed legal by the government. It is often argued that marijuana is addictive, and that it is harmful to one’s health. It is true that smoking marijuana is not completely harmless, as the repetitive inhalation of any form of smoke will have adverse effects on one’s health. That being said, these effects are very miniscule when marijuana is smoked in moderation. Marijuana has not been scientifically proven to have any lethal or even life-altering side-effects. In regards to addiction, marijuana contains no physically addictive properties. One may become psychologically addicted to the euphoria obtained after smoking marijuana; however, anything that brings enjoyment has the possibility of becoming psychologically addictive. One would assume that something deemed legal by the government would be safer than something that is considered illegal, ironically this is not the case. Cigarettes are considered legal even though they pose a huge threat to on...
The legalization of marijuana is considered a controversial issue, something that can benefit people for medical purposes, but what about recreationally? Marijuana has been illegal since 1937, but there’s never been a bigger push for legalization. There are several reasons why it is illegal, because of government propaganda and big industry not wanting to lose money, but this will be discussed later. The purpose of this paper is to educate, theorize, and discuss various aspects of marijuana, such as its history, development, and the advantages and disadvantages of marijuana legalization. Finally, my personal reflection on legalization and marijuana in general will be discussed.
In an the article titled medical use of marijuana the topic is that of people who uses marijuana for medical reasons verses those who uses it just because. There are indications that marijuana is sometimes used to alleviate pain from cancer, to reduce nausea from chemotherapy, and to mitigate the wasting syndrome of AIDS. Studies have suggested that the medical use of marijuana is common among people with HIV/AIDS (CAMJ). There was a survey that involved telephone interviews with Ontario male adults eighteen years and older and completed with 2508 people. In the weighted sample 49 respondents reported using marijuana for a medical reason in the year preceding the survey, a total of 173 respondents reported using marijuana, but not for medical reasons. The remaining 2305 respondents in the weighted sample reported no use of marijuana in the preceding year (CAMJ). In this article it was also stated that compared with nonusers, those who use marijuana for any reason tend to be younger, more likely to have alcohol problems and more likely to have used cocaine in their lifetime. Those who use marijuana for medical reasons were similar to other users but more likely to use cocaine. About 2 percent of the population can claim the right to use marijuana for medical reasons, considering their needs, confronts the growth of a system to make sure they have entry to quality-controlled marijuana for medical use and could increase arguments for decriminalization of marijuana for personal use. The use of marijuana for any reason was linked with a male, comparative youth, smoking cigarettes, a lot of drinking, and the use of cocaine (CAMJ). Additional research has to be performed to decide whether uses with alcohol, drugs and other lifestyle choices influence the want for marijuana use and viewpoint in its medical benefits.
There are many other uses for medical cannabis including treating symptoms of IBS, Chron’s disease and other gastrointestinal disorders, pain relief from cancer and multiple sclerosis, the prevention of Alzheimer’s and helping individuals suffering from ADD, seizures or Tourette’s. Unfortunately, the federal government fails to see the many benefits of cannabis and clear proof shown in the countless peer-reviewed studies done through the years and instead maintains its classification as one of the most dangerous drugs with no acceptable medical benefits. More and more states are taking steps to regain their rightful authority from an over-reaching federal government, and taking the necessary steps to offer relief to many patients suffering from a wide array of maladies.
Stanley, Janet E., Stanley J. Watson, and John A. Benson. Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base. Washington D.C.: National Academy P, 1999.
To the AIDS or cancer patient, marijuana is the plant that fights nausea and appetite loss. To the nutritionist, its seed is second only to the soybean in nutritional value and is a source of cooking oil and vitamins. To the paper or cloth manufacturer, it is the plant that provided much of our paper and clothing for hundreds of years and produces four times more fiber per acre than trees. To the environmentalist, it is the plant that could greatly slow deforestation, restore robbed nutrients by other crops, and help prevent erosion. Preliminary findings show the drug may prove effective against glaucoma and asthma, and control such side nausea in cancer treatment. I concretely believe that marijuana should be legalized in the United States, primarily for the use of medicinal purposes. In technical or for the average American, marijuana, it is used only for recreational purposes. I think marijuana is a plant that could save many lives if it was made legal. My goal is to reverse prejudices, relieve ignorance, and inform people of the known and potential therapeutic uses of this remarkable plant.