Medical marijuana is a natural medicine of great value which is in danger of being banned from
medical use in the United States. For years its medical use has been argued against to some effect, but
there are facts which would be irresponsible to dismiss before any judgments’ are passed on the
subject. Many people might wonder when marijuana became a popular idea for medicinal purposes. To
be blunt so to speak: it is one of the world’s oldest and widespread natural medicines. The Chinese were
among the first to use its positive healing effects as long ago as “2727 BCE” as per the “Brainz”
organization website. This information has been verified by archeological evidence and historical
references also found in the Jewish Talmud and in Scythian royal tombs. Besides its history of being
widely accepted as a medicine it has also been scientifically proven to be virtually harmless when used
properly. According to Doctor Donald Tashkin of the University of California “even heavy and long-term
smoking of cannabis is not associated with lung cancer and other types of upper aerodigestive tract
cancers.” Since the beginning of recorded history there has not been a single case of marijuana
overdose or death directly associated with the smoking or ingesting thereof.
According to the drug war facts organization there are an estimated 435,000 deaths annually as a direct result from smoking cigarettes, the number one killer in the United States. Compared to not even one death in history due to marijuana or marijuana related cancer, it seems ridiculous in mathematical terms that the government legalizes one and condemns the other. Basically the evidence above would summarily support the idea that marijuana is relativ...
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...nventional pain relieving treatments. Therefore medical marijuana should at least undergo serious human testing in America so that an effective medicine won’t be neglected before it has a chance to help the suffering. In conclusion medical marijuana has been proven by professionals to be virtually harmless and effective in the treatment of many serious and debilitating diseases, so much so that it would be ignorant to dismiss the possibilities before it has a chance to help thousands or millions of people.
Works Cited
Brainz. Np, Nd. Web. 8 Apr. 2011
911thc. Admin, 21 Oct. 2010. Web. 8 Apr. 2011
Drugwarfacts. Np, Nd. Web. 9 Apr. 2011
medicalmarijuana.procon. Tashkin, Donald P. 17 Apr. 1997. Web. 10 Apr. 2011
michaelshouse. Np. 2010. Web. 10 Apr. 2011
“Emerging Clinical Applications For Cannabis & Cannabinoids.” norml. Np, 7 Jan. 2011. Web. 10 Apr. 2011
Today, in the United States alone there are over: 400,000 cases of Multiple Sclerosis, 4 million cases of glaucoma, and between 1.3 and 2.8 million cases of epilepsy. That is at least 5.7 million people that suffer every single day. For many of those people, the situation seems hopeless, but there is an option that may help. Medical marijuana has been proven to be very helpful in all of those cases including other things such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and just pain in general. Not only has it been known to help reduce pain and other symptoms from those diseases but it has also becoming apparent that marijuana may also be able to potentially slow down cancer as a connection has been made between the plant turning off a gene
United States. Its use as a medicine has existed for thousands of years in many
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...
Ware, Mark. Canadian Medical Association Journal. webmd.com. N.p. 30 August 2010. Web. 4 May 2014.
Marijuana has been used as medicine since the beginning of time, but because of the bad reputation surrounding marijuana you wouldn’t believe that marijuana first use was for medical purposes. Marijuana dates all the way back to 2900 BC, in China, where the Chinese emperor Fu Hsi noted that cannabis was a very popular medicine that possessed both yin and yang. The Egyptians also used cannabis for glaucoma, inflammation, and enemas. In India, they use Bhang, a drink of cannabis and milk, as an anesthetic and anti-phlegmatic. By the mid-1930s, marijuana was regulated in every state by laws instituted through The Uniform State Narcotic Act. Then in 1937 the Marihuana Tax Act was passed. The Act imposed a tax on anyone who dealt with marijuana, which lead to a decline in marijuana prescriptions. The Act didn’t criminalize the possession or use of marijuana but it did include penalty and enforcement provisions to which marijuana handlers were subject. Violation of these procedures could result in a fine up to $2000 and five years in prison. In 1972, the US congress placed marijuana in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act because they considered it to have “no accepted medical use.” Research has shown that marijuana use is medically beneficial and that legalization would have a positive impact on patients who suffer from symptoms caused by such illnesses as multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS. By keeping marijuana illegal, we are denying relieve, that marijuana provides to the patients that does not respond to the medicines that physicians prescribe or suffer from the side effect of these harsh drugs causes.
Joye, J., & Waston, S. (1970, June 4). Marijuana and Medicine. . Retrieved , from www.books.benefitsofhazardsofmedicalmarijuana.com
Cohen, Peter J. "Medical Marijuana 2010: It's Time to Fix the Regulatory Vacuum." Journal of
The use of the cannabis plant has been studied and has been proven effective when used for medical purposes. Medical marijuana can be used because it contains molecules called cannabinoids. The human body has cannabinoid receptors that will activate and deactivate through certain biological events.( "Medical Use of Cannabis") The most common type of cannabinoid used is Cannabis indica. This specific species of the plant has higher levels of THC, which can be used in medicine. While we have recently discovered the medical purposes, marijuana has been used from as early as 2737 B.C.E. An emperor of China, Shen Neng, used marijuana tea to treat memory loss, gout, and malaria. In India, medical marijuana was used as a remedy for anxiety. Throughout the 1900s, use of marijuana was seen as an offense, and was banned in twenty three states by 1937. By 1996, the laws had been withdrawn in several states, and California became the first state to legalize marijuana. (Stack and Suddath) Marijuana had been proven effective with the treatment of nausea, tuberculosis, epilepsy, glaucoma, an...
...ugh it is harmless and has medical uses (“NORML Report on Marijuana”). Over ten million people use marijuana regularly even though it is illegal, which clearly shows that the government’s anti-marijuana campaign has been useless (“NORML Report on Marijuana”). The government should stop spending scarce federal funds on the campaign against marijuana, and use that money to conduct more research so that the Food and Drug Administration can approve the legalization of marijuana (Grinspoon, “Whither Medical Marijuana” 27). No amount of research is likely to show that marijuana is as dangerous as tobacco and alcohol because marijuana is a harmless drug. If marijuana had official medical uses, then people would be more likely to accept it. Also, the legalization of marijuana would be regulated so it would not be a threat to society and its users. There are many people who need the legalization of marijuana for medical reasons, but people who use it for “fun” also have a right to use it without fearing to be arrested. Marijuana should be legalized for all citizens in the United States, and it should be up to each individual to decide if he/she wants to use marijuana, not the government.
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
According to “Marijuana Now the Most Popular Drug in the World” “report on global drug use, cannabis was the world’s most widely produced, trafficked, and consumed drug in the world in 2010” (Eliana Dockterman). Marijuana is used all around the world for various things, whether it’s for medical use or for your own enjoyment. Like many others, some people don’t know that marijuana can be helpful when used carefully and properly but can also be used for harm when being used improperly. People think it’s not going to hurt you just try it. Some will disagree. The flow of marijuana is increasing daily. In today’s society there is a huge debate whether medical marijuana is better than recreational marijuana.
Marijuana can be a step in the right direction in diagnosing and treating many diseases. Medical Marijuana saves lives and helps patients deal and overcome pain due to diseases or disorders. Dr. Andrew Weil, founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, explained how marijuana can “relieve pain, nausea, and other debilitating effects of multiple sclerosis and cancer and the drugs used to treat them.” (Weil) Dr. Weil revealed how marijuana is able to target certain cancer cells without harming the healthy cells in order to help patients fighting for their lives. Dr. Weil is a supporter for the use of medical marijuana and declared “our current national policy is counter-productive and irrational.” (Weil) Currently, there are many doctors who have been and starting to advocate for the use of medical marijuana. In our advancing medical industry, we are faced with incurable diseases which ultimately can lead to a loss of life. Marijuana has been proven to help patients who suffer from pain by relieving their pain and relaxing their bodies. People must understand how marijuana is tremendously beneficial to all types of people in America whether it is used as medicine or a supplement to help people throughout their everyday lives. Marijuana is inexpensive and effortless to produce, so it can be utilized to boost our technological advancement in medicine. When more people realize the
Marijuana has a Medical use, which people with certain health problems can benefit from if Marijuana is legalize. Marijuana can be used as a medicin...
Marijuana continues to be one of the most used illegal drugs in the United States. Marijuana has been used for many years and at one time was legal to consume. Throughout the years, marijuana has been used for treatment of different medical conditions and has been used recreationally by people of all ages. While the use of medicinal marijuana has proven to be effective in treating medically ill patients, society continues to question its recreational use and the long term effects it will have on its users. Some feel that legalizing marijuana will only open up avenues for the use of more potent drugs, causing an increase in criminal activity. However, a number of people question why it is considered illegal being it is a naturally growing
Numerous studies have attempted to explain the use of cannabis throughout history. For example, Doweiko (2009) mentioned that the Chinese physicians have used the cannabis to treat some diseases such as malaria, constipation, child birth, and as an anesthetic for surgery. During the nineteenth century, cannabis (marijuana) is also used for medical purposes to treat headaches and migraine. However, during the early years of the twentieth century, people began to view cannabis as an abusing drug as the researchers determined its ineffectiveness as a medicinal drug. Some historians have argued that marijuana was first introduced into the American society by the Mexican immigrants during the same period. This recreation drug was soon embraced by ...