Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Applications: A consideration of aspects of the issue
INTRODUCTION
In its brief overview of palliative care (Improving palliative care, August 2003), the Institute of Medicine emphasized purpose: “to prevent or lessen the severity of pain and other symptoms and to achieve the best quality of life for people dying or suffering from a long-term disease” (p. 2). Immediate pain reduction, if not outright elimination, facilitates satisfaction of other, more emotional or introspective end-of-life matters (e.g., working through spiritual issues, resolving family differences). Achieving pain relief under certain treatment regimes implicates a number of federal and state criminal statutes, as well as public policy. Those treatment regimes that rely on opiates (e.g., morphine) and cannabinoids (most notably, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana) risk running afoul of the Controlled Substances Act [CSA] (21 U.S.C. Sec. 841 et seq.). Under current federal law, the use of marijuana for any purpose—other than government-sanctioned research—is a criminal offense. (In October 2009, the Department of Justice, in a guidance memorandum to United States Attorneys, stated that the Department considered federal prosecution of persons using marijuana for medical purposes in compliance with state laws “is unlikely to be an efficient use of federal resources” [p. 2]. The choice of words in the memorandum may be
Philippe Lucas’s article “Cannabis as an Adjunct to or Substitute for Opiates in the Treatment of Chronic Pain” recommends using cannabis instead of opiates to relieve chronic pain. He also proposes cannabis may be used to treat prescription opiate abuse by patients suffering from chronic pain and depicts cannabis as a medicine and not a gateway drug. Lucas suggests national governments abandon misinformation emphasizing drug prohibition and start supporting the claim that cannabis effectively treats a variety of illnesses including chronic pain, and is a possible “drug exit” for problematic substance abuse. Appeals to logos, ethos, and pathos are frequently present, creating the ideal balance of evidence and theory regarding medicinal cannabis and opiates.
By this point in time, the opioid crisis is well-known and concerning. One potential solution suggested by researchers, medical professionals, and individual patients alike is the use of medical cannabis for treatment of conditions such as chronic pain. In fact, many patients now prefer medical cannabis to opioid treatments. It’s not difficult to see why.
The use of medical marijuana (slang: Acapulco gold, ace, bhang, cannabis, hash, dope, ganja, grass, weed, hashish oil, hemp, home-grown, honey oil, indica, Jamaican roach, sativa, sinse, sinsemilla, tea, weed oil) has a been a major topic of debate for countless years. People all around the United States have seen propaganda of some sort regarding the legalization of marijuana. For example, with the ongoing discussion of legalization throughout the states, it’s abruptly mentioned in the news, everyday conversations, school topics for debate, and within stories of social media. In the article, “Is marijuana prohibition coming to an end”, Michelle Johnson a North Carolina journalist, states “Legalizing marijuana for a medical or recreational
Many people suffer unbearable pain and discomfort from their illnesses and seek any method that might bring relief. Many suffer from chemotherapy treatment, HIV infection related wasting, glaucoma, or other serious ailments that carry an unbearable amount of pain. They first try the drugs that their doctors have prescribed. These prescribed legal drugs seem to have some benefits, but often carry with them many side effects that may be more harmful than helpful. Many patients give the legal drugs a try and find that they are not effective in relieving them of their symptoms. As a result, many turn to marijuana for its medicinal use. Because it is an effective treatment,
What is Marijuana? Well, it is a plant that has many medical benefits and dates back almost 12,000 years ago. The plant has many components within itself like THC, tetrahydrocannabinol, it is the chemical compound in cannabis responsible for a euphoric high. Another component is CBD, Cannabidiol, which is a non-psychoactive and provides a wide range of medical benefits. There are eight states that allow for the plant to be used recreationally and twenty-nine states that allow the use of the plant for medical purposes only.
Should we or should we not legalize Medical Marijuana? Yes, I think we should make medical marijuana legal in all 50 states. Why is it so difficult for our government and our american society to vote for marijuana to be used for medical purposes. There are many reasons why medical marijuana should be legal, why is medical marijuana helpful, and cannabis are my three reasons why Medical marijuana should be legalized.
The use of Cannabis (Marijuana) for medical treatment is gaining momentum across the United States. Currently twenty three states and the District of Columbia have passed bills legalizing medical marijuana for treatment of cancer, AIDS, PTSD, neuromuscular disease and various other health issues (Medical Marijuana Pros and Cons, 2014). On May 3, 2013, Representative Robert Hagan (Democrat- Youngstown) introduced HB 153 ( a reintroduction of HB 214 to the 129th Ohio General Assembly) to the 130th Ohio General Assembly to legalize medical marijuana for patients and provision for statutory protection regarding medical use of marijuana (Ohio Legislative Service Commission, 2014).
Marijuana use should be legalized throughout the United States. Marijuana legalization is becoming a highly popular argument among the country.
Too often Americans today turn to prescription pills as a cure for the occasional headache to chronic pain, looking for immediate results while overlooking the long list of side effects. What if there was a safer, non-toxic alternative to the standard pharmaceuticals? We should be offered other types of treatment, the option of using medical cannabis. As a result, it can improve a patient's quality of life, and indirectly help to promote positive responses to treatment. While many say the drug has a “high potential for abuse” and should remain illegal, advocate’s present a stronger argument for legalization through the use of evidence and research. Medical marijuana must be legalized for its medicinal properties, its implications to our legal
For at least the last decade medical marijuana has been on all of the national headlines. Proponents for its use have told us all the ways it has benefited everyone who has been prescribed medical marijuana. However opponents for its use have demonized it to the point where the average citizen doesn’t know what’s good about it and what’s bad about it. Medical Marijuana should be legal in all states.
In 2012, Colorado was among one of the states that passed the legislation to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Similar to the age limitation set for buying and consuming alcohol and smoking of tobacco products, Colorado has set the age limit for recreational use for adults who are at least twenty-one years of age and over to use an ounce of this drug. According to the drugabuse.gov website, the drug marijuana is defined as a greenish-gray mixture of the dried, shredded leaves and flowers of Cannabis sativa—the hemp plant. After two years of legalizing marijuana, Colorado has had various perks that range from medical, economic, and social. Other states like Ohio and Mississippi are also considering legalizing marijuana after looking at most of the benefits Colorado is having after legalizing the drug. According to the website, The News Nerd.com, after looking at the success the drug marijuana has brought to Colorado, state legislators have decided to try passing the legalization of the drug heroin as well. In this paper, we will look at the pros and cons of Colorado’s legalized soft drug marijuana versus the legalization of the hard drug heroin. We will also look from the opposing view that Peter de Marneffe is trying to make about the drug heroin and how it will affect our youth in their developmental stage of maturity.
Since the legalization of marijuana for medical use, eight out of ten states caused a decreased in teenage cannabis use. Currently in the nation there are several states that allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Government officials have different belief on medical marijuana. According to Judge Young, “Marijuana has been accepted as capable of relieving the distress of great numbers of very ill people” (“Top Ten”). The governmental figure sees potential with the use of medical cannabis. According to Walters, “Smoked marijuana damages the brain, heart, lungs, and immune system” (“Top Ten”). Walters is suggesting that this study is only going to do harm. Though there are many people who agree and disagree with cannabis use for
In todays society marijuana is a very controversial topic in America. There has been some horrible remarks towards cannabis in the past but the truth is finally starting to come out. People think of marijuana as a substance just to get “high” with but there are other good outcomes towards cannabis that can make this world a better place.As a marijuana support I believe marijuana should be used for all purposes.
The history of marijuana use goes back thousands of years. Marijuana is a potent, mind-altering substance derived from the Cannabis plant. It has been used for both medical and recreational purposes. It is a Schedule-1 drug or a controlled substance under federal law in the United States, which means it is an illegal drug. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse Center (2014), marijuana is the number one most commonly used substance among adolescents and synthetic marijuana is second, which has a severe concern on health (NIDAC, 2014).
Marijuana is illegal in fifty states because of its classification as an illicit drug, but controversial issues have been established that this “illicit drug” has improved the course of treatment for suffering patients. Marijuana has beneficial effects when used in medicinal scenarios for the treatment of pain; thus it should be an administered drug for patients who can benefit from the use of this drug. Marijuana has undergone analysis for its use as a medicine and the results have shown improvements in the patients who were treated with this drug. Doctors have expressed opposite opinions, making this issue very controversial.