Public Health Effects Of Medical Marijuana

Also, marijuana can be seen as being addictive in nature. “Approximately 9% of individuals that use marijuana become addicted” (Marijuana Statistics). Marijuana contains many chemicals, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which can cause many positive and negative effects to the human body and brain. A major attribute for medical marijuana is the economic advantages that are produced from the distribution of the drug. Also, the legalization of medical marijuana can portray positive and negative outcomes for law enforcement. Therefore, medical marijuana has many positive effects, such as treatment for diseases, and negative effects, such as immune system suppression. Throughout this research paper, medical marijuana will be thoroughly explained to exemplify the advantages and disadvantages of legalizing the

Bennett, William J., and Robert A. White. "Legal Pot is a Public Health Menace." Wall Street Journal Aug 14 2014, Eastern edition ed. ProQuest. 27 Apr. 2017.

Legalization of medical marijuana is a disputed issue in the United States. In 1996, California was the first state to pass the Compassionate Use Act allowing for the legal use of medicinal marijuana (Freisthler, Kepple, Sims, & Martin, 2013). Subsequently, this lead to the enactment of similar laws from 25 states allowing those with medical illnesses and chronic pain to use medicinal marijuana. The efficacy of the Compassionate Use Act can be determined via data analysis of pain management and other nontraditional benefits before and after 1996. Each state can be categorized as either fully functional, meaning medical marijuana laws are enacted, non-functional, not yet operational or in process, and cannabidiol specific.

The use of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana within America throughout the twenty and twenty-first century has been heavily disputed within our own government as well as shaped many of our leaders lives. Even currently, the argument for legalized marijuana is heavily debated and brought to the American public eye through vast media sources. The health risks involved in partaking of tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol can be very consequential, or not at all. Many current political acts, such as Colorado legalizing recreational marijuana, have brought the eligibility of past studies on the health risks of marijuana to the surface as well as the health factors involved with other legal substances. This act followed by many other states has forced the government to reevaluate their stances on the legality of mind altering substances.

Since 2012, four states in the US have allowed sale of cannabis for recreational use by adults over the age of 21. (Colorado, Alaska, Oregon, and Washington State). Washington State legalized growing of cannabis for personal use and legalized it for gifting to friends. In 2016, more states are considering legalization and within the next 4-5 years, half of the state will at least most likely to have proposed a bill talking about decriminalization or even legalization. In the paper it discusses the probable effects that will come with legalization and also the possible effects, along it also talks about the legalization of cannabis and how it affects the use of alcohol, tobacco and opioids, which can tend to be a lot more dangerous that cannabis. Study Method. This report aimed to briefly describe the regulatory regimes so far implemented; outline their plausible effects on cannabis use and cannabis-related harm; and suggest what research is needed to evaluate the public health impact of these policy changes. It reviewed the drug policy literature to identify: (1) plausible effects of legalizing adult recreational use on cannabis price and availability; (2) factors that may increase or limit these effects; (3) pointers from studies of the effects of legalizing medical cannabis use; and (4) indicators of cannabis use and cannabis-related harm that can be monitored to assess the effects of these policy changes. Study Findings. Legalization of recreational use will

There are a lot of negative material out there on the negative effects of Marijuana use. However, I currently am looking at this in a whole new light now that I have watched by 4 ½ month old grandson have 4 grand mall seizures in less them a months’ time. Talk about the feeling of helplessness when his current “Psychotropic” medication (Keppra) is not working. I have researched and researched and have read about the potential positive effects of Marijuana. Cannabidiol Oil (CBD) produced from the Marijuana plant and is a non-psychotropic medication. When it comes at looking at the side effects of Medical Marijuana the seizure medications, I would take the Medical Marijuana all day long. I have a strong belief that patients should

The article, "Current approach to marijuana undermines public health” showcases the potential issues dealing with marijuana and the concern of the public health over the lack regulation of marijuana. I argue with the writer’s stance due the growing concern of the patient’s safety and the need of regulation in order to fully understand the medical benefits. Unfortunately, there exist a line of uncertainty when voters recently allowed for the approval of medicinal marijuana, leading with a schism with the physician and patient. The system currently in place creates an unstable environment regarding the overall health of the patient due to the lack of strict regulations and taxing upon the growing industry. The lack of regulations only stacks

It is a very exciting time to be a pothead in America. With legalization spreading across the US many are starting to get involved in the expanding industry that is here to stay. So how will marijuana affect public health? In Oregon the distribution of the tax revenue is going to be funded into schools, mental health services, State Police and Oregon Health Authority. Last year Colorado brought in $60.1 million in taxes. All of the taxed money from sales here will be used as a way of advancing and educating Oregon’s public health. Upon researching fiction and nonfiction many inferences have been drawn as to what Marijuana is going to do in the future. On top of that, insights from a few subjects have been compiled to see what different peoples thoughts on the topic are. What it all comes down to is that even if you don’t use the plant it is still going to have some impact on you. Legalizing marijuana means a regulated market, government reaping taxes and much less drug related violence caused by the injustice of the legal system. The rising tide of legalization could be a boon to public health.

Within today’s society, Cannabis is seen as a harmful substance of such negative controversy. Marijuana is a very prominent and controversial issue in society today. Despite many malicious allegations have been made regarding marijuana today, the truth of what marijuana’s real dangers are are beginning to come about again. Sadly, these facts have been held under considerable judgement because of what people stereotype a pot smoker as. This has been brought under heavy criticism due to the stereotypical view of what people view as the typical “pot smoker.” This image society has of a lazy and unambitious America has all been the result of almost one hundred years of false propaganda and stereotypes gossiped by certain private individuals trying to keep weed illegal for their own personal benefit.

Medical Marijuana, a highly controversial issue in today’s society, is at the cutting edge of both cultural and medical debate. Regardless of federal restrictions of the use of the illegal drug, about 41% of Americans have tried it at least once in their lives.(Armentano) Furthermore, medical studies have shown that while medical marijuana is both addictive and poses some risks to the immune system, there are also positive results to alternative forms of treatment. Medicinal use of this drug has been shown to reduce psychotic behavior, nausea, pain and other sicknesses.(Jack) States should legalize the use of medical marijuana to help those who suffer from a variety of alignments, many of which cannot be cured by pharmaceutical drugs.

public seeking facts to support claims. However, the same type of fear induced media messages

According to the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, there are well over 107,000 American citizens prescribed medical marijuana, also known as medical cannabis.

For over a century the legalization of medical marijuana in the United States has been a growing controversy. Washington and Colorado are the two recent states that have legalized the use of marijuana for recreational uses. In contrast, others in federal positions believe the use of marijuana has no beneficial use to it which creates a struggle into its legalization. Marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 drug believed to be dangerous and highly addictive, also thought to be a “gateway” drug leading to a dark path of drug abuse. Most of these poor assumptions are supported and investigated to be incorrect by many researchers and first hand users. The strict drug laws around the United States have made tests of marijuana's effectiveness

The illegal use of marijuana is causing problems for many users, their families, and also for hospitals and police officers. Emergency room visits from injuries or accidents related to marijuana use have dramatically increased in the United States since 2008. “In 2011, there were nearly 456,000 marijuana-related emergency department visits in the United States, which is a 21% increase since 2009” (Marijuana as Medicine). This is causing more staff members including nurses, doctors, and surgeons to be on call for foolish incidents that could have easily been avoided by not consuming the substance in the first place. Several studies have shown that it is possible that marijuana may even be worse for your health than cigarettes are. After all, cigarettes are not peeling points off of your IQ. “Heavy cannabis use in adolescence causes persistent impairments in neurocognitive performance and IQ, and use is associated with increased rates of anxiety, mood and psychotic thought disorders” (Robinson). Marijuana users are likely to encounter detrimental lung problems at least twenty years earlier than cigarette-smokers would encounter similar problems. Along with lung problems, it can also cause disastrous birth defects in women who consume marijuana while pregnant. Some common birth defects are mental abnormalities as well as the

Marijuana legalization would cause very little harm to users. Marijuana is one of the safest drugs a person can use, being safer than both tobacco and alcohol. In the mid 1990’s the World Health Organization commissioned a study on marijuana and found that it was unlikely to cause any major health issues and found when compared to tobacco and alcohol, that it was safer to use then both legal drugs. In 2007 a team of experts did research on marijuana for the British medical journal the Lancet, found that it caused far fewer health and safety risks than alcohol. In the same year the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare had come to the same conclusion. In 2005 the University of Oxford found that even long term use does not cause any lasting physical or mental