Medical Marijana Essay, Research Paper

Medical Marijuana

The usage of marihuana for medicative intents is an highly controversial topic. There are many protagonists, every bit good as many that are in resistance to the usage of marihuanas in any state of affairs. Parties on both sides of the issue are on a regular basis conveying forth new information to back their instance.

Marijuana, made from an Indian hemp works that bears the name hemp sativa, is a mixture of roots, foliages, and blooming tops. The blossoming tops are smoked for the THC, or THC, that is concentrated at that place. THC is the chief psychotropic ingredient in marihuana. The usage of marihuana as folk medical specialty began in Central Asia as far back as 3000 B.C. It & # 8217 ; s utilize as a pleasure-inducing drug began in the 1900 & # 8217 ; s, going widespread in the 1960 & # 8217 ; s and 1970 & # 8217 ; s. In the 60 & # 8217 ; s and 70 & # 8217 ; s, marihuana became the 2nd most popular drug, intoxicant being the first. This tendency continues today ( Berger ) .

The poisoning, or & # 8220 ; high & # 8221 ; acquired due to the smoke of marihuana, has two stages. These stages are initial stimulation followed by pleasant tranquility. The initial stimulation includes silliness and euphory, so sedation and tranquility ( Berger ) . Another of the consequences of smoking marihuana is an addition in appetite known normally as & # 8220 ; the munchies. & # 8221 ; Because loss of appetency and sickness are common side effects of unwellnesss for which marihuana is a possible medical specialty, & # 8220 ; the munchies & # 8221 ; is one of marihuana & # 8217 ; s most valuable medicative utilizations ( Thompson 149 ) .

There are many misguided expostulations refering to the usage of marihuana as a medical specialty. One of the most common of these myths is that marihuana is extremely habit-forming, and that long-run users experience physical backdowns when marihuana usage is stopped. In actuality, most marijuana tobacco users smoke the drug merely on juncture ( Science 3 ) . Marijuana has non been proven physically hooking and no physical backdown symptoms occur when usage is discontinued ( Berger ) .

Another myth normally used to deter the usage of marihuana as a medical specialty is that marihuana has been scientifically proven to be harmful. In 1972, after reexamining scientific grounds, the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse concluded that while marihuana is non wholly safe, it & # 8217 ; s dangers had been grossly overstated ( Morgan 1 ) . In 1995, based on 30 old ages of scientific research, editors of the British medical diary Lancet concluded that & # 8220 ; the smoke of hemp, even long term, is non harmful to wellness & # 8221 ; ( Science 1 ) .

Many anti-medical marihuana protagonists have said that there is non medicative value in marihuana. They claim that safer, more effectual drugs, such as Marinol, are available. Marinol is a man-made version of THC. In world, smoked marihuana has been shown to cut down sickness induced by chemotherapy, addition appetencies in AIDS patients, and cut down intraocular force per unit area in people with glaucoma. Marinol is a man-made THC capsule and is available by prescription but is non every bit effectual as smoke-cured marihuana for many patients. Furthermore, pure THC may bring forth more unpleasant psychotropic side effects than smoked marihuana ( Morgan 2 ) . Marinol is more expensive than regular marihuana and seems to do higher degrees of anxiousness and depression. Besides, because one of the chief jobs combated in chemotherapy is nausea and emesis, a pill is likely non the best thought for intervention ( Thompson 149 ) .

There is a theory that marihuana is a & # 8220 ; gateway & # 8221 ; drug. Anti-marijuana protagonists believe that even if marijuana itself causes minimum injury, it is a unsafe substance because it leads to the usage of & # 8220 ; harder drugs & # 8221 ; such as diacetylmorphine, LSD, and cocaine. Supporters dismiss this theory as & # 8220 ; a insouciant account for the statistical association between common and uncommon drugs, which changes as drugs change in prevalence & # 8221 ; ( Morgan 4 ) . Supporters explain that because marihuana is the most popular illegal drug in the US today, people who have used less popular drugs such as diacetylmorphine, cocaine, or LSD, have likely used marihuana. Besides, for the big bulk of people, marihuana is a end point instead than a gateway drug because a individual does non hunger a & # 8220 ; better high & # 8221 ; when he or she uses it ( Morgan 4 ) .

One of the most common expostulations to legalising marihuana for medical usage is that it will put a bad illustration for kids targeted by drug thrusters. However, because marihuana would merely be prescribed for earnestly sick patients, the thought of smoking marihuanas would non be glamorized ( Thompson 150 ) .

Advocates of medical marihuanas say that it has been used as a curative agent for centuries and swear by its abili

ties to assist people in hurting ( Weed ) . “The fact is that marihuana, even if it is non to the full understood, clearly helps many patients…clearly marihuana is deserving look intoing and even supplying as medical specialty for hurting alleviation, terrible sickness, and appetite stimulation for earnestly sick patients ( Science 1 ) . The most common side effects of chemotherapy include sickness and emesis, caused by the chemotherapy drugs impacting the tummy, the country of the encephalon that controls purging, or both ( You ) . There is strong grounds that marihuana reduces muscle spasticity in patients with neurological upsets ( Morgan 2 ) . Harmonizing to DEA Judge Francis Young, “It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and freakish for DEA to stand between those sick persons [ of terminal diseases ] and the benefits of this substance.”

Richard Brookhiser is a malignant neoplastic disease subsister who underwent chemotherapy. Brookhiser was diagnosed with malignant neoplastic disease in 1992, before the usage of marihuana was legal in any province for medical specialty. While on chemotherapy, he experienced the usual resulting sickness. After legal antiemetic drugs did non work, he turned to marijuana. Brookhiser had smoked marihuanas in the past and really did non like the high. He smoked the marihuana for medical usage merely ( Thompson 149 ) .

As of 1997, twenty six provinces and the District of Columbia have bing Torahs and declarations about medical marihuana. Many provinces allow physicians to order marihuana or are inquiring the federal authorities to raise the prohibition on medical usage. In 10 provinces, Torahs about leting medical marihuanas have either been repealed or expired. Fifteen US provinces have had no medicative marihuana Torahs of all time ( Weed ) . The US authorities opposes current freedoms to anti-marijuana Torahs and warns doctors that the distribution of marihuana to any patient may ensue in the loss of federally sanctioned privileges ( Berger ) . There was a instance late in Portland, Oregon in which a physician was fined to a great extent by the federal authorities for the distribution of marihuana for medical intents ( Webster 30 ) .

In malice of the fact that the federal authorities is against medical marihuana, the Institute of Medicine, or IOM, confirmed in a March 1999 study that marihuana is valuable to many patients for whom other medicines do non work. IOM & # 8217 ; s study urged the federal authorities to do a committedness to acquiring medical marihuanas research underway. Merely one medical marihuana survey has been approved since the mid-1980 & # 8217 ; s, bespeaking the demand for more openness and clearer guidelines for research workers wishing to look into marihuanas.

In 1996, electors in both California and Arizona agreed to a measure for marihuana to be legalized for medicative intents. These ballot steps exempted physicians and patients from condemnable prosecution when marihuana is prescribed for serious conditions. Medical Necessity Torahs similar to the ballot steps passed by California and Arizona electors were passed by Massachusetts and Ohio legislatures in 1996 ( Berger ) .

Former Vice President Dan Quayle does non O.K. of medical marihuana. He feels that the measure passed by California was

& # 8220 ; & # 8230 ; so ill written that it is riddled with loopholes and basically legalized the usage of marihuana in California & # 8230 ; The Arizona measure, cloaked in the attire of engaging a tougher war on drugs, legalized all Schedule One drugs for medicative intents & # 8221 ; ( Thompson 151 ) .

Agenda 1 drugs are those holding a high potency for maltreatment. Marijuana, diacetylmorphine, LSD, and Methedrines are all Schedule One drugs. The Arizona measure was overturned by province legislative assembly in 1996 ( Thompson 151 ) .

Everyone has his or her ain sentiment on medical marihuana and it & # 8217 ; s legalisation. Each side of the argument nowadayss informations on a regular footing, some of which causes more contention. Marijuana has many effects that would profit patients with terminal diseases by cut downing hurting and increasing appetite. As a medical specialty, marihuana is a legitimate intervention for highly sick sick persons.

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Berger, Philip A. & # 8220 ; Marijuana. & # 8221 ; Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. Microsoft Corporation. 1997.

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Webster, Maddy. & # 8220 ; Legalizing Pot: What You Can Do. & # 8221 ; High Times. Jan 1999: 30.

Weed Wars: Facts and Stats. CNNInteractive. 1997. .

You: Covering with Chemotherapy. National Cancer Institute, Institute of Health. 28 Jan. 1999. .