Medical Marijuana Essay, Research Paper

One of the most controversial issues in the United States is over medical marihuanas. Many experiments test the cogency of the drug as a medical specialty, and consequences of these experiments receive much congratulations but besides some review. The DEA and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws ( NORML ) are combating over the issue. The implicit in affair that can non be ignored is that marihuana proves to be a utile medicine for many patients, particularly those with blowing diseases such as AIDS and malignant neoplastic disease.

In 1996 California passed Proposition 215, which allowed the usage of medical marihuana ( 4444 ) . Since so, six other provinces have made medical marijuana legal ; Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Maine, Oregon, and Washington. Santa Cruz in California has gone even further, & # 8220 ; leting the medical usage of marihuana with a physician & # 8217 ; s note attesting that the patient has a status for which marihuana is considered helpful, including AIDS, malignant neoplastic disease, multiple induration, glaucoma, anorexia, chronic hurting, arthritis, and spastic diseases ( 22222 ) . & # 8221 ; Santa Cruz jurisprudence allows turning marihuanas so it may be sold for the cost of production. This manner, medical users do non hold to fall back to purchasing at street monetary values.

The authorities made it a demand that all medical surveies on marihuana be paid for by scarce grant money from the National Institute of Health ( NIH ) . In recent old ages, scientists have tried to carry the NIH to allow them money for medical surveies on marihuana, merely to be turned down. Merely three surveies have been approved by the NIH. On May 22, 1999 the Clinton Administration loosened that limitation, leting research workers to purchase Government-grown marihuana for their research, every bit long as they can fund themselves. Chuck Blanchard, who is the main advocate for McCaffrey ( manager of the Office of National Drug Control Policy ) says, & # 8220 ; Before, the job was if you wanted marihuanas, you had to non merely show that it was high-quality research, you had to demo that it was more of import than other viing applications for NIH support. Now, every bit long as you are willing to demo that it is high-quality research and besides supply your ain support, you can hold entree to medical marihuana ( 66666 ) & # 8221 ; . The determination of the Clinton Administration came two months after a government-sponsored survey concluded that & # 8220 ; the active ingredients in marihuana, called cannabinoids, appeared utile for handling hurting, sickness, and terrible weight loss in AIDS patients ( 666666 ) . & # 8221 ; No grounds of marihuana being a & # 8220 ; gateway drug & # 8221 ; was found. The survey besides came up with some surprising consequences. It found that handling glaucoma through marihuana was non every bit utile as we thought. The drug does cut down oculus force per unit area, but the effects are ephemeral. The same survey found that marihuana was effectual in alleviating musculus cramps due to multiple induration ( 888888 ) .

At the 13th International AIDS Conference on July 13, 2000, Dr. Donald Abrams of the University of California released the consequences of the $ 1 million survey of marihuana on AIDS patients. Abram & # 8217 ; s concern was & # 8220 ; to find whether the chemical constituents of marihuanas in any manner interfered with the organic structure & # 8217 ; s ability to interrupt down constituents of peptidase inhibitors & # 8221 ; . Protease inhibitors are comparatively new antiviral drugs that help HIV patients retain a healthy immune system. Abram found that there was no intervention between marihuana and the peptidase inhibitors in any of the 62 patients. Besides, Abram & # 8217 ; s experiment found that marihuana increased the appetency of the HIV patients. The patients who smoked marihuana ( three times a twenty-four hours for 21 yearss ) gained an norm of 7.7 lbs, while patients who took Marinol ( pill incorporating active ingredients of marihuana including THC ) gained an norm of 7 lbs. After the experiment, Dr. Abrams said, & # 8220 ; It & # 8217 ; s exciting. It & # 8217 ; s historic. It confirms that all the provinces that have allowed patients to utilize medical marihuanas have non made a serious mistake. & # 8221 ; SABIN

Other surveies have found that marihuana so has medicative value, every bit good as some hazard.

“The US National Institutes of Health and an affiliate of the National Academy of Sciences have concluded that the active ingredients in marihuana can ease the hurting, sickness, and emesis of malignant neoplastic disease and AIDS. It besides is prescribed for certain glaucoma patients ( 555555 ) .” The NIH, the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, and San Mateo County will wholly be patronizing future medical marihuana surveies. One survey has found that smoking marihuana increases the hazard of a bosom onslaught. Research workers discovered that the hazard of bosom onslaught was the highest in the first hr after smoke, dropping to twice the normal hazard in the 2nd hr, and so returning to normal rapidly after ( 77777 ) . Dr. Murray Mittleman, the caput research worker of the survey, went on to state, “The hazard of a bosom onslaught for a 50-year-old otherwise healthy adult male after smoking a individual marihuana coffin nail would be about 10 in 1 million.”

There are many conflicting point of views on marijuana & # 8217 ; s worth. Dale Gieringer, California manager of NORML, says & # 8220 ; & # 8230 ; that marihuana is safe and effectual and that the authorities hasn & # 8217 ; t a leg to stand on by forestalling its medical usage ( 111111 ) . & # 8221 ; Dr. Billy Martin, head of pharmacological medicine at the Medical College of Vermont says, & # 8220 ; We lack grounds that there is something alone about marihuana, other than an impressive figure of anecdotal studies ( 44444 ) . & # 8221 ; Dr. Lester Grinspoon, president of the NORML Foundation says, & # 8220 ; We & # 8217 ; re traveling to hold to travel through this concern of making these surveies. They won & # 8217 ; t turn out anything that clinicians who have paid attending to this Don & # 8217 ; t already cognize ( 444444 ) . & # 8221 ; The National Academy of Sciences and the National Institutes if Health both concluded that & # 8220 ; there is grounds that marihuana can be utile in handling some patients who have non responded good to other therapies ( 555555 ) . & # 8221 ; Dr. Igor Grant, caput of UCSD & # 8217 ; s Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research brings up a good point, & # 8220 ; It seems that if these things are so utile, we would hold to happen a manner to present them in a mode that is prescribable ( 44444 ) . & # 8221 ; He goes on to state that marihuana coffin nails will likely ne’er hit the shelves of pharmaceuticss. Experts at the Institute of Medicine warn us that the benefits of smoking marihuanas are limited because the fume itself is toxic, even more so than baccy ( 8888888 ) . Alternate methods of delivering of the drug are already being researched.

Research workers at Albany College of Pharmacy, led by Dr. Audra Stinchcomb are seeking to develop a marihuana spot ( similar to the nicotine spot ) as an option to smoking medical marihuana. NORML has entirely researched alternate ways of utilizing marihuana, such as pills, suppositories, oculus and ear beads, and possibly even a marihuana vapour. Allen St. Pierre, executive manager of NORML admits, & # 8220 ; However, smoke is a faster manner to acquire the drug into the system, an of import factor in commanding sickness ( 555555 ) . & # 8221 ; Pierre subsequently says in the AP study, & # 8220 ; The American Cancer Society has ever been on record against people smoking baccy and marihuana. This is a manner to pacify oppositions ( 555555 ) . & # 8221 ;

I believe that medical marihuana should be legalized in all provinces. Although smoking marihuana may be harmful and hazardous, there is obvious medicative value. Options to smoking medical marihuanas are presently being researched to supply a healthier method of medicine. Marijuana is made up of 100s of cannabinoids, many of which have been proven helpful for patients with terrible unwellnesss, such as malignant neoplastic disease and AIDS. Once the federal prohibition on marihuana is lifted, we will eventually detect the true medical value of marihuana.

Bibliography

Nieves, Evelyn & # 8220 ; California Inn Seeking Users of Marijuana as a Medicine & # 8221 ; New York Times 20 April 2000: A12

Johnson D. Michael, PharmD Heriza J. Thomas, MD Dennis St. Clark & # 8220 ; How to Spot Illicit Drug Use in Your Patients & # 8221 ; Clinical Articles 106.4 ( 1999 ) : 199

Russell, Sabin & # 8220 ; Study Finds Pot Safe for AIDS Patients ; Government Funding for Research a First & # 8221 ; San Francisco Chronicle 14 July 2000: A1

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