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Essay on The Use Of Marijuana For Medicinal Purposes
| Date: |
08-21-02 11:59am |
| Subject: |
Social Issues |
| Word Count: |
758 |
| Page Count: |
3.03 |
The Use of Marijuana for Medicinal Purposes
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The
Use of Marijuana for Medicinal Purposes
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. As the
debate about marijuana’s use as a medicine continues, experts have given
us information pertaining to its positive effects when used properly.
Much of the controversy falls in the hands
of the government, which purports that marijuana is not a safe medicine,
versus the doctors who research the topic for medicinal purposes. Granted,
not all doctors feel cannabis should be a "legal" prescribed medicine,
it is in their hands to decide so. The Institute of Medicine has ignited
the controversy when it said smoking marijuana is risky, but also recommended
that critically ill patients should be allowed to use it under closely
monitored settings (Koch 707). A specialist at the National Cancer Institute
authorized his patients to use the drug, but not over do it (Koch 708).
With all the speculation, one would think that doctors wouldn’t be so eager
to offer the drug as a reliever. The National Institute of Drug Abuse renders
approximately 300 free joints each month for patients whom are enrolled
in an experimental program (Iversen 12). The Government proclaims there
is no therapeutic value in the medicinal use of marijuana, but they do
not have hard evidence to prove it (Grinspoon 46). Ira Glasser, executive
director of the American Civil Liberties Union, (at a congressional forum)
expressed: "the government has demonized all drug use without differentiation
and has systematically and hysterically resisted science."(Koch 714) Possibly
if the two "sides" would work together an agreement could be established
concerning procedures for further development and treatment.
Marijuana has eased the pain of chemotherapy,
severe muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis, weight-loss due to the
AIDS virus, and other problems (www.abcnews.go.com/medmj990317.html). Experts
from the National Institute of Health or NIH have confirmed that marijuana
is an effective, safe and inexpensive alternative for treating nausea caused
by AIDS medications and cancer treatments other such ailments as glaucoma,
muscle spasms, intractable pain, epilepsy, anorexia, asthma, insomnia,
depression and other disorders (Iversen 23). Other such ailments in which
marijuana has been said to help are Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease,
repetitive migraines, and Alzheimer’s, but the NIH has not reported those
results (http://www.abcnews.go.com/medmj990317.html). The National Institute
of Medicine shows us that the benefits from cannabis short term use doesn’t
hinder the possible hazards of its long-term use (Rosenthal 58). Marijuana
has beneficial outlook for some illnesses, but experimentation is limited
due to its unlawfulness. The positive effects of this drug are helping
a limited number so doctors have tried to work with the government to create
a reliable way to distribute the drug without smoking it.
The work being done to find a chemical
fabricate should clarify that marijuana has some medicinal value. In 1986
a THC based synthetic called Marinol was approved by the Food and Drug
Administration, unfortunately it did not treat as well as cannabis (Rosenthal
61). Government experts have indicated that marijuana does relieve pain,
and other disorders, but it does not cure them, therefore can not be legalized
as a prescription drug (Grinspoon 55). In many cases marijuana has been
the building block for recovery, and it has given sick people a chance
to move on without the tension and pain (www.abcnews.go.com/medmj990317.html).
Government experts have concealed some information about similar prescription
drugs, such as: percocet and codeine. Both are very addictive and they
only relieve the pain. Medicinal marijuana has similar side effects as
the often prescribed stimulants, but it is not quite as addictive (Rosenthal
125). Marijuana is not so different from other frequently prescribed stimulants,
but its stereotypical summary has the government questioning its output.
With all the research and time spent on
the use of marijuana as a medical treatment, one would think that cannabis
is beneficial and could possibly lead to other developments for treatment
of disease and pain. There are proven facts that the National Institute
of Health have provided, but government officials have their own set of
ideas. Experimental programs, which have been going on for thirty years,
have established the effectiveness of marijuana’s treatment. Patients with
such infirmities as AIDS, cancer, anorexia, muscle spasms, insomnia, and
other ailments have benefited from the use of medicinal marijuana in an
experimental setting. Thus the treatment or drug should be administered
to those who are infected but not on an experimental program.
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