Grounds for Ganja: a Pro Medical Marijuana Essay
Grounds for Medicinal Marijuana
In a little under a month California will be voting on Proposition 19. If approved, this proposition will legalize marijuana for recreational use; the drug will be taxed heavily, and would apply DUI to marijuana users. However, California is the only state “progressive” enough for this act. In fact, 36 states have not even legalized cannabis for medical use ("14 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC”). The medical community continues to advance our ability to handle life-threatening diseases and lengthen life. With that ability comes an expansion of the treatments that patients must undergo, such as chemotherapy and radiation. In some cases the side effects paired with the healing process are too much to handle, and many patients refuse medical treatment that may save their life. Recent research has discovered that the use of marijuana alleviates multiple symptoms of medical care associated with cancer and AIDS. Today’s laws force disease victims to choose between breaking the law to ease suffering or undergo an onslaught of symptoms in anguish. National and state governments do not need to support recreational cannabis, but they should consider medicinal marijuana for legalization so that those who already suffer the disadvantage of disease don’t have to choose between misery and death.
In 1976 Robert Randall became the first American to obtain the right for medicinal marijuana (Randall and O 'leery, 4). Randall suffered from a severe case of glaucoma and was told by his physician that he would probably go blind as a cause of his disease. Randall did not accept defeat. He chose to fight for the use of marijuana, which has been proven to do wonders for victims of glaucoma. Randall received the right for medical marijuana and maintained his sight. He went on to fight for legalization of cannabis for medicinal until his death in 2001. Unless the government universally acknowledges the practice and
In a little under a month California will be voting on Proposition 19. If approved, this proposition will legalize marijuana for recreational use; the drug will be taxed heavily, and would apply DUI to marijuana users. However, California is the only state “progressive” enough for this act. In fact, 36 states have not even legalized cannabis for medical use ("14 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC”). The medical community continues to advance our ability to handle life-threatening diseases and lengthen life. With that ability comes an expansion of the treatments that patients must undergo, such as chemotherapy and radiation. In some cases the side effects paired with the healing process are too much to handle, and many patients refuse medical treatment that may save their life. Recent research has discovered that the use of marijuana alleviates multiple symptoms of medical care associated with cancer and AIDS. Today’s laws force disease victims to choose between breaking the law to ease suffering or undergo an onslaught of symptoms in anguish. National and state governments do not need to support recreational cannabis, but they should consider medicinal marijuana for legalization so that those who already suffer the disadvantage of disease don’t have to choose between misery and death.
In 1976 Robert Randall became the first American to obtain the right for medicinal marijuana (Randall and O 'leery, 4). Randall suffered from a severe case of glaucoma and was told by his physician that he would probably go blind as a cause of his disease. Randall did not accept defeat. He chose to fight for the use of marijuana, which has been proven to do wonders for victims of glaucoma. Randall received the right for medical marijuana and maintained his sight. He went on to fight for legalization of cannabis for medicinal until his death in 2001. Unless the government universally acknowledges the practice and
Cited: "14 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC” Medical Marijuana ProCon.org. Web. 14 Oct. 2010. . "PRO-CANNABIS/DRUG QUOTES - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums." Home - - International Cannagraphic Magazine. Web. 21 Oct. 2010. . Randall, Robert. Alice O 'Leary. "Marijuana Rx : The Patients ' Fight for Medicinal Pot", Thundermouth Press, 1998 "Wasting Syndrome - The Body." The Complete HIV/AIDS Resource - The Body. Web. 14 Oct. 2010. .