Legalizing Marijuana Research Paper
The Legalization of Marijuana
Joseph LeClair
COM/205
September 28, 2011
Mary Mandley
The Legalization of Marijuana
Even though in the federal government 's view, marijuana is a gateway drug, it should be legal because medical marijuana has fewer side effects than other legally prescribed drugs and it can be prescribed for many symptoms. The controversy of marijuana has been going on since the United States Government has made it illegal in the 1930s. Alcohol is legal and causes problems with the law along with other legally prescribed drugs. This essay will show facts that marijuana is not as bad as the government makes it.
There are many reasons why it should be legal. This essay will focus mostly on the medical benefits, but will …show more content…
also compare marijuana to other drugs, as you can see with this table that marijuana is less toxic than compared to other drugs such as alcohol and prescription drugs. According to this table it is about as toxic and dangerous as caffeine. (Henningfield, 1994)
Consuming alcohol excessively is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States and can really damage the liver, yet this substance is legal to consume in the United States. Take into the consideration that there are many accidents due to drunk driving or driving under the influence. There is little evidence that cannabis that is used long term causes permanent damage. Lung cancer can be prevented by using a vaporizer. Vaporizers are devices that heat the active constituents to a temperature below the ignition point of the cannabis, so that their vapors can be inhaled. Combustion of the plant material is avoided which prevents the harmful carcinogens such as carbon monoxide from forming” There are problems that cannabis can cause with certain people such as psychotic disorder. A 24 year old man whom we will call Mr. Z was hospitalized for insomnia, irritability and aggressiveness 2 years after military service. A urine screening revealed that he used cannabinoids semi-daily and no other substance abuse. Four months later, he presented to a marijuana clinic complaining of chronic pain, insomnia, and anxiety and was given a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and pain, along with a medical recommendation for cannabis. No psychotic symptoms were elicited. He also increased the frequency of his daily use from approximately once to twice daily. Six months later, Mr. Z was rehospitalized with new-onset auditory hallucinations and delusions. Aripiprazole (15 mg/day) was prescribed, with gradual symptomatic improvement, and then tapered to a lower dose (7.5 mg/day) due to tremor. The patient reported that he believed smoking cannabis helped his chronic pain but that it worsened his psychotic symptoms, such that he wanted help to stop smoking the drug. After 4 weeks, he was discharged to residential substance abuse treatment with only mild, residual psychotic symptoms and a discharge diagnosis of psychotic disorder not otherwise specified, PTSD, and cannabis dependence. At a 3-month follow-up evaluation, while still taking aripiprazole, Mr. Z remained off cannabis and free of psychotic symptoms.” (Pierre, 2010)
Marijuana had benefits throughout history, there have been reports of the symptoms that marijuana has cured. The standard review set forth by the FD&C Act, demands clinical investigations and scientific proof by experts qualified by scientific training and experience to evaluate the effectiveness of the drug involved. Therefore it is appropriate in detail that material regarding the safety and efficiency of medical marijuana is true (Cohen, 2009) . All drugs do have side effects but with marijuana the dangers are far less. It is used to treat nausea, vomiting, insomnia, lack of appetite, movement disorders, pain, cancer, alcohol abuse, bipolar disorder, inflammatory bowel disease and a host of other symptoms. With stress marijuana helps calm people down and not dwell on problems that they have, while the problems do not go away it is considered to help cope with the problems. Finding the balance to deal with your problems and have marijuana help cope is key to making the use successful. Not finding a balance can be negative as much as it is positive. In general everyone has some type of problem and smoking marijuana can help.
In 1851, the United States granted marijuana the status of a legitimate medical compound.
The complaints for doing this that cannabis had treated where neuralgia, gout, tetanus, hydrophobia, convulsions, mental depression, hysteria and insanity. This was supported by anecdotal input and not scientific data. Anecdotal reports are suggestive and do not constitute the firm scientific reports that is essential to justify the approval of marijuana to be completely legal.
A recent study suggests that marijuana may be a useful addition to chemotherapy for hepatitis C, a deadly infection. Drugs that are used to treat HCV are effective but have severe side effects such as extreme fatigue, nausea, muscle aches, loss of appetite, and depression. Sylvestre and colleagues found that smoking marijuana significantly ameliorated these symptoms. This enabled patients to complete treatment when patients who did not smoke opted to not complete treatment (Cohen, …show more content…
2009).
In 2007 the efficiency of smoking marijuana by the AIDS community was verified by a scientific peer-reviewed publication by Donald Abrams and coworkers. In this publication random volunteers were assigned to smoke marijuana or identical placebo cigarettes three times daily for 5 days. The report stated that the percentage of subjects who smoked reported more than a 30% reduction in pain intensity, the study found that marijuana reduced daily pain by an average of 34% (Cohen, 2009). Even in friends and family that I have talked to also reported that this is true, that smoking marijuana has helped them deal with pain. They also stated that it has helped keep them calm and would rather smoke marijuana then drink alcohol.
The tests and facts show that the benefits of marijuana outweigh the risks.
The information in this essay shows the risks of marijuana compared to other prescribed drugs are less. With all drugs there are side effects especially death which is almost nonexistent in marijuana, people can benefit more from it especially using vaporizers which cuts down the chance for getting lung cancer. For recreational use of marijuana when compared to alcohol there are fewer problems associated with marijuana. There are no drunk drivers and the accident rate is less than it is with alcohol. Most marijuana users get to lazy to drive which cuts down the accident ratio considerable. It still does impair reaction and control while driving but personally and from talking with friends, we just get to lazy to
drive.
References
Cohen, P. J. (2009). Medical Marijuana: The Conflict Between Scientific. Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy, 23(2), 120-140.
Cohen, P. J. (2009). Medical Marijuana: The Conflict Between Scientific. Utah Law Review, 2009(1), 35-104.
Henningfield, J. E. (1994, August). Is Nicotine Addictive? It Depends on Whose Criteria You Use.. Retrieved from http://drugwarfacts.org/addictiv.htm
Pierre, J. M. (2010). Psychosis Associated With Medical Marijuana: Risk vs. Benefits of Medicinal Cannabis Use. Retrieved from http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/167/5/598-a
SAFERchoice.org. (n.d.). Facts on Cannabis and Alcohol. Retrieved from http://www.saferchoice.org/content/view/24/53/#toxic
Joseph LeClair
COM/205
September 28, 2011
Mary Mandley
The Legalization of Marijuana
Even though in the federal government 's view, marijuana is a gateway drug, it should be legal because medical marijuana has fewer side effects than other legally prescribed drugs and it can be prescribed for many symptoms. The controversy of marijuana has been going on since the United States Government has made it illegal in the 1930s. Alcohol is legal and causes problems with the law along with other legally prescribed drugs. This essay will show facts that marijuana is not as bad as the government makes it.
There are many reasons why it should be legal. This essay will focus mostly on the medical benefits, but will …show more content…
also compare marijuana to other drugs, as you can see with this table that marijuana is less toxic than compared to other drugs such as alcohol and prescription drugs. According to this table it is about as toxic and dangerous as caffeine. (Henningfield, 1994)
Consuming alcohol excessively is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States and can really damage the liver, yet this substance is legal to consume in the United States. Take into the consideration that there are many accidents due to drunk driving or driving under the influence. There is little evidence that cannabis that is used long term causes permanent damage. Lung cancer can be prevented by using a vaporizer. Vaporizers are devices that heat the active constituents to a temperature below the ignition point of the cannabis, so that their vapors can be inhaled. Combustion of the plant material is avoided which prevents the harmful carcinogens such as carbon monoxide from forming” There are problems that cannabis can cause with certain people such as psychotic disorder. A 24 year old man whom we will call Mr. Z was hospitalized for insomnia, irritability and aggressiveness 2 years after military service. A urine screening revealed that he used cannabinoids semi-daily and no other substance abuse. Four months later, he presented to a marijuana clinic complaining of chronic pain, insomnia, and anxiety and was given a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and pain, along with a medical recommendation for cannabis. No psychotic symptoms were elicited. He also increased the frequency of his daily use from approximately once to twice daily. Six months later, Mr. Z was rehospitalized with new-onset auditory hallucinations and delusions. Aripiprazole (15 mg/day) was prescribed, with gradual symptomatic improvement, and then tapered to a lower dose (7.5 mg/day) due to tremor. The patient reported that he believed smoking cannabis helped his chronic pain but that it worsened his psychotic symptoms, such that he wanted help to stop smoking the drug. After 4 weeks, he was discharged to residential substance abuse treatment with only mild, residual psychotic symptoms and a discharge diagnosis of psychotic disorder not otherwise specified, PTSD, and cannabis dependence. At a 3-month follow-up evaluation, while still taking aripiprazole, Mr. Z remained off cannabis and free of psychotic symptoms.” (Pierre, 2010)
Marijuana had benefits throughout history, there have been reports of the symptoms that marijuana has cured. The standard review set forth by the FD&C Act, demands clinical investigations and scientific proof by experts qualified by scientific training and experience to evaluate the effectiveness of the drug involved. Therefore it is appropriate in detail that material regarding the safety and efficiency of medical marijuana is true (Cohen, 2009) . All drugs do have side effects but with marijuana the dangers are far less. It is used to treat nausea, vomiting, insomnia, lack of appetite, movement disorders, pain, cancer, alcohol abuse, bipolar disorder, inflammatory bowel disease and a host of other symptoms. With stress marijuana helps calm people down and not dwell on problems that they have, while the problems do not go away it is considered to help cope with the problems. Finding the balance to deal with your problems and have marijuana help cope is key to making the use successful. Not finding a balance can be negative as much as it is positive. In general everyone has some type of problem and smoking marijuana can help.
In 1851, the United States granted marijuana the status of a legitimate medical compound.
The complaints for doing this that cannabis had treated where neuralgia, gout, tetanus, hydrophobia, convulsions, mental depression, hysteria and insanity. This was supported by anecdotal input and not scientific data. Anecdotal reports are suggestive and do not constitute the firm scientific reports that is essential to justify the approval of marijuana to be completely legal.
A recent study suggests that marijuana may be a useful addition to chemotherapy for hepatitis C, a deadly infection. Drugs that are used to treat HCV are effective but have severe side effects such as extreme fatigue, nausea, muscle aches, loss of appetite, and depression. Sylvestre and colleagues found that smoking marijuana significantly ameliorated these symptoms. This enabled patients to complete treatment when patients who did not smoke opted to not complete treatment (Cohen, …show more content…
2009).
In 2007 the efficiency of smoking marijuana by the AIDS community was verified by a scientific peer-reviewed publication by Donald Abrams and coworkers. In this publication random volunteers were assigned to smoke marijuana or identical placebo cigarettes three times daily for 5 days. The report stated that the percentage of subjects who smoked reported more than a 30% reduction in pain intensity, the study found that marijuana reduced daily pain by an average of 34% (Cohen, 2009). Even in friends and family that I have talked to also reported that this is true, that smoking marijuana has helped them deal with pain. They also stated that it has helped keep them calm and would rather smoke marijuana then drink alcohol.
The tests and facts show that the benefits of marijuana outweigh the risks.
The information in this essay shows the risks of marijuana compared to other prescribed drugs are less. With all drugs there are side effects especially death which is almost nonexistent in marijuana, people can benefit more from it especially using vaporizers which cuts down the chance for getting lung cancer. For recreational use of marijuana when compared to alcohol there are fewer problems associated with marijuana. There are no drunk drivers and the accident rate is less than it is with alcohol. Most marijuana users get to lazy to drive which cuts down the accident ratio considerable. It still does impair reaction and control while driving but personally and from talking with friends, we just get to lazy to
drive.
References
Cohen, P. J. (2009). Medical Marijuana: The Conflict Between Scientific. Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy, 23(2), 120-140.
Cohen, P. J. (2009). Medical Marijuana: The Conflict Between Scientific. Utah Law Review, 2009(1), 35-104.
Henningfield, J. E. (1994, August). Is Nicotine Addictive? It Depends on Whose Criteria You Use.. Retrieved from http://drugwarfacts.org/addictiv.htm
Pierre, J. M. (2010). Psychosis Associated With Medical Marijuana: Risk vs. Benefits of Medicinal Cannabis Use. Retrieved from http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/167/5/598-a
SAFERchoice.org. (n.d.). Facts on Cannabis and Alcohol. Retrieved from http://www.saferchoice.org/content/view/24/53/#toxic