Legalizing Medical Marijuana

Legalizing Medical Marijuana

Introduction:

I. Attention Getter: Chemotherapy is poison. Many prescription drugs have harmful side effects and interactions.

A: chemo kills millions of cells - good and bad –

the body tries to expel the poison – nausea

B: Lortab, Percoset, Oxycontin, Morphene – highly

addictive, cause ulcers, nausea – overdose is fatal

C: Many patients turning to alternative therapy, with

fewer negative side effects, sometimes better results - Whether it’s legal or not.

II. Thesis Statement: Research has demonstrated that marijuana use is medically beneficial and that legalization would have a positive impact, demonstrated by happier patients who display anxiety reduction, appetite stimulation, nausea reduction and pain relief followed by a cut in government spending and rise in federal income.

III. Division of Thesis:
A. Benefits and Uses
B. Impact of Legalization IV. Needs Appeal: Health and Safety
Body:

I. Benefits and Uses
A. Illnesses
1. 1999 Study – National Academy of Science’s Institute of Medicine: marijuana can help curb pain, nausea, AIDS-related weight loss
2. patients report easing of symptoms from MS, glaucoma and rheumatoid arthritis
3. Research found cannabinoids (active components) may treat symptoms from Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Epilepsy & may have anti-cancer properties
(Bailey)
B. Methods of Use
1. Smoking (of course!) – irritates some patients’ throat, lungs – still easiest and most effective
2. THC pills – takes longer, more difficult to get
3. Teas, baked goods, candy, lollipops
4. Vaporizers
(Nadelmann)

C. Known Side Effects
1. May 2006 UCLA study
– Disproves gov. 2005 ad campaign “Four Cigarettes” :
– Even those who smoked more than 22 thousand joints – NO increase in lung cancer rates.
– Tobacco smokers – 2,000 % increase
(Mirken)
2. Never a recorded overdose
3. Inhibits some cognition, motor skills
4. Some studies suggest increased risk of mental illness in adulthood for teens
>>>>> “There’s a question about whether there’s a causality; children and teens who are predisposed to have mental health problems may be more likely to try marijuana… you can’t even find a presidential candidate now who will say he has never used it. We all know people who smoked marijuana for periods of time and they’re all doing fine.” Ethan Nadelmann –Drug Policy Alliance (Swanson)
5. Alcohol is more harmful
(Bailey)

II. Impact of Legalization
A. Influence on American Teens, Kids
1. “Teens in a handful of states allowing medical marijuana are no more likely to use the drug than those in other states” Study, Marijuana Policy Project, Sept. 2006
2. Belies Bush administration claims “send youth a mixed message… helps to encourage drug use.”
2. CA, WA, MA, AK, CO, HA,NV, OR, MN, VT – allow med – pot
3. past-month use DROPPED among high school students (Zwillich) B. National Income and Crime 1. Nobel Prize winning economist, Milton Friedman + 500 others - Net gain = $13.9 billion state and federal 2. Harvard economist Jeff Miron – taxes could equal $6.2 billion 3. Budget for “War on Drugs” – almost $35 billion!! 4. Police make 700,000 arrests for marijuana – ANNUALLY 5. 87% possession of small amounts 6. 2 million prisoners in US - 1/4 there for nonviolent drug - offenses (Nadelmann)

Conclusion:
1. Betty Hiatt – 81, breast cancer, Crohn’s disease, and Parkinson’s - quells nausea, tremors increases appetite
2. Hal Margolin – 73, strangled nerves due to calcification of the cervical vertebrae - regular pain killers didn’t work and aggravated ulcer
3. Suzanne Pfeil - 44, held at gunpoint during a federal raid of her grow-op. - disabled by polio, Pfeil was unable to stand when Ordered to do so
- agents accused her of faking and handcuffed her to her wheelchair
4. Samuel Skipper – 28, AIDS patient - arrested for growing his own marijuana - went to prison where he was beaten and stabbed (Bailey) Next time someone asks you to sign a petition or vote in favor of medical marijuana please think about just who your decision will affect.

Works Cited

Bailey, Eric. “Pot Laws Pain Some Elders.” Los Angeles Times 28 Apr. 2005: A1-B5.

Mirken, Bruce. “White House Drug Policy Full of Hot Air.” Knight/Ridder Tribune 1

Jun. 2006: n.p.

Nadelmann, Ethan A. “An End to Marijuana Prohibition.” The National Review 12 July

2004: 28-34

Swanson, Stevenson. “Targeting Marijuana Saps Anti-Drug Effort.” Chicago Tribune 6

June 2006: n.p.

Zwillich, Todd. “Medical Marijuana No Influence on Teen Use.” United Press

International 6 Sept. 2006: n.p.

Cited: Bailey, Eric. “Pot Laws Pain Some Elders.” Los Angeles Times 28 Apr. 2005: A1-B5. Mirken, Bruce. “White House Drug Policy Full of Hot Air.” Knight/Ridder Tribune 1 Jun. 2006: n.p. Nadelmann, Ethan A. “An End to Marijuana Prohibition.” The National Review 12 July 2004: 28-34 Swanson, Stevenson. “Targeting Marijuana Saps Anti-Drug Effort.” Chicago Tribune 6 June 2006: n.p. Zwillich, Todd. “Medical Marijuana No Influence on Teen Use.” United Press International 6 Sept. 2006: n.p.