Preview

Medical Marijuana Research Paper

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1128 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Medical Marijuana Research Paper
Cannabis 1

Medical Cannabis Benefits

American Lit Research Paper

Adrian Varela

Credit Recovery

Doyle

January 20, 2014

Cannabis 2

Abstract

Throughout this paper is an in depth description of the newly favorable side of the argument on the medical aspects of marijuana. This paper overall fully supports the legalization and benefits of medical marijuana and marijuana in general. Medical marijuana is less harmful than most pharmaceutical products and has the ability to reduce the pain of ailing people. Cannabis also can be a curable and more natural drug to help people in pain then prescription pills. Marijuana also has the potential to raise the U.S. out of
…show more content…
The principal constituent of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and is effective in treating; nausea, cramps, depression, eye pressure, fatigue, migraines, insomnia, muscle spasms, stress, appetite loss and acute and chronic pain. With this information doctors have begun to use and diagnose the use of medical marijuana. Marijuana may prevent Alzheimer’s disease, relieves chronic pain, and fights the effects of cancer. Also, recent research has shown that marijuana can fight the effects of fibromyalgia, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes,

Cannabis 5

rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, and Lou Gehrig’s disease (Pope 1996). These are serious illness and diseases that cannabis has already been known to help alleviate and cure. All of this recent knowledge has been discovered in the last 20 years also! Just Imagine what more time, and more support of this plant can do. If marijuana got legalized then, many more medical mysteries could be solved and could potentially save countless people from pain and death.
…show more content…
"Cannabinoids for treatment of chronic non-cancer pain; a systematic review of randomized trials". British journal of clinical pharmacology (Review) 72 (5): 735–44. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.2011.03970.x. PMC 3243008. PMID 21426373.

Borgelt LM, Franson KL, Nussbaum AM, Wang GS (February 2013). "The pharmacologic and clinical effects of medical cannabis". Pharmacotherapy (Review) 33 (2): 195–209. doi:10.1002/phar.1187. PMID 23386598.

Pope, H, Yurgelun-Todd,D. (1996). The residual cognitive effects of heavy marijuana use in college students. https://www.jama.ama-assn.org/content/275/7/521.short

McAllister SD, Murase R, Christian RT, ect., "Pathways mediating the effects of cannabidiol on the reduction of breast cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis."Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2011, Aug;129(1):37-47.

Preet A, Qamri Z, Nasser MW, ect. " Cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2 as novel targets for inhibition of non-small cell lung cancer growth and metastasis"Cancer Prev Res ( Phila). 2011 Jan;4(1):65-75

Anahad O 'Connor, "Marijuana Smoking Does Not Harm Lungs, Study Finds," www.nytimes.com, Jan 11,2012

Bloomquist, Edward (1971). Marijuana: The Second Trip. California: Glencoe

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Marijuana, also known as cannabis, is a plant that can be ingested or smoked. This plant, or rather botanical, is illegal in most of the country with the exception of some states giving physicians authority to recommend the use to their patients. The purpose of this essay is to examine both the benefits and the risks of legalizing marijuana. Marijuana has many medicinal properties that have been proven to be therapeutically effective for various conditions. However, this drug also has carcinogenic properties and dangerous short- and long-term effects on the body. Although advocates may argue that the legalization of marijuana has many potential benefits, such as it would lessen our national debt and benefit our overall economic system, opponents may beg to differ. In this essay, the debate over the legalization of marijuana continues, with arguments over the therapeutic benefits versus the dangerous adverse effects of marijuana, the influence marijuana has on individuals, and whether or not the legalization of this drug could benefit our economy.…

    • 5889 Words
    • 24 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    According to Jerome Groopman in “Marijuana: The High and the Low” states that studies on the medical uses for marijuana may contradict the views on legalizing the substance due to the pros and cons of how the chemical may react to a human being. The author shows how the biological effects of cannabinoids, the active chemical compounds in the marijuana plant can be used in medical uses. The work from the scientist, Professor Raphael Mechoulam proved how this chemical can be used in a positive aspect. He discovered the first endogenous cannabinoid, a fatty acid in the brain which he termed “anandamide.” When this is attached to CB1, it triggers a biochemical change within our neurons.…

    • 388 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The article contains research numbers on the therapeutic effects of CB1 and CB2 receptors and also notes the difference in the two different cannabinoids. From a medical point of view, Mechoulam explains the surprising contrasts in experiences by differentiating the different components of medical marijuana use. These components known as “THC the psychoactive component” and “CBD a nonpyschoactive constituent” affects the users susceptibilities to the drugs and forms of marijuana used in today’s culture. The article does a very detailed description of the pharmacokinetics of THC and CBD in the body and is mainly aimed at the understanding of marijuana by healthcare professionals or those who have general knowledge in pharmacokinetics or medical…

    • 1606 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    R. Mechoulam et al. 2003. Cannabidiol: an overview of some pharmacological aspects. Neuroscience Letters 346: 61-64; J. McPartland and E. Russo. 2002. Cannabis and cannabis extracts: greater than the sum of their parts. Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics 1: 103-132; A. Zuardi and F Guimaraes. Cannabidiol as an anxiolytic and antipsychotic. In: M. Mathre (Ed): Cannabis in medical practice: a legal, historical and pharmacological overview of therapeutic use of marijuana. McFarland Press: 1997: 133-141.…

    • 3286 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    McGuinness, Teena M, PhD,P.M.H.-N.P., B.C. (2009). Update on marijuana. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing & Mental Health Services, 47(10), 19-22. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/225529773?accountid=458…

    • 330 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Many studies have been performed that prove marijuana can help with the treatment of many types of cancers. Metastasis is when cancer cells spread from one part of the body to another (Mandal, n.d., What is Metastasis). Scientists at California Pacific Medical Center have found a compound in marijuana that can actually stop metastasis. This compound is called Cannabidiol. They learned this first by testing the compound on animals that had cancer and have proven that it works. They are now waiting on approval to begin human testing (Wilkey, 2012, Marijuana and Cancer). It can also be used to replace many pain pills that damage our kidneys and cause major addictions. Studies show that smoking marijuana can help lessen nerve pain or pain caused by surgery. "About 10% to 15% of patients attending a chronic pain clinic use cannabis as part of their pain control strategy"(Doheny, 2010, Marijuana Relieves Chronic Pain).…

    • 766 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the book “Cannabis and Cannabinoids” that Franjo Grotenhermen wrote in 2002, which mostly deals with the medical aspects of marijuana. There was a study that was recorded about the effects that THC the active ingredient in marijuana and the results were a little surprising. Marijuana was found to treat a wide range of various ailments such as: Tourette-Syndrome, appetite loss, weight loss, nausea, depression, HIV-infection, migraines, asthma, back pain, hepatitis C, sleeping disorders, epilepsy, spasticity, headaches,…

    • 982 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    I. Thesis – How does the usage of marijuana affect the brain and what causes the intoxication from the drug? What are the long-term and short-term effects from marijuana?…

    • 3453 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    The essential questions are whether the active ingredient in marijuana, a cannabinoid (chemical compound) known as THC, has any medicinal value; whether the risks associated with its use outweigh the benefits; and whether THC answers a need not currently met by any other medications on the market. In the course of that debate, several health risks are often cited:…

    • 1124 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Marijuana is one of the most controversial topics in the U.S today. Many associate the substance with some of the most highly addictive and dangerous drugs used in our society. While others claim marijuana to be the safest substance to use to date. One of the biggest debatable topics amongst marijuana use is the legalization of the substance medically. Many people believe marijuana should be accessible to those with terminally ill diseases. While others believe the drug should be illegal at all cost. Medical marijuana presents many negative issues in our society emotionally, medically and socially. Due to the negative effects from the substance, the use of marijuana should remain illegal in the United States.…

    • 1079 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    Medicinal Marijuana is a major asset to various individuals from high risk diseases to emotional stability. The use of marijuana is used widely within individuals that have the virus of HIV to the diseases of cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis (MS) along with a long list of other medical conditions. After decades of doing research scientists have found how marijuana contributes to various diseases; marijuana helps AIDS patients by reducing pain, muscle spasms, nausea, vomiting and stress. It also helps the patient with their appetites and their sleeping patterns. The benefits of marijuana among cancer patients are that the drug prevents the spread of breast cancer; the drug reduces tumors along with the killing of cancer cells that are related to brain cancer. In a Multiply Sclerosis patient marijuana aids the consumer by limiting pain and spasticity; it also temporary relieves unsteadiness in the patient, (Fradella, 2011).…

    • 1861 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Wilkey, Robin. "Marijuana And Cancer: Scientists Find Cannabis Compound Stops Metastasis In Aggressive Cancers." Huffington Post: San Francisco. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc., 19 Sept. 2012. Web. 15 June 2013. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/19/marijuana-and-cancer_n_1898208.html?icid=maing-grid7|maing6|dl2|sec3_lnk1&pLid=207938>.…

    • 477 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes has been an extremely controversial topic, one that has it supporters who have long fought the opposition. Although marijuana has been used for thousand of years to provide relief from many health problems, it still remains an illegal drug in the United States. There are many doctors who support the effectiveness of the use of marijuana as treatment for many medical conditions. People who oppose the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes would claim that legalizing the drug would lead to abuse of the drug for recreational use. This is important claim for the opposition. However, after looking at all the information that has been gathered…

    • 1121 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Cannabis is the main ingredient in marijuana. The National institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reported that its effect on the body is just like any other natural made chemical in the body. The benefits range from treating simple headache to slowing down cancer cells. Drugs sold over the counter are more dangerous than marijuana yet those drugs are approved and are sold. Donald Abrams, chief of hematology-oncology at San Francisco general hospital, has done more research on marijuana than anyone in the United States (Weil, 127). He concluded in his research that inhaling cannabis can help reduce pain associated with nerve damage and can also increase effect of opiate pain relievers as well help patients sleep. This is greatly important because of how tough nerve damage can be on a person. They are usually recommended to use over the counter pain relief pills but if marijuana is stronger in relieving pain as well as helping them sleep more calmly why would anyone decline. Another usage for marijuana is that the cannabinoids have an ability to relieve chronic pain which included nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy (Park). Cancer is something that troubles every human because currently the current treatments to battle it are very costly on the human body physically and mentally. Chemotherapy is so frightening that some people are even tempted not to try to that method. If they were told about marijuana,…

    • 1806 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    The active ingredient in Marijuana is Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC has many medical benefits associated with it. The American Association for Cancer Research has found that marijuana actually works to slow down tumor growth in the lungs, breasts, and brain[3]. considerablyhttp://coedmagazine.com/2010/09/02/10-major-health-benefits-of-marijuana/. This will help out a lot since cancer is the second leading cause of death in…

    • 1016 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays