Medical Marijuana Research Paper
Medical Marijuana: Why The U.S. Government Should Reassess Its Laws
Marco A. Trujillo
Wayland Baptist University
Oct 27, 2012
Medical Marijuana: Why The U.S. Government Should Reassess Its Laws The topic of marijuana, also known as Cannabis Sativa (Cannabis) has been a hot issue of debate in the United States for quite some time. Many people have argued that marijuana should be classified in a manner relative to that of tobacco or alcohol. In recent years however, the focus of its legislation has shifted. More and more people are increasingly concerned with how current Federal laws inhibit the recognition and administration of marijuana as a medicine. A medicine is defined as any drug or remedy for use in treating, …show more content…
preventing, or alleviating the symptoms of disease. Compared to some traditional medications, there are a large amount of patients who report that marijuana is more effective at treating their illnesses. Despite these reports, the Government remains firm in its stance against marijuana. Marijuana has many therapeutic benefits and should be recognized by the Government as a bona fide medicine for the treatment of certain medical conditions. Marijuana is one of the first plants ever to be cultivated by man. The very first archeological evidence of this was found in China. These findings indicated that marijuana was cultivated for the fibers of its stem for the production of various materials over 4000 years ago. The very first recorded use of marijuana as a medicine was in the year 2727 B.C. in Chinese pharmacopoeia. According to Zuardi (2005), “Indications for the use of cannabis included: rheumatic pain, intestinal constipation, disorders of the female reproductive system, malaria, and others” (p. 154). From then on, records indicate that marijuana was used in many civilizations throughout history before it finally reached the Western Hemisphere. It wasn’t until the middle of the 19th century that marijuana appeared in Western medicine. Medical marijuana reached its climax during the late 19th and early 20th century. It was marketed by laboratories such as Merck, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, and Eli Lilly (Zuardi, 2005, p. 155). These companies claimed that marijuana was effective at treating a multitude of ailments. Marijuana, however has had a long love-hate relationship in the United States for quite some time. In 1906 many states began labeling marijuana as a poison. Some say this was racially motivated. This led to prohibitions and eventually its classification as a drug in all states under the Uniform State Narcotic Drug Act established in the 1930’s. Despite all this, during WWII the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the film, “Hemp for Victory” which encouraged farmers to grow marijuana to support the war effort. During the Vietnam era, marijuana became America’s favorite recreational drug. This may be where marijuana got its bad reputation. The majority of its users were young anti-war hippies who had a different take on life than the rest of society. Their opposition to authority is what fueled the negative stigma associated with marijuana. The belief amongst Americans was that people who used marijuana were nonproductive members of society. To this day many people hold a stereotypical view of marijuana as bad news for the country. This is definitely one of the reasons that medical marijuana is such a debated issue, and has not been considered a candidate for pharmaceutical studies. Currently marijuana is legal in many parts of Asia and the Middle East, but remains illegal in most Western countries. It is difficult for scientists to properly study the positive medicinal effects of marijuana because of Government legislation. On October 27, 1970 the United States Government passed legislation that classified marijuana as a Schedule I substance of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This categorizes marijuana as a drug with no currently accepted medical use as well as a high potential for abuse, and a lack of accepted safety. As the date of the law points out, the legislation is outdated. However, the Government refuses to budge from its position, making it difficult for the scientific community to obtain funds and rights to properly study marijuana and debunk this law. Some states have taken advantage of their rights to self govern, and have legalized medical marijuana as long as it is recommended by a physician. However these states are walking a fine line because the CSA makes it possible for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), an entity of the Government to file criminal charges against marijuana dispensaries and patients in possession of the medicine. In addition to the marijuana’s classification as a Schedule I substance, the Government has given other reasons why medical marijuana would be a bad idea. In spite of this, the reasons given are full of inconsistencies and hypocrisies. It is safe to say that for every reason the Government gives not to change its current laws, there are a number of other already legalized drugs that are just as bad or worse. Obviously, the chief concern of any medication would have to be its potential to harm the user. The Government has stated that it has no scientific data to prove that marijuana is a safe drug. From a logical point of view, this explanation would be credible if it were not for the two non-medicinal substances that are legal and have been proven dangerous. Consider tobacco, a study concluded that “more deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths form Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides, and murders combined.(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011) These are alarming statistics that the Government continues to ignore, and despite these facts tobacco use has yet to be criminalized. In another study that was conducted by the U.S. Government itself, it was found that, “alcohol abuse kills some 75,00 Americans each year and shortens the lives of these people by an average of 30 years>“ (MSNBC.com, 2005) This ranks alcohol as the third leading cause of mortality in the United States. What is most upsetting is that these lethal substances which have no medicinal value have no legal regulations other than an age limit. The CSA states that marijuana has a lack of accepted safety. The fact is the majority of the prescription painkillers marijuana is intended to replace, are unsafe themselves. It is not uncommon to see celebrities going to rehab for prescription medication abuse on the front pages of tabloid magazines. Recently many celebrities have died from prescription overdose. A scientific study concluded that, “painkillers killed twice as many people as cocaine and five times as many as heroin in 2007.” (Harvard Mental Health Letter, 2011) Cocaine and Heroin are notorious for being highly addictive and dangerous. This study shows the hypocrisy of the Government’s regulations on marijuana. Marijuana is considered a gateway drug. Many people feel that consumption of marijuana will lead to the abuse of more dangerous drugs. These days those dangerous drugs come in the form of a pill and can be found in a medicine cabinet. Research by the American College of Physicians (ACP) indicated the following: Chronic marijuana use has also been linked to the development of tolerance to some effects and the appearance of withdrawal symptoms (restlessness, irritability, mild agitation, insomnia, sleep disturbances, nausea, cramping) with the onset of abstinence.
However, these withdrawal symptoms are mild compared with those experienced with opiates or benzodiazepines . Moreover, THC, while quite potent in comparison with other psychoactive drugs, has remarkably low lethal toxicity. This led the IOM to conclude that adverse effects of marijuana use are within the range of effects tolerated for other medications. (2008, p. 1)
Considering these facts and the Government’s so called concerns with the well being of its citizens, why haven’t these unsafe painkillers been …show more content…
criminalized? In terms of frequency, marijuana is the number one abused drug in the Unites States. Coming in at a very close second are prescription pharmaceuticals. The Government is concerned that patients will develop an addiction to marijuana and abuse it. This would be a legitimate concern if it weren’t for the fact that over the last decade prescription drug abuse in America has gone rampant. The difference between the two is that marijuana is responsible for far less fatalities. In 2010, “nearly 30,000 Americans died from an overdose, with at least half of these deaths related to legally controlled substances that were abused.” (Kloth, 2010) It can not be said without a doubt that marijuana didn’t contribute to this data, but it would be safe to say that if it did , it was very minimal in comparison. It is undeniable that marijuana has the potential to be abused by patients. But considering that there are already medications with the same risk of abuse and that are more dangerous, how can the Government deny a patient what they say is effective at treating their condition? It can be argued that many pharmaceutical companies have a lot to lose if medical marijuana were legalized. In 2011, U.S. sales of prescription painkillers amounted to nine billion dollars. It doesn’t take a large corporation like Pfizer to produce marijuana. Marijuana can easily be grown by just about anyone, and if it were patented by a pharmaceutical giant such as Pfizer, it would be difficult to deter infringement. Monetary losses to such companies would be detrimental if marijuana was substituted for multiple medications. Marijuana is effective at treating a wide array of conditions. Doctors, scientists and patients have no quarrel with this fact. Research by the ACP concluded that marijuana is an effective drug for appetite stimulation. The benefits of marijuana are life saving for patients suffering from HIV/AIDS. One of the most debilitating symptoms of this disease is severe weight loss, nausea and vomiting. Often, patients lose their battle with the disease because of these symptoms. Clinical trials of marijuana have proven that it is more effective at treating these symptoms than traditional medications. The list of conditions treated by marijuana go on to include Glaucoma, Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis and so on. The CSA however states the opposite. As mentioned before, the CSA considers marijuana to have no accepted medical use. What about the patients perspective?
Consider the amount of stress having a disease such as HIV induces on a patient. Adding on to this stress is having to pay for a multitude of expensive medications. On top of this, patients complain that these medications aren’t effective. The laws give them no choice but to continue using these less effective, and more expensive medications. The question of morality comes to mind. If legalizing medical marijuana can alleviate some of the stresses of the terminally ill, isn’t the Government morally obligated to do so? The medical community does not support the Government’s legislation. Knowing that marijuana does possess medicinal value, scientists and doctors support relaxation of current laws. These laws hinder the accessibility to funding for research and the legalities of doing so. Because of this, the full potential of medicinal marijuana remains unknown. The ACP concludes the following: Although the indications for some conditions (e.g.,
HIV wasting and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting) have been well documented, less information is available about other potential medical uses. Additional research is needed to clarify marijuana 's therapeutic properties and determine standard and optimal doses and routes of delivery. Unfortunately, research expansion has been hindered by a complicated federal approval process, limited availability of research-grade marijuana, and the debate over legalization. Marijuana 's categorization as a Schedule I controlled substance raises significant concerns for researchers, physicians, and patients. (2008, p. 1)
Doctors and scientists should be the only authority when it comes to determining what drugs are beneficial to the public. The political arena is not the proper forum for making decisions in such matters. The ACP should have enough credibility for the Government to act and make the necessary changes for proper scientific studies. Marijuana has many therapeutic benefits and should be recognized by the Government as a bona fide medicine for the treatment of certain medical conditions.
The laws that deem marijuana to have no medicinal value are outdated and must be changed. The issue of medical marijuana should not be centered on legalities and politics, but rather what is effective at helping people endure their sicknesses. The medications currently used are too expensive for the average American. People should not have to go broke in order to stay alive and feel better. Thousands of patients are needlessly suffering while the Government drags its heels to help them. It is laughable that the Government points out all the unknown risks associated with marijuana. Especially when the facts show thath there are already medications, and legal substances that have far worse risks and side effects. The fact that there are legal substances responsible for an overwhelming amount of fatalities that the Government ignores should have people questioning what the Government’s intentions really are. The taxes on alcohol and tobacco bring in so much money that the Government shuts its eyes at the deadly expense of which these profits come. Marijuana throughout history has helped many people. Currently marijuana is significantly improving the quality of life of people with Cancer, HIV, Arthritis and so on. The medical marijuana movement is not concerned with decriminalizing or legalizing marijuana for recreational use. It is concerned with helping people with serious illnesses and disabilities get on with their lives.
References American College of Physicians, (2008). Supporting research into the therapeutic role of marijuana. Policy Paper. Retrieved from http://www.acponline.org/advocacy/where_we_stand/other_issues/medmarijuana.pdf
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2011). [Written statistical data on tobacco related mortality]. Tobacco-related mortality. CDC. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/tobacco_related_mortality/
Harvard Health Publications, (2011). Painkillers fuel growth in drug addiction. Harvard Mental Health Letter. Retrieved from http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Mental_Health_Letter/2011/January/painkillers-fuel-growth-in-drug-addiction
Kloth, D. (2011). America’s fatal addiction to prescription drugs. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/jun/10/prescription-drug-abuse
NBCNEWS.com. (2005), Alcohol linked to 75,000 U.S. deaths a year. Retrieved from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6089353/ns/health-addictions/t/alcohol-linked-us-deaths-year/.UHTsaxVX10Y
Zuardi, A. (2005). History of cannabis as a medicine: a review. Retrieved from http://www.oregon.gov/pharmacy/Imports/Marijuana/StaffReview/HistoryofCannabis_as_Medicine11.21.05.pdf
Medical Marijuana
Marco A. Trujillo
Wayland Baptist University
Oct 27, 2012
Medical Marijuana: Why The U.S. Government Should Reassess Its Laws The topic of marijuana, also known as Cannabis Sativa (Cannabis) has been a hot issue of debate in the United States for quite some time. Many people have argued that marijuana should be classified in a manner relative to that of tobacco or alcohol. In recent years however, the focus of its legislation has shifted. More and more people are increasingly concerned with how current Federal laws inhibit the recognition and administration of marijuana as a medicine. A medicine is defined as any drug or remedy for use in treating, …show more content…
preventing, or alleviating the symptoms of disease. Compared to some traditional medications, there are a large amount of patients who report that marijuana is more effective at treating their illnesses. Despite these reports, the Government remains firm in its stance against marijuana. Marijuana has many therapeutic benefits and should be recognized by the Government as a bona fide medicine for the treatment of certain medical conditions. Marijuana is one of the first plants ever to be cultivated by man. The very first archeological evidence of this was found in China. These findings indicated that marijuana was cultivated for the fibers of its stem for the production of various materials over 4000 years ago. The very first recorded use of marijuana as a medicine was in the year 2727 B.C. in Chinese pharmacopoeia. According to Zuardi (2005), “Indications for the use of cannabis included: rheumatic pain, intestinal constipation, disorders of the female reproductive system, malaria, and others” (p. 154). From then on, records indicate that marijuana was used in many civilizations throughout history before it finally reached the Western Hemisphere. It wasn’t until the middle of the 19th century that marijuana appeared in Western medicine. Medical marijuana reached its climax during the late 19th and early 20th century. It was marketed by laboratories such as Merck, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, and Eli Lilly (Zuardi, 2005, p. 155). These companies claimed that marijuana was effective at treating a multitude of ailments. Marijuana, however has had a long love-hate relationship in the United States for quite some time. In 1906 many states began labeling marijuana as a poison. Some say this was racially motivated. This led to prohibitions and eventually its classification as a drug in all states under the Uniform State Narcotic Drug Act established in the 1930’s. Despite all this, during WWII the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the film, “Hemp for Victory” which encouraged farmers to grow marijuana to support the war effort. During the Vietnam era, marijuana became America’s favorite recreational drug. This may be where marijuana got its bad reputation. The majority of its users were young anti-war hippies who had a different take on life than the rest of society. Their opposition to authority is what fueled the negative stigma associated with marijuana. The belief amongst Americans was that people who used marijuana were nonproductive members of society. To this day many people hold a stereotypical view of marijuana as bad news for the country. This is definitely one of the reasons that medical marijuana is such a debated issue, and has not been considered a candidate for pharmaceutical studies. Currently marijuana is legal in many parts of Asia and the Middle East, but remains illegal in most Western countries. It is difficult for scientists to properly study the positive medicinal effects of marijuana because of Government legislation. On October 27, 1970 the United States Government passed legislation that classified marijuana as a Schedule I substance of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This categorizes marijuana as a drug with no currently accepted medical use as well as a high potential for abuse, and a lack of accepted safety. As the date of the law points out, the legislation is outdated. However, the Government refuses to budge from its position, making it difficult for the scientific community to obtain funds and rights to properly study marijuana and debunk this law. Some states have taken advantage of their rights to self govern, and have legalized medical marijuana as long as it is recommended by a physician. However these states are walking a fine line because the CSA makes it possible for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), an entity of the Government to file criminal charges against marijuana dispensaries and patients in possession of the medicine. In addition to the marijuana’s classification as a Schedule I substance, the Government has given other reasons why medical marijuana would be a bad idea. In spite of this, the reasons given are full of inconsistencies and hypocrisies. It is safe to say that for every reason the Government gives not to change its current laws, there are a number of other already legalized drugs that are just as bad or worse. Obviously, the chief concern of any medication would have to be its potential to harm the user. The Government has stated that it has no scientific data to prove that marijuana is a safe drug. From a logical point of view, this explanation would be credible if it were not for the two non-medicinal substances that are legal and have been proven dangerous. Consider tobacco, a study concluded that “more deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths form Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides, and murders combined.(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011) These are alarming statistics that the Government continues to ignore, and despite these facts tobacco use has yet to be criminalized. In another study that was conducted by the U.S. Government itself, it was found that, “alcohol abuse kills some 75,00 Americans each year and shortens the lives of these people by an average of 30 years>“ (MSNBC.com, 2005) This ranks alcohol as the third leading cause of mortality in the United States. What is most upsetting is that these lethal substances which have no medicinal value have no legal regulations other than an age limit. The CSA states that marijuana has a lack of accepted safety. The fact is the majority of the prescription painkillers marijuana is intended to replace, are unsafe themselves. It is not uncommon to see celebrities going to rehab for prescription medication abuse on the front pages of tabloid magazines. Recently many celebrities have died from prescription overdose. A scientific study concluded that, “painkillers killed twice as many people as cocaine and five times as many as heroin in 2007.” (Harvard Mental Health Letter, 2011) Cocaine and Heroin are notorious for being highly addictive and dangerous. This study shows the hypocrisy of the Government’s regulations on marijuana. Marijuana is considered a gateway drug. Many people feel that consumption of marijuana will lead to the abuse of more dangerous drugs. These days those dangerous drugs come in the form of a pill and can be found in a medicine cabinet. Research by the American College of Physicians (ACP) indicated the following: Chronic marijuana use has also been linked to the development of tolerance to some effects and the appearance of withdrawal symptoms (restlessness, irritability, mild agitation, insomnia, sleep disturbances, nausea, cramping) with the onset of abstinence.
However, these withdrawal symptoms are mild compared with those experienced with opiates or benzodiazepines . Moreover, THC, while quite potent in comparison with other psychoactive drugs, has remarkably low lethal toxicity. This led the IOM to conclude that adverse effects of marijuana use are within the range of effects tolerated for other medications. (2008, p. 1)
Considering these facts and the Government’s so called concerns with the well being of its citizens, why haven’t these unsafe painkillers been …show more content…
criminalized? In terms of frequency, marijuana is the number one abused drug in the Unites States. Coming in at a very close second are prescription pharmaceuticals. The Government is concerned that patients will develop an addiction to marijuana and abuse it. This would be a legitimate concern if it weren’t for the fact that over the last decade prescription drug abuse in America has gone rampant. The difference between the two is that marijuana is responsible for far less fatalities. In 2010, “nearly 30,000 Americans died from an overdose, with at least half of these deaths related to legally controlled substances that were abused.” (Kloth, 2010) It can not be said without a doubt that marijuana didn’t contribute to this data, but it would be safe to say that if it did , it was very minimal in comparison. It is undeniable that marijuana has the potential to be abused by patients. But considering that there are already medications with the same risk of abuse and that are more dangerous, how can the Government deny a patient what they say is effective at treating their condition? It can be argued that many pharmaceutical companies have a lot to lose if medical marijuana were legalized. In 2011, U.S. sales of prescription painkillers amounted to nine billion dollars. It doesn’t take a large corporation like Pfizer to produce marijuana. Marijuana can easily be grown by just about anyone, and if it were patented by a pharmaceutical giant such as Pfizer, it would be difficult to deter infringement. Monetary losses to such companies would be detrimental if marijuana was substituted for multiple medications. Marijuana is effective at treating a wide array of conditions. Doctors, scientists and patients have no quarrel with this fact. Research by the ACP concluded that marijuana is an effective drug for appetite stimulation. The benefits of marijuana are life saving for patients suffering from HIV/AIDS. One of the most debilitating symptoms of this disease is severe weight loss, nausea and vomiting. Often, patients lose their battle with the disease because of these symptoms. Clinical trials of marijuana have proven that it is more effective at treating these symptoms than traditional medications. The list of conditions treated by marijuana go on to include Glaucoma, Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis and so on. The CSA however states the opposite. As mentioned before, the CSA considers marijuana to have no accepted medical use. What about the patients perspective?
Consider the amount of stress having a disease such as HIV induces on a patient. Adding on to this stress is having to pay for a multitude of expensive medications. On top of this, patients complain that these medications aren’t effective. The laws give them no choice but to continue using these less effective, and more expensive medications. The question of morality comes to mind. If legalizing medical marijuana can alleviate some of the stresses of the terminally ill, isn’t the Government morally obligated to do so? The medical community does not support the Government’s legislation. Knowing that marijuana does possess medicinal value, scientists and doctors support relaxation of current laws. These laws hinder the accessibility to funding for research and the legalities of doing so. Because of this, the full potential of medicinal marijuana remains unknown. The ACP concludes the following: Although the indications for some conditions (e.g.,
HIV wasting and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting) have been well documented, less information is available about other potential medical uses. Additional research is needed to clarify marijuana 's therapeutic properties and determine standard and optimal doses and routes of delivery. Unfortunately, research expansion has been hindered by a complicated federal approval process, limited availability of research-grade marijuana, and the debate over legalization. Marijuana 's categorization as a Schedule I controlled substance raises significant concerns for researchers, physicians, and patients. (2008, p. 1)
Doctors and scientists should be the only authority when it comes to determining what drugs are beneficial to the public. The political arena is not the proper forum for making decisions in such matters. The ACP should have enough credibility for the Government to act and make the necessary changes for proper scientific studies. Marijuana has many therapeutic benefits and should be recognized by the Government as a bona fide medicine for the treatment of certain medical conditions.
The laws that deem marijuana to have no medicinal value are outdated and must be changed. The issue of medical marijuana should not be centered on legalities and politics, but rather what is effective at helping people endure their sicknesses. The medications currently used are too expensive for the average American. People should not have to go broke in order to stay alive and feel better. Thousands of patients are needlessly suffering while the Government drags its heels to help them. It is laughable that the Government points out all the unknown risks associated with marijuana. Especially when the facts show thath there are already medications, and legal substances that have far worse risks and side effects. The fact that there are legal substances responsible for an overwhelming amount of fatalities that the Government ignores should have people questioning what the Government’s intentions really are. The taxes on alcohol and tobacco bring in so much money that the Government shuts its eyes at the deadly expense of which these profits come. Marijuana throughout history has helped many people. Currently marijuana is significantly improving the quality of life of people with Cancer, HIV, Arthritis and so on. The medical marijuana movement is not concerned with decriminalizing or legalizing marijuana for recreational use. It is concerned with helping people with serious illnesses and disabilities get on with their lives.
References American College of Physicians, (2008). Supporting research into the therapeutic role of marijuana. Policy Paper. Retrieved from http://www.acponline.org/advocacy/where_we_stand/other_issues/medmarijuana.pdf
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2011). [Written statistical data on tobacco related mortality]. Tobacco-related mortality. CDC. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/tobacco_related_mortality/
Harvard Health Publications, (2011). Painkillers fuel growth in drug addiction. Harvard Mental Health Letter. Retrieved from http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Mental_Health_Letter/2011/January/painkillers-fuel-growth-in-drug-addiction
Kloth, D. (2011). America’s fatal addiction to prescription drugs. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/jun/10/prescription-drug-abuse
NBCNEWS.com. (2005), Alcohol linked to 75,000 U.S. deaths a year. Retrieved from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6089353/ns/health-addictions/t/alcohol-linked-us-deaths-year/.UHTsaxVX10Y
Zuardi, A. (2005). History of cannabis as a medicine: a review. Retrieved from http://www.oregon.gov/pharmacy/Imports/Marijuana/StaffReview/HistoryofCannabis_as_Medicine11.21.05.pdf
Medical Marijuana