The Benefits Of Medical Marijuana

Some researchers insist medical marijuana is beneficial; however, some argue that its hazardous. Marijuana has harmful short term and long term effects on the body and brain. Short term side effects include poor judgment and short term memory loss. The long term effects are similar to smoking cigarettes. Over time marijuana damages the brain and permanently impairs it. Marijuana isn't all bad though a lot of research has been done to show how it improves people's quality of life. It helps chemo patients and people who have irritable bowel syndrome by lessening the pain and making them less nauseous. Some chemical compound found in marijuana lessen the spread of cancer. There are many medical uses as well as hazards.
Marijuana has short term
and long term effect that are hazardous to the body and mind. The short term effects cause impaired judgement, short term memory, and increased heart rate. The long term effects can cause heart problems and damage the body's defence against disease. When marijuana is smoked from a young age and continued into adulthood, it damages the brain and mentally impairs the user.
When marijuana is first smoked or ingested the effect that happen can be harmful and impair judgment.
The Lifestyle Lounge reported that, “distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch), problems with memory and learning, lack of proper coordination, trouble with problem-solving, increased heart rate and reduced blood pressure are some of the short-term effects of marijuana” (“Effects of Marijuana”). Marijuana slows a person down in every way according to the article ,"Short- and Long-Term Effects of Marijuana Use", published by Muir Wood said that, “It impacts almost every level of functioning in the user and slows them down so they are less able to manage their
responsibilities”.
When marijuana is used from a young age through college and into adulthood it causes health problem. The damage is similar to smoking cigarettes and lowers the body’s defense against disease. According to "Short- and Long-Term Effects of Marijuana Use" by Muir Wood, it states that the same cancer causing chemicals in tobacco are found in marijuana which says, “The same chemicals that contribute to the development of cancer found in tobacco smoke are also found in marijuana”. The researchers at Muir Wood also said, that marijuana use damages the body's defence against diseases, “Cells and tissue that protect against the development of disease or damaged by the use of marijuana”. Long-term use of marijuana has a negative effect on how the body works.
Marijuana affects the brain by changing how people think due to THC as stated in the research done by Lifestyle Lounge, “Marijuana contains an active ingredient, delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC that acts on the cannabinoid receptors of the nerve cells and influences the activities of the cells, like pleasure, memory, thought, concentration, sensory, time perception and coordinated movement” (“Effects of Marijuana). Smoking marijuana during adolescence damages the development of the brain, according to a study by Andrew Zalesky from The University of Melbourne, Australia. He said, “They found that the neural connections between the brain’s left and right hemispheres were impaired in the marijuana users relative to the non-users, which could mean that smokers’ brains have poorer internal communication” ("Long Term Effects of Marijuana on the Brain”). Continued use has a negative effect on the brain and the person's mental capability.
Medical marijuana has great benefits for people who suffer from an assortment of things. In patients who have alzheimer's the cannabinoids found in marijuana slow the deterioration of brain cells. People with PTSD and Depression show less symptoms when they use marijuana. A lot of research has been done over how marijuana helps people with seizures and epilepsy. Marijuana slows the growth of cancer cells. Medical marijuana can be a very beneficial medicine to people.
Willspring did an article about, “11 Health Benefits of Medical Marijuana”and one section was over Arthritis and how it could help patients with the pain. It said, “researcher are now certain that cannabis can be used to reduce inflammation and discomfort for patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis”. Loria published an article explaining how cannabinoid helps people who suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis. She says, “ Researchers from Rheumatology units at several hospitals gave their patients Sativex, a cannabinoid-based pain-relieving medicine. After a two-week period, people on Sativex had a significant reduction in pain and improved sleep quality compared to placebo users”. Use of marijuana helps those who have any sort of pain.
Alzheimer's is a progressive disorder that deteriorates the brain cells. Loria declares that THC, “slows the formation of amyloid plaques by blocking the enzymes in the brain that makes them. These plaques are what kill brain cells and cause Alzheimer's”. The article "Short- and Long-Term Effects of Marijuana Use" also says, that as amyloid plaques begin to kill healthy brain cells, it causes Alzheimer's however, marijuana slows the progression of the amyloid plaques by preventing the enzymes that create them in the brain.
Marijuana is said to help people who suffer from PTSD and Depression. Research done by USC and SUNY Albany, “found that those who consume marijuana occasionally or even daily have lower levels of depressive symptoms than those who have never tried marijuana.” They then added, “weekly users had less depression, more positive affect, and fewer somatic complaints than non-users” (Smith). The article “11 Health Benefits of Medical Marijuana” noted that, “Medical marijuana is becoming an increasingly popular treatment option for military veterans returning from war with PTSD to regulate the symptoms that causes fear”. Marijuana can be used to lessen the symptoms of depression and lower the amount of breakdowns from people who have PTSD.
The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics did a study about Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and other inflammatory bowel disorders and found, ”that marijuana can block the cannabinoids in our bodies that amplify the permeability of the intestines and help regulate bacteria in the gut for improving intestinal function” (“11 Health Benefits of Medical Marijuana”). Loria also had some research on Myoclonus Diaphragmatic flutter (also known as Leeuwenhoek's Disease) it causes non-stop spamming in the abdominal muscles which were not only painful, but interfere with breathing and speaking”.
Dr. Robert J. DeLorenzo professor of neurology at the VCU School of Medicine, reported that, “ Although marijuana is illegal in the US, individuals both here and abroad report that marijuana had been therapeutic for them in the treatment of a variety of ailments, including epilepsy” (Smith). Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University found that, “THC is able to bind with brain cells that control excitability and decrease the occurrence of seizures” (11 Health Benefits of Medical Marijuana”). Huber wrote an article that said, “Marinol contains a type of THC, the chemical compound that creates the marijuana high, hut it doesn’t contain several other possibly beneficial chemical compounds. Recent studies have found that these other chemical compounds in marijuana have a beneficial effects on the nervous system, can be used to control seizures, and may have tumor-fighting properties”
The “11 Health Benefits of Medical Marijuana” article reports that, “Researchers had treated breast cancer cells with cannabidiol in their laboratory, they found that the cells had less Id-1 expression and were less aggressively making copies of the gene to spread”.According to the article by Willspring, “With a few FDA- approved drugs based on cannabinoids with, THC as an active ingredient, it is clear that marijuana is effective at alleviating pain, lessening nausea and vomiting, and increasing appetite through chemo” (“11 Health Benefits of Medical Marijuana”).
In conclusion Medical marijuana has its benefits and hazards.
If people use marijuana at a young age, it harms the brain. Smoking marijuana can lead to many different health problems. Although marijuana can be used to help people who have terrible diseases. Marijuana slows the whole body down in many ways. It slows the person's ability to perceive time, but it also slows the growth of cancer or the deterioration of the brain which causes alzheimer's. I think medical marijuana should be available to everyone who NEEDS it. Using marijuana just for the fun of it isn't worth the health hazards. Teenagers who use marijuana are damaging their brains without even knowing it and later on in life they may regret their decision. I think that a lot more research and clinical trials should be done so the world can learn exactly how marijuana affects the human
body.