Medical Marijana Essay - 1201 Words

Medical Marijana The use of marijuana for medicinal purposes is an extremely controversial subject. There are many supporters, as well as many that are in opposition to the use of marijuana in any situation. Parties on both sides of the issue are regularly bringing forth new information to endorse their case. Marijuana, made from an Indian hemp plant that bears the name cannabis sativa, is a mixture of stems, leaves, and flowering tops. The flowering tops are smoked for the tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, that is concentrated there. THC is the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. The use of marijuana as folk medicine began in Central Asia as far back as 3000 B.C. Its use as a pleasure-inducing drug began in the†¦show more content†¦Another myth commonly used to discourage the use of marijuana as a medicine is that marijuana has been scientifically proven to be harmful. In 1972,after reviewing scientific evidence, the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse concluded that while marijuana is not totally safe, its dangers had been grossly overstated (Morgan 1). In 1995, based on thirty years of scientific research, editors of the British medical journal Lancet concluded that the smoking of cannabis, even long term, is not harmful to health (Science 1). Many anti-medical marijuana supporters have said that there is not medicinal value in marijuana. They claim that safer, more effective drugs, such as Marinol, are available. Marinol is a synthetic version of THC. In reality, smoked marijuana has been shown to reduce nausea induced by chemotherapy, increase appetites in AIDS patients, and reduce intraocular pressure in people with glaucoma. Marinol is a synthetic THC capsule and is available by prescription but is not as effective as smoked marijuana for many patients. Furthermore, pure THC may produce more unpleasant psychoactive side effects than smoked marijuana (Morgan 2). Marinol is more expensive than regular marijuana and seems to cause higher levels of anxiety and depression. Also, because one of the main problems combated in chemotherapy is nausea and vomiting, a pillShow MoreRelatedShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1770 Words   |  8 Pagesit should be legalized or used precisely for medical purposes. Legalization of ma rijuana or cannabis has already occurred in 29 states and the District of Columbia. Should the United States legalize it all together? Marijuana itself is the dried up hemp or cannabis plants which contain THC which is a mind altering chemical. A lot of research has been conducted on the benefits and disadvantages of marijuana in both medical and recreational use. Medical marijuana should be legal in the United StatesRead MoreEssay on Sociology of Health and Medicine1947 Words   |  8 Pagescancer and brain tissue damage (Earleywine 2002). However, some researchers do not believe that all the side effects of marijuana use have negative consequences. For example (Aronson 2009) believes that it has a significant positive contribution in medical value with the treatment of conditions that may be detrimental to work ability. These include issues such as pain, nausea, appetite loss and neurological disorders. Furthermore, (Aronson 2009) has stated that the use of marijuana may have pos itive