Medical Marijuana

Is medical marijuana

with anxiety. There

just a recreational

have been studies that

drug? No, the medical

either provide support

uses of medical

to these uses or

marijuana are

disclaim them. Three

extremely expansive.

of the benefits are

The symbol to the

diminishing pain, lower

right, the symbol of

nausea while increasing

medical marijuana, is one

been brought These uses

appetite, and helping

that causes controversy.

can range from increasing

with Multiple Sclerosis.

Medical Marijuana has

ones appetite to helping

Minimizing pain is one of

the best

the main uses of

and the

marijuana. There are the

rest are

two pains that it has been

disregar

recognized for helping

ded.

(Mayo Clinic). Chronic

The

pain is typically what pain

other

killers are used for.

type of

People respond

pain

differently to different

that

types of medicines and

marijuana may lessen is

chemicals in general.

neuropathic pain. This is

Chronic pain not

the hardest type of pain

diminished by the typical

to treat, and occurs when

pain killers can be

the nervous system is

alleviated by cannabis

damaged (Karson,

(Karson, Szumski 14).

Szumski 14). People have

Cannabis is the marijuana

given accounts to attest

plant. For example, for

for how their pain has

some people, ibuprofen

been diminished. A man

works better than

referred to as Fat Larry

acetaminophen, and for

says, I suffer from several

other people,

ailments, including

acetaminophen works

diabetes, glaucoma,

better than aspirin. There

emphysema, chronic pain

isnt one that is picked as

from a ruptured disc in

my neck and lower back,

severe carpal tunnel in
both hands, torn rotator
cuffs in both shoulders,
gout in the knees,
inflammatory
rheumatism, Sydenhams
Chorea, to name a
few......ALL of which are
benefits from Medical
Marijuana,
(MedicalMarijuana.com).
For Fat Larry, who has lots
of different health issues
that cause him pain, he

Image 2

testifies that medical

prescribed him medical

makes it harder to

marijuana helps him.

marijuana. The THC in

function with everyday

the marijuana gave him

functions (Karson,

the appetite stimulus he

Szumski 18). This disease

needed and kept his

slowly takes you away

nausea in check. He was

from normality. Medical

calmer, stronger and

marijuana can help them.

could finish his

There is good scientific

treatments (Karson,

evidence for its use. It

Szumski 17).

helps them control their

Along with medical

marijuana helping with
pain, it also can help with
nausea and appetite loss
(Mayo Clinic). This may
seem like an insignificant
reason to use marijuana as
a medicine, but to the
people it has benefitted,

Multiple Sclerosis is a

they disagree. For

disease that is progressive

example there was a

and debilitating. The

cancer patient named

protective layers around

muscles, relieve urinary

disorders, and relieve
pains of the nerves (Mayo
Clinic). One victim of this

Scott Rozman who was on

an extreme chemotherapy
schedule. The chemo left
him super nauseous and
he would puke on average
45 times a day. This
amount of regurgitation
was leaving him super

nervous fibers are lost.

disease states that at 33, I

weak. He was getting too

This causes pain, muscle

have had to relearn how

weak to his treatments

spasms, muscle weakness,

to walk three times. My

until his doctors

tiredness, and slowly

disease has progressed

rapidly, and the pain

of illnesses that modern

endocannabinoid system,

ranging from pins and

medicine has yet to

which plays a crucial role

needles to shooting pains

effectively treat (Karson,

in regulating a broad

throughout my body

Szumski 22). They claim

range of physiological

never goes away One

its effective for

processes: Bonnie

medicine really does

everything from asthma

Szumszki states that it can

decrease my appetite,

to the recurrence of polio.

not only help with

ease the sick feeling in

However, being legal and

hunger, but sleep,

my stomach, helps me fall

effective doesnt make it

inflammation, stress,

asleep, and calm the pain

any less controversial

blood pressure, body

and twitching, but its

(Steve Lebedassa).

temperature, glucose

illegal: marijuana,
(Karson, Szumski 18) . The
biggest users of our
medical system are senior
citizens, as pictured
below. It should
therefore come as no
surprise that when
medical marijuana first
became available in
California, seniors were
some of the first to try it
out. Seniors are finding
that medical marijuana
works on a large variety

Cannabis and the unique

chemical compounds
produced by the plant,
called cannabinoids, have
been at the center of one
of the most exciting and

metabolism, bone density,

intestinal fortitude,
reproductive fertility,
circadian rhythms, mood
and much more (Karson,
Szumski 20).

underreported

Though, I have only listed

developments in modern

a couple of reasons in

science. Research on

which Medical Marijuana

marijuanas effects led

is such an amazing

directly to the discovery

medicine, there are many

of a molecular signaling

more things that can help.

system in the human

Others disagree with it

brain and body, the

though and say that the

medical world has far

acting, more addicting,

invite robberies, leading

more sophisticated

more lethal drugs like

to an increase in violence.

medicine that is better

Oxycontin. Drug

Instead the frequency of

than marijuana on all

overdoses and deaths

burglaries and robberies

levels. Doctor Phillip

mostly from this later

at dispensaries

Leveque explains how

type of drug approached

has declined since they

that is not true. When

37,000 deaths in 2009

began serving

comparing marijuana to

Marijuana treats pain and

recreational consumers in

most other prescription

has never caused a death,

January. FBI data indicate

pain killers like morphine,

(Karson, Szumski, 43).

that the overall crime rate

hydrocodone, and
oxycodone he says, All of
these cause severe
constipation and
addiction and many other
adverse side effects but
some are much worse
than others It is
important to note that
with long term use all of
the above drugs cause
tolerance or the
requirement for
increasing doses for the
same relief We will
soon be having more long

This is not the only

argument againgst
medical cannibis though.
People believe that
marijuana and crime have
a large correlation.
Colorado legalized
recreation usage of
marijuana, and there
results may put an end to
that rumor. Forbes
reports, some opponents
of legalization warned
that cash-heavy
cannabusinesses would

in Denver, the center of

Colorados marijuana
industry, was 10 percent
lower in the first five
months of this year than
in the same period of
2013, (Sullum). In fact,
the legalization is
benifiting the state. It
seems like the people that
were smoking before are
mainly the people that
are smoking now,
Hickenlooper said as
Colorado marked six
months of legal

recreational sales last

implications that could be

hearing medical

week. If thats the case,

deadly. Im almost

marijuana which

what that means is that

positive that there

prompted the test run

were not going to have

wouldnt be many parents

was known as United

more drugged driving, or

happy to come home to a

States v. Oakland Cannabis

driving while high. Were

ten year old sitting at

Buyers (Hoffman, Weber).

not going to have some of

home with a couple of his

The first four states to use

those problems. But we

or her friends smoking

medical marijuana was

are going to have a

weed. This is where the

California, Alaska,

system where were

legal implications come

Washington and lastly

actually regulating and

into play (Hoffman,

Oregon. These test runs

taxing something, and

Weber). The government

soon paved the way for 19

keeping that money in

first wanted to start using

other states to legalize

the state of

medical marijuana in four

medical marijuana and

Coloradoand were not

states to have a test of

even allowed recreational

supporting a corrupt
system of gangsters,
(Sullum).
However seeing all these
benefits still doesnt make
it any less controversial to
see people such as
grandparents smoking
weed. It, like many other
things, also has cultural

Image 4

some sorts, the first

Supreme Court case

use in two

states, Washington and

incoming applications and

a way to relieve pain or

Oregon (Hoffman, Weber).

renewals, including

other symptoms. However

An easy way to see these

following up on those

the societal pressures

states is by the map

that are incomplete, input

have dramatically

above. The sole reason

of the database, and

decreased over the last

why states decided to

update of the database

few years as more and

enact such policy for

(Kushman, Penn).

more people are realizing

medical marijuana was for

Recommended physicians

that medical marijuana

two reasons. One so that

are sent, and must

might be more of a

people who need it can

respond to a verification

necessity rather than a

receive the benefits and

letter for the application

means to get high.

the people who dont

to be approved. All Utah

need it doesnt have to

has to do is follow their

burden us with cultural

example, or pick and

stigmas. Many such laws

choose from what they

reflect this and have very

like, or hate about

tough ways of receiving

programs to make Utahs

medical marijuana

medical marijuana

(Kushman, Penn). This

program the best.

includes the Department

of Human Services is
designated to maintain
the state medical
marijuana registry. A staff
of six are responsible for
reviewing and verifying

Medical marijuana is used

for a variety of different
symptoms and can help
cure things like pain,
hunger, and nausea. It is
still widely accepted that
unless you absolutely
need it you shouldnt take

Other than the legal laws

it. As a result of this the

regarding marijuana and

government has enacted

medical marijuana there

certain policy to make

are also societal pressures

sure it doesnt get in the

that make people less

wrong hands. The

likely to use marijuana as

government has even ran

small tests on state levels

should be strictly for

for medical benefits. All

to see how efficiently

medical use the majority

you have to do, is vote in

such policy can and will

still thinks that medical

affirmation. Follow the

be enacted. However, the

marijuana should be just

example of the states

belief that marijuana

that, for people who use it

around you.

Works Cited
Hoffman, Diane E., and Ellen Weber. "Medical Marijuana and the Law ? NEJM." New England Journal of

Medicine. Massachusetts Medical Society, 22 Apr. 2010. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.

Kushman, Kyle, and Aidin Penn. "Medical Marijuana." Dispensaries, Cannabis Club Directory. Medical
Marijuana, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.
"Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa)." - Drugs and Supplements. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and
Research, 1 Nov. 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.
"Marijuana." The White House. The White House, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.
Sullum, Jacob. "How Is Marijuana Legalization Going? The Price Of Pot Peace Looks Like A
Bargain." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 10 Sept. 2014. Web. 05 Nov. 2014.
Szumski,

Bonnie,

and

Jill

Karson. Thinking

Critically:

Medical

Marijuana.

San

Diego: Referencepoint, 2013. Print.

Images:
1: Medical Marijuana Logo. Digital image. GA Care Project. N.p., 22 Apr. 2014. Web. 28 Oct. 2014
2: How THC affects the brain. Digital image. Scholastic. Scholastic, 2014. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.
3: Labadessa, Steve. Senior Citizen using Medical Marijuana. Digital image. The Nation. The Nation, 30
Aug. 2012. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.
4: Medical Marijuana States. Digital image. THC Indicastries. Green Web Design and Selthofner
Consulting, 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.