Medical Marijuana: What Are The Benefits And Hazards Of Medical Marijuana?

[Name of the Writer]

[Name of Instructor]

[Subject]

[Date]

Medical Marijuana: What are the benefits and hazards of medical marijuana?

Introduction

Medical science has made great progress in recent years. There are various methods that are currently being used for the treatment of multiple diseases. These methods mostly consist of the use of drugs and medications to solve the medical problem regarding the human body. Sometimes, the issue is resolved by the use of mere medicine, whereas the other times, the procedure of surgery has to be performed.

One of the very popular and equally controversial methods that are currently being used by physicians all over the world, is the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Marijuana, medical Cannabis or hemp, is being used for a long time in the treatment of various medical issues in humans. Some medical practitioners in the United States are in great favor of this practice; according to them, the use of marijuana has worked wonders in the area of medicine. Whereas other doctors, argue over this idea that whether this sort of drugs, especially marijuana or Cannabis should be used for medical purposes or not. Although not much can be said in this respect as the topic is under debate from a long time, the arguments are more inclined towards not using this drug in for medical purposes. No matter what, the use of Marijuana or Cannabis is not at all suitable for human life, whether is t is used for general or medical purposes.

Description

Medical Marijuana is not a different drug from, the regular marijuana, in fact, it is the same thing. The only difference lies in its use. Medical Marijuana is a term given to the use of marijuana on medical grounds. Marijuana is currently being used hugely to cure the symptoms of nausea and vomiting caused during chemotherapy. Moreover, it was also found to be effective in the reduction of chronic pain, muscle spasms and increasing the levels of appetite in the patients of HIV/Aids. However, there are certain side effects of using marijuana, which causes hindrance in the way of the use of a drug for many extensive purposes. These side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, and confusion. Moreover, the use of marijuana on the patients having mental illness has been observed to worsen their condition, especially in the case of depression and anxiety.

The use of marijuana has also been linked with a rise in the number of crime. As marijuana is a drug and despite being used strictly for medical purposes, incites negative and evil emotions inside a human mind. Various cases of crime have been reported in which the culprit was caught red-handed, with a high intake of drugs especially marijuana. A number of criminals when caught report that taking a drug, whether its heroin, marijuana or any other such substance, increased the drive in them to take part in some wrongdoing. Various arrestees were interviewed in this regard in the Maricopa County of Arizona and most of the criminals confessed to committing the crime in either a drunk state or a high state (Cheon). Many experts also hold the opinion that legalizing marijuana, especially for medical use in the state will reduce the ratio or crime, as it will create multiple employment opportunities

I addition to this, various studies have been conducted to date not only to examine the negative side of the drug but also the positive side of marijuana. Scholars have debated that it is not a new concept that marijuana plant is being used in the treatment and cure of multiple diseases, in fact, it is a very old phenomenon. Evidence has been found that the ancient Egyptians and Romans used to cure various disease through various plants and herbs, especially the marijuana plant. Since the medical science had not made many advancements in that era and the ways of carrying on multiple procedures, especially, medical procedures were very simple, various simple items were used as medicines (Ciccone). These results were derived as a result of the facts that the chemical present in the plant of marijuana, cannabinoids, has healing powers and they are very beneficial in healing various sorts of ailments in the human body.

Along with this, many experts and scholars have compared the effects of using marijuana for medical purposes and non-medical purposes in young adults. Young adult or growing up age is a phase of life which is ideal for testing the impact of various factors on the individual, whether they are chemical, social, physical, mental or demographic. Considering this fact, scientists have conducted various experiments by using cannabis on growing up or teenage youngsters, to check their outcome in various dimensions (Ciccone). The chemical from a marijuana plant or cannabinoids was inculcated in their body through various means and the effects were recorded. A group of youngsters was tested for medical purposes and the other group was tested for non-medical purposes. In both cases, the youngsters showed deviant behavior and symptoms of depression and deteriorating mental health were observed in them (Lankenou). In addition to all this, the youngsters were found to be taking the disadvantage of the flexibility of laws in their state. They were misusing the drug, taking advantage of the permission to the access of marijuana in their state.

Steven Wright and Metts Julius conducted an extensive study on the linkage between marijuana and medical benefits and concluded that there is no such clear evidence that the marijuana plant is helpful in providing medical benefits in any terms. The researchers were of the view that marijuana is only a sedating substance that gives a calm and soothing effect to the brain and nervous system so that it can relax for some time (Wright). In addition to this, the researchers also provided statistical evidence based on the results derived from live experiments and various studies. Hence this study is an example in providing sufficient information in proving that marijuana only carries negative effects and is not beneficial for human health, even if it is used on a medical basis.

The validity of information about the use of marijuana for medical purposes is also very vague because of the legal limitations in the research of the drug. Marijuana, even medical marijuana is banned in many states of the United States of America and there are severe punishments if some person tries to use it. These punishments or detentions also apply equally to medical practitioners or doctors. There are only some states that have legalized the use of medical cannabis and the debate is still going on for passing on the bill for its legality in the other states. The states or regions in which the use of marijuana is legal for medical purposes are California, Alaska, Maine, Colorado, Nevada, Michigan, Oregon and District of Columbia.

This ambiguity also occurs because not much research has been done on the topic of marijuana and its uses for medical purposes. The possession or use of marijuana is strictly banned under federal law, no matter what purpose it is being used. This law is devised and implemented under the name of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Even the experts and the researcher have to get a special license to conduct research and experiments on these drugs like marijuana, and heroine, etc. The reason behind this strictness is that the United States Drug Enforcement Administration still considers marijuana as Schedule I drug. Other harmful drugs like heroin, LSD, and ecstasy also come under the same category, due to which the experts consider marijuana to be equally harmful to human lives. The scientists at the DEA consider the use of marijuana as abusive and they are of the opinion that the hemp or marijuana is lacking the field of medicine considering its effects and causes. Due to the increasing demand by the medical practitioners, the DEA considered its decision to classify the drug as Schedule II drug just like oxycodone and Ritalin but this has not been done yet. The final decision is still pending but there are very fewer chances of its reclassification.

Conclusion

Hence, in the end, it can be concluded that the use of marijuana, although for medical purposes, is not a favorable option. Although the use of medical marijuana benefits the medical practitioners and the patients equally its disadvantages outweigh the advantages. The harmful effects of marijuana are much higher as compared to the beneficial ones. The scientists want to conduct research and experiments on the benefits and uses of marijuana or hemp to discover the more beneficial aspects of the drugs but it is hindered by the laws and regulations establishes by the Federal Law. For the above-mentioned reasons, the position of marijuana is still very controversial not only in the United States but all over the world. The views of the majority of the experts and scholars will remain the same until unless laws are softened for the study over drugs and free research is allowed in the area of controversial drugs as well.

Works cited

Cheon, Hyunjung; Decker, Scott H.; Katz, Charles M. "Medical Marijuana and Crime: Substance use and criminal behaviors in a sample of Arrestees." CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal of Drug Issues, April 2018, Vol. 48(2), p. 182(23).

Ciccone, Charles D. "Medical Marijuana: Just the Beginning of a Long, Strange Trip" Physical Therapy, February 2017, Vol.97 (2) p.239-248 

Lankenou, Stephen E.; and Ataiants, Janna. "Health Conditions and Motivations for Marijuana use among Young Adults medical Marijuana Patients and Non-patient Marijuana Users." Drug and Alcohol Review, February. 2018, Vol. 37(2) p. 237-246.

Wright, Steven, and Julius Metts. "Recreational cannabinoid use: the hazards behind the 'high': marijuana use can cause concerning physical, psychomotor, cognitive, and psychiatric effects, not to mention a near-doubling of car accidents." Journal of Family Practice, Nov. 2016, p. 770+. Health & Wellness Resource