...The Viewpoint of the Society on Medicinal Marijuana Everything in the society is changing, especially the laws. Legal and illegal drugs are everywhere in society. People, especially teens, know someone who has drugs and could easily get access to them. Drugs like marijuana are one of those easily accessible drugs. Marijuana is still one of the common drugs and is still considered illegal under the federal laws in the United States. Some states such as California have passed laws allowing marijuana legal to smoke and sell. The medical marijuana is to use for medicinal purposes and can only be prescribed by a doctor. Researchers and scientists support the use of marijuana as a medical drug. Some people like patients may view this positively, because the medical marijuana actually worked on them as they get a lot better. Despite some viewpoints in favor of the use of marijuana, it is still an unethical use of the drug, because there are still negative effects of using marijuana. Even though patients who are suffering from illness or disease and are using medical marijuana, patients viewed that it helps them feel better. With the increase of medical marijuana, the worldwide report estimates between 200 and 300 million people are now smoking marijuana (Earleywine 29). With 40% of the public using marijuana as medicine, it has changed the needs and values of our society. The use of medical marijuana can treat patients with many different ailments such as pain, nausea, vomiting,...
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...make the choice to refuse current treatment methods or medications that would otherwise extend or save their lives. Recent discoveries have shown that using marijuana as form of treatment for chronic illnesses such as HIV/AIDs, cancer, fibromyalgia, and multiple sclerosis, has shown to have justifiable healing and sedative reprieve without otherwise having to suffer the nasty side effects that other treatments have to offer. Current legalization forces patients with chronic and life-threatening illness to either suffer horrendous medicinal side effects from treatment and illness, or break the law by self-medicating by way of marijuana. Medical marijuana should be legalized for the chronically ill as an alternative treatment method to painful and horrid side effects of current treatment methods that are in place. Marijuana originates from the dried parts of the Cannabis Sativa or hemp plant and is known by hundreds of street names such as pot, weed, and grass. The hemp plant has existed for thousands of years with archaeologists discovering hemp fibers that date back as far as 400 BCE (Henningfield, 2008). Marijuana used for recreation is used primary for its hallucinogen effects, whereas used for medicinal purposes it has been known to alleviate nausea, increase appetite, and decrease chronic pain. The effects of marijuana through inhalation or ingestion can be attributed to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinal, or THC (Henningfield, 2008). The...
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...Hoffman ENGL 1301 2012, June 26th Marijuana Throughout the history of America, many controversial subjects have been discussed. Common citizens and politicians discuss the legalization of marijuana. Currently legal in fourteen states across America, the government legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes. Also, marijuana has been decriminalized in several states. Marijuana should be legal because it has medicinal purposes, keeping it illegal costs more money, and people have the freedom to put into their bodies as they please. Marijuana should be legal because its been proven to have medicinal purposes. Using marijuana for medicinal purposes has been a subject of controversy ever since the Supreme Court cleared its usage (Kravets). Marijuana functions as a medicine because it speeds up the metabolism which helps to stimulate appetite. Marijuana also causes a feeling of euphoria, which eliminates the feeling of pain in cancer and AIDS patients. Glaucoma, an eye cancer, allows patients to treat the disease with marijuana. Colorado and California are the most known medicinal marijuana states. These two states have decriminalized the substance, which means if an individual gets caught with marijuana under the legal amount, a simple fine gets issued. Peter McWilliams states, “Marijuana is the finest anti-nausea medication known to science, and our leaders have lied about this consistently. [Arresting people for] medical marijuana is the most hideous example of government...
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...Legalizing Marijuana Cynthia Jones SOC120: Intro to Ethics & Social Responsibility Instructor Dr. Marnie Carroll Aug 27, 2012 Marijuana has been placed on the control substances list as a schedule 1 class drug along with heroin, mescaline, and LSD; the government is claiming that marijuana is harmful and addictive. I will disprove these claims. The United States government has made the possession and use of marijuana illegal, but nicotine a known addictive drug and alcohol are legal for personal use. I believe as a personal choice medicinal marijuana should be legalized and this paper will be a utilitarian’s view on legalizing marijuana. I will begin with some information about marijuana or a more common name of Cannabis comes from the plant, Cannabaceae. Along with Cannaboids, there is another main cannabinoid the most prominent and psychoactive called THC, or delta 9 tetrahydocannabinol, this is what causes the effects of marijuana. This is the most popular illicit drug that has been around for thousands of years. These particular extracts from the plant have several medicinal purposes and legalizing marijuana for medicinal uses would benefit several people with serious illnesses. As of now it is still illegal in most states and federally. Relativism is “the idea that one’s beliefs and values are understood in terms of one’s society, culture, or even one’s own individual values” (Mosser, K., 2010) Society has made marijuana illegal so for the relativist...
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...HEWLETT-PACKARD Marijuana for the Use of Medicinal Purposes Final Project; CM109-24- Professor Sara Wink Anthony 12/8/2010 There have been many disputes over the past few years about the use of medicinal marijuana. Although there are several states across the United States that have now legalized marijuana for medical use beginning in 1996. Today it is still considered illegal by the United States federal government, and some other parts of the world. Many studies have now shown numerous medical benefits to the medicinal use of this drug. Today due to these proven benefits the United States government should reconsider the legalization of marijuana for medical use. Marijuana’s use can not only give relief to medical patients but can improve their overall quality of life, instead of suffering every day. Some of the benefits of marijuana include the relief of vomiting and nausea, to the relief of pain for medical patients that have various diseases. The benefits of marijuana come from the THC that is found in this plant. Still today states such as New Jersey are still fighting to pass state laws legalizing it for medical uses and there are definitely many states to follow. There are over 300 compounds found in marijuana and 60 of them are known to be cannabinoids. These cannabinoids are known to stimulate hunger, along with helping to fight nausea and vomiting. (Stratton, 2010) Today there are...
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...Decriminalize the use of Marijuana American cultural views are in flux. Marijuana, once depicted as a menace to society in the classic film “Reefer Madness” is now considered to be a panacea for a multitude of health issues. While it is debatable that usage leads to more powerful drugs it is certain that the tax revenue generated by the sale of marijuana has been a financial boom to the western states that have implemented newer regulation. The time has come to unclutter the court system and move into the 21st century and decriminalize the personal and medicinal use of marijuana. Marijuana is a very widely used illegal drug in the world today. Marijuana was made illegal through prohibition in 1905. Before 1905 you could go into any local drug store and purchase marijuana (Stuart). Marijuana is a natural remedy for many illnesses. According to many users medicinal marijuana offers relief from pain related to cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis. Said side effects, that are psychological, include hallucinations, mood swings and impaired judgment. Some consider marijuana a drug that would lead to other drug dependences, but this has not been scientifically proven. There has been millions of dollars spent to reduce the use of illegal drugs in the United States (Hausk 14). This type of spending is one reason to push to decimalize marijuana. “According to a 2010 study from Cato, legalizing marijuana would regulate the system and offer rehabilitation service to those addicted...
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...public health risks and benefits of cannabis. Legalization of cannabis for medicinal and recreational use has been a one of most disputed issues in the United States. This has become an important issue in public health because, although some risks and benefits are known, more research is needed to determine other harmful and therapeutic effects (Wilkinson, 2016). There is not enough evidence for wide-spread clinical or recreational use. Laws, initiatives and policies for making marijuana legal may lead to, “increased clinical and recreational usage, a wide range of methods for consumption, and conflicts between state and federal laws. However, these policies would focus on guarding the health and safety...
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...Marijuana in the U.S.: A Failing Prohibition Recently two of the fifty states passed state laws allowing the recreational use of marijuana. Not only do the new marijuana laws conflict with the national law that marijuana is illegal but the new laws have put in question how states are able to pass laws that directly conflict with national laws. Although each state has the right to govern and create laws never before have any states directly disobeyed national law with the passing of state legislation. Prior to the new laws passed by Colorado and Washington 18 states and the District of Colombia had already passed laws allowing the use of medicinal marijuana. The District of Colombia and the other 18 states have acquired incredible amounts of tax dollars due to the medicinal marijuana causing many people to question whether the national government should continue with the prohibition over marijuana. Not only will the national government receive tremendous amounts of tax dollars, the government spends too much money fighting marijuana use and marijuana is also safer than other legal substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and prescription drugs. Therefore marijuana should not be illegal in the United States. Although government expenses are high, and the predicted tax benefits are tremendous many people are still very strong supporters of the prohibition of marijuana. Even with government regulated substances such as tobacco and alcohol killing large amounts of people each year the...
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...apply to marijuana, since the individual who chooses to use marijuana does so according to his or her own free will, and the government also may have a right to limit individual actions if the actions pose a significant threat to the individual. But this argument does not logically apply to marijuana because marijuana is far less dangerous than some drugs that are legal, such as alcohol and tobacco. There for the most basic reason that marijuana should be legal is that there is no good reason for it not to be legal. Some often ask “why should marijuana be legalized?" but we should ask "Why should marijuana be illegal?" From an abstract point of view, we as individuals deserve the right to make choices for themselves. There is no logic why someone would be pushed to take legal drugs that are proven to sometimes be potentially worse for one’s body and mind. “Marijuana is far less subject to abuse than most drugs used to treat the same conditions. It is also less addicting. Dr. Lester Grinspoon, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, says that “Marijuana is safer than most drugs used to treat the same problems.” Since there is no known case of lethal marijuana overdose, that would mean marijuana is safer than aspirin. According to John Marx, one thousand people a year die of aspirin overdose. The side effects of aspirin can also harm young children. The estimated ratio of lethal to effective dose is 40,000 to 1. The second major reason that marijuana should be legal...
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...Legalizing Marijuana Shirley Whitley PHI208: Ethics and Moral Reasoning Rebecca Wilson October 27, 2013 When you think about legalizing marijuana, what comes to your mind first? The benefits it would have on legalizing marijuana. Everywhere you go someone is debating whether we should or should not legalize marijuana. There’s a lot of good in this plant. Having an open mind, there is advantages and disadvantages that it can have for this country. There is medicinal marijuana. Now what comes to question now, what is the relationship between the scientific knowledge and other types of knowledge? I will attempt to express how marijuana can benefit everybody if it was to be legalized. This is a universal plant. Marijuana can be used to treat different illnesses. This universal plant can treat constipation, female weakness, gout, malaria, rheumatism and absent mindedness, this is just a few names according to Bloomquist. Different countries used it to treat hydrophobia, delirium, and skin disease, protracted labor during child birth, asthma, hay fever, and cholera. (Bloomquist, 1968) Ten percent of patients who has fibromyalgia syndrome use marijuana for medicinal relief from FMS symptoms such as widespread pain, fatigue, and insomnia, according to research published in arthritis care and research. A pain levels were measured using the visual analog scale functional ability was thought to be with fibromyalgia questions: A psychologist evaluated all patients for previous...
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...Should marijuana be legalized for medicinal use? Cierra Cook Medical Ethics April 12, 2014 Marijuana has been hailed as a prescription for many ills and physicians once used it to stimulate appetite, relieve chronic pain, and treat asthma and migraines. But is marijuana really a medical miracle? If so, do its clinical benefits outweigh its drawbacks? Should we legalize marijuana? Is medical marijuana really worth the risks? These are the issues one needs to think about before making the decision to legalize marijuana. Marijuana is a drug that is derived from the dried and cut leaves of the hemp plant known as "cannabis sativa". Marijuana has a variety of street names such as "grass", "Mary Jane", "pot", "smoke", "reefer", "herb", and "weed". The active ingredient in marijuana is delta tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (3). Marijuana has been used throughout history and in many different cultures to change mood, perception, and consciousness (to get "high"). Its effects range from increasing creativity to provoking mystical experiences, to heightening the capacity to feel, sense and share. After alcohol, it is the most popular of what are called "recreational drugs." It has been used around the world for other purposes. In some primitive tribes of South America, Africa, and India, "cannabis" is used in religious ceremonies and for medical purposes. African mine workers have used it to ease the drudgery of their work and many Jamaicans use it at the end of the day to relieve...
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...Marijuana has always been a vital part of our world's culture, with evidence dating back to as early as ancient Egypt and ancient Greece, and in the 19th century ( “History and Debate”). It has been used as a pain reliever, and now it's used as a vice drug, but it’s time for it to go back to its initial use, a beneficial use. Marijuana has been genetically modified for medicinal use, it can help people with disease no pharmaceutical drug can. It can change millions of lives in our country, by letting people actually live their life instead of constantly taking pills that aren’t nearly as effective. Medicinal Marijuana has more benefits than detriments and should be legalized. POINT (OKON) In the United States there are only twenty-four states that have legalized medicinal marijuana, and in these states there are approximately 1,137,069 patients depending on marijuana to help them on a daily basis. (...
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...utopia-like society or would everything be mass chaos? What if only the non-harmful illegal subjects were made legal? If something is truly non-harmful then why is it illegal? These are all very good questions. One substance in particular that is illegal but has not been proven to be harmful is marijuana. In 1970, marijuana was officially illegalized when the Substance Abuse Act was passed. It wasn’t until 1996 that California was first state to take action and to legalize marijuana for medical use (“Medical Marijuana States”). In 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Since then, Oregon, Alaska, and the District of Columbia have joined the group with numerous other states on the verge of recreational legalization. Currently, 23 states have marijuana legal in either recreational use, medical use, or both (“State Marijuana Laws Map”). So where should we stand on this marijuana dilemma? Are there benefits to legalization? Is the drug actually harmful or does it have medical benefits? Marijuana is a non-harmful substance, with numerous benefits available and should be legalized on a national level. Whether or not marijuana has any true medicinal value has been debated vigorously for decades now. In recent years the FDA has approved some medicinal use of marijuana in patients. However, the FDA hasn’t approved a full-blown go ahead for marijuana, due to lack of research on the potential risks. These risks include: altered senses...
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...Medicinal Cannabis….what’s all the hype? Medicinal Cannabis Jennifer L. Mello COM/156 Abstract I am writing this research paper not just to inform you, but to help educate you. There are many proven scientific trials and methods of medicinal cannabis. The research that I have found has truly enlightened my way of thinking. Segal, Ph.D. (2012), "The Jamestown settlers brought the marijuana plant, commonly known as hemp, to North America in 1611, and throughout the colonial period, hemp fiber was an important export. Indeed, in 1762, 'Virginia awarded bounties for hemp culture and manufacture, and imposed penalties on those who did not produce it.” (Jamestown Settlers Bring Marijuana to North America). Booth (2005). Medicinal Cannabis….what's all the hype? The therapeutic qualities are marvelous. Cannabinoids offer the following for patient’s antipastic, analgesic, antiemetic, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory actions. People who suffer from psychiatric diseases have found relief with their conditions ranging from depression, anxiety, bipolar, and similar mood disorders. The National Institute of Health, also known to many people as NIH. This organization states that medical marijuana helps a great deal with chemotherapy, and nausea. Letting the cancer patient consume food. They have also found that people who suffer from epileptic seizures that use medicinal cannabis helps to prevent them altogether. (Potter, 1998). Cancer patients who are going...
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...11, 2014 Abstract: Marijuana legalization has been a controversial topic requiring a public policy solution in the political realm. There have been various arguments made for and against the legalization of marijuana. There are several states that have legalized marijuana use for medicinal purposes while others have let their guards down completely allowing citizens to use it not only medicinally, but recreationally as well. While the use of marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, there is much discussion by other states regarding policies to support marijuana legalization and many policy makers proactively planning for the possibility of such policies. Such discussion is necessary to ensure the policy implemented supports the intended use of the drug and to reduce illegal use that is not specified in the policy. Currently, there are a total of 21 states that have laws governing the use of marijuana in some form. The state of Florida has a policy in place that is closely monitored as it applies to patients suffering from severe medical conditions such as AIDS, cancer, and other diseases that leave patients in excruciating pain. This paper will discuss the great controversy of legalizing marijuana pointing out policies that are currently in place for the state of Florida and the need for small municipalities to establish policies to ensure proper monitoring of the drug. Problem Definition The legalization of marijuana is a controversial topic that...
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