Yolanda Manning
January 30, 2012
Public Administration Blog
Medical use of legalizing marijuana
As we all know the use of medical marijuana has only been legalized in a number of states. One of the first states to legalize medicinal use of marijuana was California in the year of 96, followed by 13 other states: Alaska , Colorado , Hawaii , Maine , Michigan , Montana , Nevada , New Mexico , Oregon , Rhode Island , Vermont , Washington State and New Jersey . There have been many statements if medical marijuana should even be legalized for the serious and terminally ill only. In order to use marijuana, patients would have to have consent from a health doctor. While doing a lot of research, I’ve found that legalizing medicinal use of marijuana could have a positive impact on many people’s lives.
Many doctors are known to prescribe individuals with medications that are suffering from depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, loss of appetite, etc. (Just to name a few.) But are these medications helping these issues with patients or just causing more health problems? (That wasn’t even an issue before.) While asking these types of questions, that’s when we can lead toward the use of prescribing marijuana. Marijuana not like other medications/prescriptions is not a “drug” but known to be an herb. Marijuana being an herb, meaning it’s a form of a plant grown from the earth should make people feel more comfortable in consuming for health reasons. I believe the law should not only change which states can have legalized marijuana but also who should be able to receive license/permits for health reasons to consume it. The reason I touched on the basis of which states should legalize the use is because; the U.S. as well as other countries around the world all has issues of legal rights when it comes to our health. But why would individuals with certain health issues have to relocate to certain cities or states just to get the medical resources for their health? As we know there are still 36 other states that have not approved the amendment to legalize marijuana. Should these individuals have to suffer just because the state doesn’t regulate this particular amendment?
Secondly, why are the seriously and terminally ill the only one’s who are able to receive these benefits from the state? Marijuana is not only known to help patients with cancer or patients suffering with epilepsy, but it also helps simple health conditions as having muscle spasms or slowing/stopping convulsions. There are many other positive side effects that medical marijuana is extremely helpful for. Such as, enhancing senses, appetite stimulator, nausea relief, anxiety, (as mentioned before) panic attacks and etc. Even though these conditions aren’t as serious as a patient with cancer it still does impact patients suffering with these conditions lives. For example, a person suffering from anxiety can be very uncomfortable in so many ways; the individual usually cannot be still for long periods of time, their always nervous and/or jittery. With the effects that medical marijuana have it could easily calm this person down, have them in a different state of mind and much different than they were before.
These are a small amount of many reasons and generalizations that I believe would impact the use of legalizing (medical) marijuana. To be honest if 14 out of 50+ states passed medical use of marijuana, I believe there is only a matter of time (maybe awhile) before other states will begin to legalize the use as well.
Many doctors are known to prescribe individuals with medications that are suffering from depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, loss of appetite, etc. (Just to name a few.) But are these medications helping these issues with patients or just causing more health problems? (That wasn’t even an issue before.) While asking these types of questions, that’s when we can lead toward the use of prescribing marijuana. Marijuana not like other medications/prescriptions is not a “drug” but known to be an herb. Marijuana being an herb, meaning it’s a form of a plant grown from the earth should make people feel more comfortable in consuming for health reasons. I believe the law should not only change which states can have legalized marijuana but also who should be able to receive license/permits for health reasons to consume it. The reason I touched on the basis of which states should legalize the use is because; the U.S. as well as other countries around the world all has issues of legal rights when it comes to our health. But why would individuals with certain health issues have to relocate to certain cities or states just to get the medical resources for their health? As we know there are still 36 other states that have not approved the amendment to legalize marijuana. Should these individuals have to suffer just because the state doesn’t regulate this particular amendment?
Secondly, why are the seriously and terminally ill the only one’s who are able to receive these benefits from the state? Marijuana is not only known to help patients with cancer or patients suffering with epilepsy, but it also helps simple health conditions as having muscle spasms or slowing/stopping convulsions. There are many other positive side effects that medical marijuana is extremely helpful for. Such as, enhancing senses, appetite stimulator, nausea relief, anxiety, (as mentioned before) panic attacks and etc. Even though these conditions aren’t as serious as a patient with cancer it still does impact patients suffering with these conditions lives. For example, a person suffering from anxiety can be very uncomfortable in so many ways; the individual usually cannot be still for long periods of time, their always nervous and/or jittery. With the effects that medical marijuana have it could easily calm this person down, have them in a different state of mind and much different than they were before.
These are a small amount of many reasons and generalizations that I believe would impact the use of legalizing (medical) marijuana. To be honest if 14 out of 50+ states passed medical use of marijuana, I believe there is only a matter of time (maybe awhile) before other states will begin to legalize the use as well.
Interesting read. I believe using marijuana as an alternative to synthetic and very addictive medicines is something that should be considered. After researching the subject myself, it seems that many of the "studies" that shown marijuana to be harmful have been debunked.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right.
DeleteI agree with your post. It is hypocritical for alcohol, a highly dangerous and habit-forming substance possessing little positive medical value, to be considered so widely acceptable while marijuana is so demonized. This is the result of outdated conventions in morality and policies that are ignorant to the potential benefits of a naturally occurring substance. What is morally righteous about denying an AIDS patient the clinically proven benefits of a marijuana prescription while anyone over the age of 21 is freely allowed to purchase the destructive substance of alcohol at any convenience store. I enjoyed reading your post very much.
ReplyDeleteThank you. And I'm glad we agree.
DeleteMy sons friend just turned twenty eight. He was diagnosed with crohn's disease three years ago. They have already removed several inches of his intestine. He says marijuana helps him with pain. Who am I to deny him?
ReplyDelete