| The humble little cannabis sativa plant is the center of | | | | misleading, however - it is either decriminalized or legal |
| one of the hottest issues between politics, religion, | | | | for medical purposes in 18 states of the US as far as |
| and medicine in all of history. Amidst all of the | | | | state laws go, but still illegal on a Federal level. Also, in |
| controversy and regardless of where they stand on | | | | parts of Europe, it is legal only in designated areas, so |
| the issue, medical professionals must find themselves | | | | the whole country doesn't really count. |
| curious about it. Is marijuana the miracle drug it is | | | | Finally, "decriminalized" isn't the same thing as "legal", |
| purported to be in some circles, or is this a lot of | | | | but only means that possession is punishable by a |
| media hype? And likewise, is marijuana the | | | | citation, confiscation, and a fine instead of by prison |
| dangerous, addicting road to drug-addled debauchery | | | | time. |
| that the moral crusaders would have us believe, or is | | | | It is probably logical to conclude that there is a |
| that, too, a lot of hype? | | | | substantial amount of propaganda and misinformation |
| The claims about the medical benefits of marijuana, if | | | | from both marijuana advocates and opponents due |
| all true, would instantly make it one of the most | | | | to the legal issues of marijuana, including the legal and |
| versatile drugs in history. So far, researches have | | | | political constraints on marijuana research, the firmly |
| proposed that it could treat Alzheimer's disease, | | | | held beliefs of the public, and the religious beliefs |
| Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, diabetes mellitus, | | | | against it. The most confounding factor in marijuana |
| dystonia, fibromyalgia, gastrointestinal disorders, | | | | research is said to be the prevalent usage of other |
| gliomas, hepatitis C, hypertension, incontinence, | | | | recreational drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, in the |
| osteoporosis, pruritis, rheumatoid arthritis, sleep | | | | research subjects. |
| apnea, and Tourette's syndrome. The reports of new | | | | Such research complications demonstrate the need |
| finding pour in every day. The latest claim is that | | | | for studies on marijuana where stronger controls are |
| cannabis extracts may shrink brain tumors and other | | | | used, and investigations into the symptoms of |
| cranial cancers by blocking the growth of the blood | | | | marijuana use that may also be caused by tobacco |
| vessels which feed them. | | | | or other drugs. Much marijuana research in the United |
| Beyond medical treatment of existing ailments, | | | | States is funded by government agencies that publish |
| marijuana is also claimed to be preventative of a | | | | position papers which only cite research studies that |
| whole larger spectrum of problems as well. It is | | | | report negative consequences of marijuana use. In |
| supposed to prevent blindness, migraines, and | | | | light of this, some people question whether these |
| depression. It is said that marijuana has both stalled | | | | agencies are making an honest effort to present an |
| the growth of and eliminated brain tumors in rats. Oh, | | | | accurate, unbiased summary of the evidence, or |
| and it fights hardened arteries and actually helps | | | | whether they are slanting the results in favor of |
| cleanse the lungs, preventing tumors. Come on, can it | | | | keeping it criminalized. |
| really be all that? What else, does it make whites | | | | The medical field is caught in the middle of an ethical |
| whiter and colors brighter? | | | | and scientific tug of war, which should be a familiar |
| It could be argued that much of the news of | | | | feeling to many. After the huge controversies over |
| marijuana's health treatment uses are motivated by | | | | abortion, stem cell research, scientific findings pointing |
| the desire to legalize it for recreational usage as well. | | | | to evolution, cloning and gene therapy, cosmetic |
| After all, we are talking about a cheap, easily | | | | surgery, and artificial insemination, one could hardly |
| cultivated, low-dosage psychoactive narcotic with a | | | | blame medical researchers if they got disgusted and |
| mellow high, almost no side effects, and a low | | | | quit - or at least packed their bags and left the |
| physical addiction rate. | | | | country for a place where they could do their job |
| Its effects can be felt merely by eating it, although | | | | without quite so much politics getting in the way. |
| smoking and, increasingly, vaporizing it are the | | | | The medical marijuana controversy has reached a |
| preferred methods of recreational consumption. | | | | particularly poignant milestone just recently. The case |
| There have so far been no reported deaths or | | | | is one Ms. Angel Raich, who is a long-term and |
| reports of permanent injuries sustained as a result of | | | | terminally-ill medical cannabis patient in California. Ms. |
| a marijuana overdose. There's no sense fooling | | | | Raich is an Oakland mother of two who suffers from |
| ourselves - people want to party, and those with a | | | | scoliosis, a brain tumor, chronic nausea and other |
| recreational motive might make up any fact they | | | | ailments and complications. |
| could get their hands on to justify their right to party. | | | | On her doctor's advice, she eats or smokes |
| A marijuana dosage and its associated high produce a | | | | marijuana every couple of hours through the day to |
| group of psychoactive effects. The inebriated state | | | | ease her pain and bolster her appetite as |
| is somewhat comparable to the effects of alcohol. | | | | conventional drugs did not work. In spite of this, the |
| Temporary impairment of memory functioning, motor | | | | hospice where she was staying got raided, and she |
| skills, and cognition are all demonstrated. However, | | | | faces criminal prosecution. Her doctor has protested |
| marijuana's effects are largely dependent on the | | | | that marijuana is the only thing keeping her alive, and |
| mood of the individual at the time of dosage. In | | | | the federal appeals court has now handed down the |
| short, a body at rest tends to stay at rest, and a | | | | decision that she is to be prosecuted by the law - |
| body in motion tends to stay in motion. This variable | | | | anyway! |
| effect is known as "set and setting". | | | | Not only that, but this is not even the first time that |
| The illegality of usage and its demonized reputation | | | | medical marijuana has been denied as a treatment |
| as a gateway drug have created the flack in the | | | | option, even to those terminally ill and even in states |
| opposite direction. Regarding international laws, it is | | | | where it is legal for medical usage. This sobering state |
| legal for all uses in just under 10% of the world, | | | | of events highlights the bind that the medical |
| decriminalized for medical use in about 50% of the | | | | profession is in. There has seldom in history been |
| world, illegal but unenforced in 10% of the world, and | | | | such a case where criminal law and the Hippocratic |
| fully illegal in 30% of the world. Part of that is | | | | Oath have been at such odds with each other. |