Benefits and Hazards of Medical Marijuana - Research Paper Example

Benefits and hazards of medical marijuana Outline I. This section of the report provides an overview of the entire reportby summarizing the facts and structure of the report. II. Introduction The section introduces the topical issue. It provides a brief explanation of the issue before narrowing it down to a specific direction using the thesis statement. The thesis statement is the last sentence in the paragraph and shows a viewpoint adopted by the researcher. III. Body The body is a large section consisting of a number of paragraphs. The first couple of paragraphs in the reports discuss the numerous advantages of medical marijuana. The following paragraphs discuss the hazards of medical marijuana IV. Conclusion This section summaries the arguments as presented in body of the report thereby marrying them with the thesis statements. This unifies the entire report. V. References Lists the scholarly literatures the author uses in the creation of the report. Such are books and journal articles the author referred to while writing the report. He uses the references by making in text citations thereby acknowledging the original authors of the facts he argues in the body of the report. Abstract The federal government considers marijuana as a class one controlled substance and is, therefore, illegal to have while more than twenty states in the country have effective laws that govern the use of marijuana as a medicine. Such contradictions in the importance and illegality of the drug continue to heighten the controversy that surrounds the use of marijuana in the country. This report, therefore, discusses the benefits and the hazards of medical marijuana with the view to determining the suitability of the substance. The report presents a number of the medical benefits of the drug and compares them to the possible hazards of the substance. Such is a contribution to the raging debate on the use of the drug. Introduction Cannabis sativa also known as marijuana is a type of psychoactive drug. The drug has a number of physiological and psychoactive effects. Owing to such nervous effect, the federal government just as many other governments throughout the world banned the use of cannabis in the country. However, a number of scholars and medical practitioners began vouching for the use of the drug claiming that it presented a number of medical benefits. As such, medical marijuana has been in use in a number of state and come in various forms suitable for smoking, vaporization and ingestion in the form of a pill. However, the use of the drug and the numerous advantages it presents remain contentious. Scholars and medical practitioners continue to give varied opinions concerning the use of the drug. Supporters of the use of cannabis continue to cite a number of benefits it presents while opponents of the use of the drug allude to the numerous hazards it presents as the discussion below portrays. Key among the medical benefits of marijuana is that it contributes to the management of such serious diseases as cancer, sclerosis and AIDS among many others. Marijuana can help relieve the pain from the above diseases (Caulkins, Hawken, Kilmer & Kleiman, 2012). Additionally, marijuana can help relieve the pain often associated with the drugs used in the treatment and management of the above serious disease. Cancer, sclerosis and AIDS are some of the most serious diseases in the world today. Some of the diseases such as AIDS and cancer lack any known cure a feature that requires the victims of such diseases to manage them. Managing such disease is, however, difficult owing to the immense pain. Furthermore, the drugs used in the management of the diseases often present a number of side effects key among which is immense pain. The pain definitely affects the quality of life thereby hindering the management process. Marijuana or cannabis Sativa presents a suitable solution to the problem since it has the ability to relieve the patients from the immense pain often associated with the disease. Such is a substantial benefit that validates the medical use of the drug. In yet another related benefit is the fact that marijuana helps in relieving both nausea and vomiting. Vomiting and nausea is a fundamental problem often associated with chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is among the most effective ways of either treating or managing cancer. However, vomiting and nausea are some of the key side effects of the therapy (Bello, 2008). The side effects affect the quality of the patient’s life since they lead to rapid loss of body mass. Medical marijuana, therefore, presents a probable solution that can help improve the process of treating and managing cancer. Firstly, it reduces the pain thereby making the process convenient. By relieving nausea and vomiting, the drug makes it easier for the patients of cancer to seek treatment besides improving the quality of their lives. Additionally, medical marijuana is instrumental in the treatment and management of paralysis. Paralysis is a major medical condition often associated with the failure of the nervous system thereby impairing coordination of the vital body parts. Paralysis has a number of causes and often has similar symptoms to sclerosis. Marijuana offers a vital help in the treatment of the two major diseases by reliving the muscle spasticity associated with both paralysis and multiple sclerosis. As such, those suffering from the two can gain more control of their body part since the muscles will respond to the commands of the nervous system. Through systematic therapies and dedicated use of marijuana, patients of paralysis and multiple sclerosis can regain control of their body arts thereby overcoming the two deadly diseases that often lead to the loss of vital body parts. Use of marijuana revitalizes appetite. Appetite loss is always a major concern for those suffering from cancer and AIDS. The two diseases require adequate immune system, which relies on the quality of food a patient ingests. Loss of appetite is, therefore, a major concern that frustrates the efforts of the patients in their attempt to manage the disease. Marijuana presents a solution to the medical problem since consumption of marijuana helps treat loss of appetite. This enables the patients of the deadly diseases to eat appropriately thereby replenish the immunity of their body. As explained earlier, the two diseases require effective management given the fact that they lack any known cure. Having balanced diet is among the basic ways of managing the diseases. Loss of appetite, therefore, frustrates such efforts thereby threatening the lives of the patients. Marijuana thus makes significant contribution to the management and treatment of the two diseases. Proponents of medical marijuana further argue that marijuana is a safer remedy to the above problems. Apparently, various other drugs can perform all of the above functions. However, proponents of medical marijuana claim that marijuana provides a single solution to the problems. The solution is safe since it does not have any side effects, as is the case with numerous other laboratory drugs. Smoking, vaporizing or ingesting marijuana presents all the above advantages a feature that makes it the most efficient remedy to all of the above problems. The other drugs are categorical in their specified function (Room, 2010). As such, a cancer or AIDS patients would have to ingest a number of drugs in order to obtain the relief. Furthermore, scientific researches on marijuana show that the drug does not harm the lungs. Scientific researches prove that smoking marijuana without mixing it with tobacco does not present any risks to the lungs. Despite the numerous benefits, opponents of the drug have cited a number of hazards that the drug presents key among which is the fact that it can impair cognitive ability. Marijuana has a number of undesired effects most of which inform the federal decision to ban the use of the drug. The drug affects the functionality of nervous system. It, therefore, impairs judgment just as is the case with any other drug and alcohol. Besides impairing judgment, marijuana impairs memory. This causes memory loss among other undesirable effects. By affecting the memory of an individual, marijuana is present a threat to the functionality of vita body organs such as the brain. Its immediate effects include euphoria, which is a state of non-functionality. As explained earlier, marijuana use impairs judgment. As such, those whose marijuana are a danger both to themselves and to others around them, “driving under the influence of the drug is a major cause of accidents in the country” (Gieringer, Rosenthal & Carter, 2008). Using marijuana to treat a disease presents a substantial risk to the health of the patient. The drug presents a substantial risk of both abuse and addiction. Research shows that those who began using marijuana as a medical drug systematically developed addiction. This way, the users of the drug end up suffering from the long term effects of drug abuse and addiction. Progressive use of marijuana through the subsequent addiction leads to a steady loss of memory a feature that lowers the quality of life an individual leads. Addiction makes the body dependent on the drug. Some of the vital body organs fail to function without the drug in the system. This makes the body vulnerable. Briefly, medical marijuana presents both benefits and a number of hazards. The above explanation shows that marijuana is among the surest drugs that can help in the management of some of the deadliest diseases in the modern society. Cancer and AIDS are major concerns both for the society and for medical practitioners. The evident lack of effective treatment makes any substance that offers a number of solutions, as is the case with marijuana, desirable. Marijuana offers relief to some of the most serious concerns in the management and treatment of the diseases. Marijuana offers relief from pain, nausea, vomit and appetite loss all of which often affect the quality of life for patients with the two diseases (Werner, 2011). As such, marijuana contributes to the management of the two notorious diseases. However, the drug has a number of hazards. The fact that the use of marijuana causes memory loss is a major concern for systematic loss of memory causes eventual impairment of the functionality of the body. Furthermore, the drugs are addictive. References Bello, J. (2008). The benefits of marijuana: Physical, psychological, and spiritual. Susquehanna, Pa: Lifeservices Press. Caulkins, J. P., Hawken, A., Kilmer, B., & Kleiman, M. (2012). Marijuana legalization: What everyone needs to know. New York : Oxford University Press. Gieringer, D. H., Rosenthal, E., & Carter, G. T. (2008). Marijuana medical handbook: Practical guide to the therapeutic uses of marijuana. Oakland, Calif: Quick American. Room, R. (2010). Cannabis policy: Moving beyond stalemate. Oxford [England: Oxford University Press. Werner, C. (2011). Marijuana: Gateway to health : how cannabis protects us from cancer and Alzheimers disease. San Francisco : Dachstar Press. Read More