The Benefits of Medical Marijuana - Research Paper Example

 Benefits of Marijuana Abstract Marijuana is known to be the leading illegal drug of abuse across the world and emerged as one of the chief sources of health predicament, particularly amongst the youth. Research reports present the neurobiological as well as pharmacological significance of marijuana as well as its therapeutic implications for numerous medical conditions encompassing HIV wasting, glaucoma and cancer chemotherapy. Hindrance in research activities were witnessed due to intricacies displayed by the federal approval procedures, inadequate accessibility of investigative-grade marijuana and arguments for its validation. The therapeutic implications of marijuana is of paramount importance for the physicians to encourage the patients' participation in treatment of dreaded diseases, otherwise difficult to treat due to excessive pain and underprivileged involvement of patients. Introduction Marijuana plant is popularly known as cannabis includes above 60 compounds universally called as cannabinoids. The chief chemical agent responsible for psychoactive nature of the marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The other copious component in marijuana is cannabidiol (CBD) which does not possess any psychoactive outcomes. The concentration of these cannabinoids is not the same in all plants but varies according to the growth conditions, the genetic component of the plant and the kind of harvesting process adopted (NIH Releases Panel's Report on the Possible Medical Uses of Marijuana). These variations are responsible for carrying out research studies to assess marijuana for medical implications. For several decades, marijuana has been smoked for its medical importance. Until 1942, marijuana was placed in U.S Pharmacopoeia and thereafter separated as federal legislation marked the drug as unlawful and therefore its use was prohibited (Hollister, 2001). Moreover, the Controlled Substance Act (1970) manifested that marijuana does not possess any medical significance, but allocated it as a prospective source of abuse and therefore positioned marijuana in the Schedule I of drugs. Although this could not stop researchers to highlight the medical importance of marijuana. In the last two decades research studies postulated that a cannabinoid receptors called CB1 (responsible for mediating CNS) and CB2 (present outside CNS) display anti-inflammatory as well as immunosuppressive activity (Grant, 2005) paving the way for augmentation of research in exploiting marijuana for it therapeutic prospective. Considering the research significance, Institute of Medicine (IOM) was asked by White House Office of National Drug Control Policy in 1997 to evaluate the facts and data supporting both the perils as well as the returns of marijuana. According to IOM report (1999), Marijuana contains certain components which are potentially efficient in relieving pain, nausea as well as vomiting. It is also found to be effective for AIDS associated failure to eat. Research reveals that marijuana could be used as therapeutic agent to relieve pain and sufferings in severely ill cases, as it acts as a medicine when other drugs or medications fail. Smoking marijuana is found to be the most diffident approach as it delivers the drug appropriately and at a faster pace (Should marijuana be a medical option?). Considering the issue, the argument for pros and cons of legalization of marijuana use further got wings. Supporters especially physicians dealing with chronic illness cases especially AIDS and cancer sufferers present their viewpoint as marijuana was found to be effective in treating fatally ailing patients. Enthusiasts belonging to Physician's Association for AIDS and National Lymphoma Foundation are the chief in promulgating medical use of marijuana. Physicians instituted that marijuana was found to stimulate appetite in AIDS patients and thereby providing them confidence to struggle treacherous consequences. Marijuana was also found to be effective in glaucoma patients, cancer cases and other fatal diseases. Marijuana works as a wonder drug for these ailing cases as it encourages lifesaving treatment such as chemotherapy with ease and comfort. Supporters of marijuana therefore argues to promote the legalization of marijuana and proposes that marijuana should be categorized under the class of prescribed drugs (Term paper on Legalization Of Marijuana). On the contrary, the anti-marijuana group such as Drug Enforcement Agency and Police Department present a view that marijuana is a dangerous drug and provides an addiction to the patient, therefore should not be included in the list of prescribed drugs. They portray an analysis where marijuana was found to display harmful effects similar to cocaine and morphine, although to a lesser degree (Term paper on Legalization Of Marijuana.). Bearing in mind both the viewpoints, it could be wrapped up that marijuana is a wonder drug for relentlessly ailing cases especially AIDS, glaucoma and cancer patients. Considering the relief these patients get and their co-operation subsequently for further medication such as chemotherapy; use of marijuana should be legalized as non-legalization of marijuana is bound to promote misuse of resources to procure the drug to relieve sufferings. Medical benefits of Marijuana Appetite Stimulation or Antiemetic- Research reveals that the THC component of marijuana stimulates appetite and therefore U.S FDA approved Marinol, a synthetic derivative of THC for oral consumption, especially for AIDS cases suffering weight loss, nausea and vomiting and other antiemetics were found to be non-effective. Marijuana was instituted to stimulate appetite, enhances calorie intake and promotes gain in weight. Moreover, efficiency of THC was found to enhance when introduced in combination with other antiemetics, taking into consideration this feature of marijuana, IOM has labeled it as "modest" antiemetics as it works when other drugs are found to be of no use (Joy, 1999). Glaucoma results due to high intraocular pressure (IOP). Researchers reveal that cannabinoids display neuroprotective characteristics as it diminishes the IOP, pupil restraint and conjunctival hyperemia (Grant, 2005). Reports highlight the limited use of marijuana as long term utilization diminishes the blood supply in optic nerve due to its systemic hypotensive property and its ability to interact with other anti-glaucoma drugs. As glaucoma occurs in elderly population, comorbidities are reported leading to its irrelevant use (Joy, 1999). Neurological and movement disorder- subjective clinical trials disclose that smoked marijuana as well as oral THC potentially present liberation from spasticity, tremble, aches in cases of multiple sclerosis (MS), traumatic shocks, accidents and injuries associated with spinal cord (Zajicek, 2005). reports on smoked marijuana also highlight the fact that HIV-associated sensory neuropathy (HIV-SN) cases displayed 34% reduction in HIV-SN in contrast to 17% in placebos (Abrams, 2007). Analgesic- the pain relieving property of marijuana is hopeful. Potentially eliminates pain of cancer and AIDS patients. Moreover it is reported that marijuana, THC spray works extremely well in cases of rheumatoid arthritis and enable them to have appropriate sleep (Blake, 2006). Although a very narrow gap exists between the effective dose and dose causing adverse reaction; cases smoking 4% THC show reduction in pain while cases smoking 8% THC display adverse consequences of marijuana (Wallace, 2007). ADR (Adverse Drug Reaction)- Most of the strong medication is reported to display adverse drug reaction. Cases smoking marijuana acutely are reported to show enhanced heart rate, a reduction in blood pressure is reported, along with other symptoms like impaired short-term memory, concentration, gross motor-co-ordination, reaction time (Grant, 2005). Conclusion Numerous verifications support the use of marijuana for its medicinal implications but there are equivalent number of views displaying the adverse drug reactions and therefore to make marijuana only for the beneficiary aspects it becomes highly essential that further research must be carried out to elucidate the dose and composition of marijuana especially the THC components and to define the most favorable route of drug administration. The debate should not be for legalization of marijuana or not but efforts should be towards working in co-ordination to find out the best out of marijuana and its capabilities. References Abrams, D.I., Jay, C.A., Shade, S.B., Vizoso, H., Reda, H., Press, S., et al. (2007). Cannabis in Painful HIV Associated Sensory Neuropathy: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial. Neurology. 68, 515-21. Blake, D.R., Robson, P., Ho, M., Jubb, R.W., McCabe, C.S. (2006). Preliminary Assessment of the Efficacy, Tolerability and Safety of a Cannabis-Based Medicine (Sativex) in the Treatment of Pain Caused by Rheumatoid Arthritis. Rheumatology. 45, 50-52. Hollister, L. (2001). Marijuana (Cannabis) as Medicine. Journal of Cannabis Therapuetics. 1(1), 5-27. Grant, I., Cahn, B. R. (2005). Cannabis and Endocannabinoid Modulators: Therapeutic Promises and Challenges. Clinical Neuroscience Research. 5, 185-99. Joy, J.E., Watson, S. J., Benson, J.A. (1999). Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base. National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine. Washington, DC. NIH Releases Panel's Report on the Possible Medical Uses of Marijuana. Available at http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/aug97/nih-08.htm. [Accessed on 18th October 2011]. Should marijuana be a medical option? Available at http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=1325. [Accessed on 18th October 2011]. Term paper on Legalization Of Marijuana. Available at http://www.customessaymeister.com/customessays/Marijuana/7701.htm. [Accessed on 12th October 2011]. Wallace, M.S., Schulteis, G., Hampton Atkinson, J., Wolfson, T., Lazzaretto, D., Bentley, H., Gouaux, B., Abramson, I. (2007). Dose-Dependent Effects Of Smoked Cannabis On Capsaicin-Induced Pain And Hyperalgesia In Healthy Volunteers. Anesthesiology. 107, 785- 96. Zajicek, J., Sanders, H., Wright, D., Vickery, P., Ingram, W., Reilly, S., Nunn, A., Teare, L., Fox, P., Thompson, A. (2005). Cannabinoids in multiple sclerosis (CAMS) study: safety and efficacy data for 12 months follow up. J. Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 76(12). 1664-1669. Read More