Medical Marijuana Should Be Legalised - Essay Example

"Medical Marijuana Should Be Legalised" is a wonderful example of a paper on social and family issues.
Marijuana is a drug processed from hemp, Cannabis sativa leaves, and flowers that have been dried. Marijuana contains a chemical called delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which acts in various regions of the brains concerned with memory, concentration, discernment, and balance. Scientific and medical research has proved that inhalation of marijuana smoke has the medicinal effect of reducing pain and nausea especially in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Several individuals have also testified to have used marijuana for medical purposes attesting that marijuana is medically munificent and thus not a harmful drug. However, the government is still resistant to legalize the usage of marijuana for medical purposes but keeps focusing on the fears of the possible beneficiaries in case of legalization. However, scientific research on marijuana should be heightened to address fears of any side effect. This paper will analyze the importance of medical marijuana and the reasons why its usage for medical purposes should be legalized.

The basic reason why medical marijuana should be legalized is to use it for medical purposes to alleviate a lot of unnecessary suffering among terminally ill patients especially those undergoing Cancer and AIDs chemotherapy. The government claims that the evidence available is not sufficient. In my opinion, the available substantiation is enough to allow the decision of when and on whom to use medical marijuana to be made by doctors. Medical practitioners using marijuana to benefit the patients should not be exposed to illogical risks of arrests, ligation, or any form of embarrassment. The government can only initiate this by legalizing the use of medical marijuana to stop robbing doctors of their freedom while practicing medicine (Jenkins, 2011; Rosenthal et al, 2003).

Another reason why medical marijuana should be legalized is that the reasons barring legalization are invalid. The effects of marijuana are less dangerous than the effects of already legalized drugs such as tobacco. The government may limit actions of persons under marijuana influence if the actions are a threat to other people but should have no right in preventing constructive usage (Rosenthal et al, 2003).

In addition, the costs the government spends a great fortune in preventing usage of marijuana whereas there is no clear evidence that prohibition reduces drug use. On the contrary, prohibition has been perceived to increase drug use especially among the youths who are more likely to experiment with forbidden stuff. A better option would be educating people on drug problems as well as rehabilitation of addicted persons other than using the daring approach of addressing the problem (Jenkins, 2011).

Another reason is that it has not been entirely proved that marijuana leads to addiction. The claims made are just suppositions thus the allegation is invalid. Even if it could be addictive, several legal uses of more addictive pharmaceutical drugs are legal and the government does not refute their usage. There is thus no sufficient reason why the use of medical marijuana should be contradicted (Rosenthal et al, 2003).

In conclusion, marijuana effects are too minor to bar its usage for the immense role it can play in the medical field and the lives of many terminally ill patients. Barring the use of marijuana with claims, such as its addictiveness is unsound since other more harmful and addictive drugs face no objection. The use of marijuana should thus be legalized. However, scientific research on marijuana should be heightened to address fears of any side effect.

Interview Questions

• How can the government ensure that laws legalizing the use of marijuana are not abused? (Looney, 2011).
• What are some of the reasons against marijuana legalization given by people opposed to the use of medical marijuana? (Looney, 2011).