Legalization of Medical Marijuana
Introduction
Drugs kill more than “100,000” people a year. What kind of drugs? Prescription drugs. The seemingly harmless, easily accessible medicine in which doctors prescribe to patients every day account for “100,000” times as many deaths than the heavily criminalized, all natural drug we know as marijuana. Because of its non-toxic and non-addictive characteristics not one death has resulted from the use of marijuana. Some skeptics argue that marijuana, also known as ‘cannabis’, can become a gateway drug but those who use it for medical purposes find that they never really become tolerant to marijuana’s medicinal effects, eliminating the need to move on to harder drugs such as cocaine. Because of its therapeutic value, as well as the potential revenue it will bring in for states, medical marijuana should be legalized in the United States (“Introduction.”).
History of Marijuana
Written records regarding the use of medical marijuana date back more than “five thousand years,” and by the beginning of the twentieth century marijuana had been recommended in “one hundred” Western medical literature papers. American physicians and patients continued to put use to the non-toxic drug until “1937” when the Marihuana Tax Act was passed by Congress. This act did not prohibit the prescribing of medical marijuana but the heavy taxes and serious penalties in which the Act enforced did more than just discourage the use of cannabis, but rather scared people away. The American Medical Association was one of the few who made their voices heard after the act was passed, arguing it would “deprive patients of a past, present, and future medicine” (“Introduction.”)
Medical Value
Throughout medical marijuana’s controversial past, countless tests have been done to show the therapeutic effects the drug has on many different diseases and illnesses. Sumatriptan, a medicine prescribed to those who are affected by migraines, has proven to be too weak in treating the pain caused by
Drugs kill more than “100,000” people a year. What kind of drugs? Prescription drugs. The seemingly harmless, easily accessible medicine in which doctors prescribe to patients every day account for “100,000” times as many deaths than the heavily criminalized, all natural drug we know as marijuana. Because of its non-toxic and non-addictive characteristics not one death has resulted from the use of marijuana. Some skeptics argue that marijuana, also known as ‘cannabis’, can become a gateway drug but those who use it for medical purposes find that they never really become tolerant to marijuana’s medicinal effects, eliminating the need to move on to harder drugs such as cocaine. Because of its therapeutic value, as well as the potential revenue it will bring in for states, medical marijuana should be legalized in the United States (“Introduction.”).
History of Marijuana
Written records regarding the use of medical marijuana date back more than “five thousand years,” and by the beginning of the twentieth century marijuana had been recommended in “one hundred” Western medical literature papers. American physicians and patients continued to put use to the non-toxic drug until “1937” when the Marihuana Tax Act was passed by Congress. This act did not prohibit the prescribing of medical marijuana but the heavy taxes and serious penalties in which the Act enforced did more than just discourage the use of cannabis, but rather scared people away. The American Medical Association was one of the few who made their voices heard after the act was passed, arguing it would “deprive patients of a past, present, and future medicine” (“Introduction.”)
Medical Value
Throughout medical marijuana’s controversial past, countless tests have been done to show the therapeutic effects the drug has on many different diseases and illnesses. Sumatriptan, a medicine prescribed to those who are affected by migraines, has proven to be too weak in treating the pain caused by
Cited: "Introduction." NORML.org - Working to Reform Marijuana Laws. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. Loeb, Jonah. "Which States ' Budgets are Benefitting from Medical Marijuana--And Who is Missing Out?." Minyanville. N.p., 8 Nov. 2012. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. "Marijuana and Medicine - Chapter Four: The Medical Value of Marijuana and Related Substances." DRCNet Online Library of Drug Policy. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2012.