Marijuana: the Good Part Essay Example

Marijuana is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known. No one has ever died from an overdose, and it has a wide variety of therapeutic applications: Relief from nausea and increase of appetite; Reduction of eye pressure; Reduction of muscle spasms; Relief from mild to moderate chronic pain.
Marijuana is frequently beneficial in the treatment of the following conditions: AIDS. Marijuana can reduce the nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite caused by the ailment itself and by treatment with AZT and other drugs. Glaucoma. Marijuana can reduce eye pressure, thereby alleviating the pain and slowing -- and sometimes stopping -- the progress of the condition. (Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. It damages vision by increasing eye pressure over time.) Cancer. Marijuana can stimulate the appetite and alleviate nausea and vomiting, which are common side effects of chemotherapy treatment. Multiple Sclerosis. Marijuana can limit the muscle pain and spasticity caused by the disease, as well as relieving tremor and unsteadiness of gait. (Multiple sclerosis is the leading cause of neurological disability among young and middle-aged adults in the United States.) Epilepsy. Marijuana can prevent epileptic seizures in some patients. Chronic Pain. Marijuana can alleviate the chronic, often debilitating pain caused by myriad disorders and injuries.
Each of these applications has been deemed legitimate by at least one court, legislature, and/or government agency in the United States.
Many patients also report that marijuana is useful for treating arthritis, migraine, menstrual cramps, alcohol and opiate addiction, and depression and other debilitating mood disorders. Marijuana could be helpful for millions of patients in the United States. Nevertheless, other than for the eight people with special permission from the federal government,