Medical Marijuana Legalization 1

Should Marijuana be a Medical Option?

Luisa Fernanda Vargas
El Paso Community College

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Talking about Marijuana in general is a very broad term and if we think about it
even in this 21st century a taboo topic for many people. Medicine has advanced
enormously through the years and not long ago was discovered that maybe ancient
tribes where not that wrong about healing with plants. So that information makes us
think would the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes bring us positive or
negative consequences? And if it does will it be worth it to take the chance to help
people?
The word drug no matter what kind brings a negative picture to our minds and in
some way, we are right but what if we were told that it can decrease chronical pain,
Tourette syndrome, arthritic or neuropathic pain would our mentality change? As Druzin
explains on his periodical Canada is using medical Cannabis a treatment for a lot of
diseases or conditions that relate to pain or even to manage some side effects and
symptoms. Its not new that some patients have given their testimony on how using
marijuana as pain reliever has bring their lives back as Canadian prostate cancer
survivor Kelly Oliphant stated in an article; she was suffering of severe colitis and
cystitis caused by the cancer and Cannabis treatment helped her enjoy life again
without the chronic pain.
Its not that simple just to legalize it and thats it, there a lot of thinking behind the
consequences and the measurements so this will not be a chance for recreational or
excessive use to take place. Theres some saying that if recreational marijuana is going
to affect medical marijuana which has different mechanism of use and effects. As

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everything in politics, science, laws and basically everything in life theres the pro
legalization and con legalization.
In the 70s it wasnt consider a medical option for treatment and pain killer, but
since then with studies and research now 28 out of the 50 States legalized medical
marijuana. Its a very important pain killer and treatment for diseases like epilepsy,
cancer, AIDS, multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer and others; this is supported by very
important organizations, political reports and other important studies that prove that it
has a positive outcome. On the other side the opposing part is also making research
about negative effects this plant may have as lung injury, infertility, immune system
inhibition and other consequence smoking or using marijuana can cause, not to mention
that is not FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved.
Its said that the marijuana from now is much more potent that the on one 30
years ago, some researchers said that the active ingredient THC is more powerful so
you get addictive more rapidly. On the other part it says that is good that is more potent
due to the fact that you get the symptom of relief faster and you dont have to use that
much. Now its matter of real life cases on whether this plan/drug makes a good in
patients and if it has a secondary effect that will affect the patients life.

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Work Cited

Collier, R. (2016, August 9). How will pot legalization affect medical marijuana?
CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal, 188(11). 792+. Retrieved from http://0go.galegroup.com.lib.epcc.edu

Druzin, R. (2016). Medical Cannabis Offers New Options For Managing Pain.
Macleans 129 (39), 54.

Keyes, K.M. Wall, M., Schulenberg, J., OMalley, P.M., Galea, S., & Hasin, D.S
(2016). How does state Marijuana Policy Affect US Youth? Medical Marijuana Laws,
Marijuana Use, Perceived Harmfulness. 1991-2014. Addiction 111(12).

Koch, K. (1999, August 20). Medical marijuana. CQ Researcher, 9, 705-728.

Retrieved from http://0-library.cqpress.com.lib.epcc.edu/

Marijuana. (2016). Reactions Weekly, 1621 (1), 165.

Marshall, P. (2005, February 11). Marijuana laws. CQ Researcher, 15, 125-148.

Retrieved from http://0-library.cqpress.com.lib.epcc.edu/

McLeod, E. (2015, May 22). Legalizing marijuana. CQ researcher. Retrieved

from http://0-library.cqpress.com.lib.epcc.edu/

Yu, A. (2016) HOW MEDICINAL CANNABIS HELPED A CANCER SURVIVOR

LIVE AGAIN. Macleans 129 (40), 61.