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Dominique Cain

J. Krusen

Current Event #3

Medical Marijuana

Marijuana is one of the most discussed and controversial topics in the U.S today. Many

say that it has medicinal benefits and should be made legal. While many say that it has a high

potential for abuse and should remain illegal (medical). Among the arguments, proponents for

medical marijuana have presented a stronger argument for legalization, through their use of

research and evidence.

Opponents of medical marijuana have given many reasons for why it should not be

legalized. One of the main reasons they argue is that marijuana smoke contains known

carcinogens and produces dependency in users (medical). In many studies it has shown that it

does have some harm such as the harms associated with smoking, but the National Academy of

Science affirmed that marijuanas short term medical benefits outweigh any smoking-related

harms for some patients (medical). Though marijuana has been proven to be damaging to the

lungs than tobacco, a study in 2006 found no evidence that marijuana smokers had higher rates

of lung cancer (medical marijuana). The FDA has tested the effectiveness of marijuana and has

found that the cannabinoids are helpful in treated pain associated with chemotherapy,

postoperative recovery, spinal cord injury, as well as neuropathic pain, which is often experience

by patients with metastatic cancer, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes (medical marijuana).

Another huge discussion about medical marijuana is its addiction rate, though there is no

evidence shown that patients who use marijuana become addicted. Although the opposing side

argues this, they show no evidence in supporting this claim, which therefore, the claim is invalid.

There are many pharmaceutical drugs used for treatments and they are addictive, yet those drugs

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are still sold over the counter. Also carcinogens can have a negative effect, but there are many

things in society, such as tobacco, that contains harmful toxins, yet are still sold legally. To say

that marijuana should remain illegal because it is addictive is irrelevant, because these items are

still present in society today and are harmful to the human body, but still they remain legal.

In other arguments, opponents such as the DEA have argued continuously that medical

marijuana has no medicinal value. Although NORML has shown that it helps with pain, relief,

nausea, spasticity, glaucoma, and movement disorders. This research has also proven that

marijuana helps with HIV/AIDS patients. HIV is one of the leading causes of deaths, primarily

in African Americans in this disease, patients suffer from loss of appetite and pain. Many

patients have complained that pharmaceutical drugs that physicians provide them, does not help

or benefit them. Studies have shown that medical marijuana has proven for some patients to have

better results than prescription drugs, but opponents have held back millions of patients who are

suffering. Some ill patients need medical marijuana, like mal-nourished plants need water to

survive. The DEA is taking these rights away from the ill and they continue to live in a horrible

state as well as breaking into peoples home and arresting them for the use of medical

marijuana.

NORML has shown that 73% of Americans support making marijuana legally available

for doctors to prescribe. This shows that many of the American people want to give medical

marijuana to the seriously ill patients. They understand that legalizing medical marijuana is only

accessible for ill patients and not for recreational use. Also since 1996, voters in 19 states have

adopted initiatives exempting patients who use marijuana under physicians supervision from

state criminal penalties (NORML). Ill patients in America should be given their rights in every

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state so that each patient can receive equal care. As citizens of the United States seriously ill

patients are born with rights and should not be deprived form them.

Many of the different reasons, that the opposing side has given, are irrelevant and can be

easily proven by the evidence given by the proponents. The DEA has let millions of patients

suffer miserably for many years because they refuse to give them the proper care. Research has

already proven that medical marijuana has medicinal value and it should not be withheld from

these patients any longer.

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Dominique Cain

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Works Cited

Medical Marijuana. (n.d.).Dispensaries, Cannabis Club Directory. Retrieved December 2, 2012,

from http://medicalmarijuana.com/medical-marijuana-treatments-cannabis-uses.com

Norml. (n.d). Retrieved December 2, 2012, from http://norml.org/

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