Should marijuana be legalized as a medical treatment for certain illnesses? A hot topic in the news these days, proponents claim the potential benefits of this drug outweigh the risks. But where does the truth lie?
Keep reading for a closer look at this controversial drug.
What Is It?
Worldwide, more people use marijuana than any other illegal drug. Also called dope, grass, hash, pot, Mary Jane, weed, and other names, marijuana is derived from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The drug looks like a gray-green mixture of dried leaves and flower.
Marijuana can be used in various ways. The leaves can be rolled into a “joint” similar to a cigarette or cigar and smoked, it can be mixed with food, drank as tea, or smoked in a water pipe.
Down on Dope
Despite all of the reasons folks wish marijuana was legal, it’s illegal for a reason. Abuse of marijuana causes short-term and long-term effects on the user. Usage leads to learning, problem solving, and memory problems; paranoia and anxiety; loss of coordination; increased appetite; red eyes; a rapid heart rate; increased blood pressure; and a distorted sense of reality.
Additionally, there are more cancer-causing ingredients in marijuana than in tobacco. In that sense, smoking five joints is equal to smoking a pack of cigarettes.
Marijuana also can be addictive if used frequently or used early in life. It has been known as a “gateway” drug as it’s often the first drug people try. From here, users who enjoyed the “high” experienced from marijuana may be more likely to move on to other more dangerous and addictive drugs.
Promoting Pot
What could be so good about a drug that has such negative and potentially dangerous side effects? Quite a bit.
Prior to 1937, marijuana was an accepted form of medication in the U.S. and around the world. For centuries, marijuana has been used to treat various illnesses, and many people want the drug to be legally regulated and available again for medical purposes. At this point, 20 states in the U.S. have now legalized—in some form—its medical use, and some whole countries have done the same.
Research has shown marijuana to be helpful for relieving for several medical conditions, including hard-to-treat conditions such as seizures and Crohn’s disease. First, it provides relief from pain. This may be pain from nerve damage, glaucoma, headaches, tight muscles, or movement disorders like multiple sclerosis.
Second, the main ingredient in marijuana, THC can be used to relieve nausea due to chemotherapy. By using marijuana in this way, many chemotherapy patients have led better quality lives during their treatment than those without access to medical marijuana.
Marijuana thirdly stimulates the appetite. This can be particularly helpful for individuals suffering from AIDS, HIV, or dementia and have lost their desire to eat.
For those living in a state where medical marijuana is legal, doctors can write a prescription for medical marijuana. You’ll then be placed on a list and allowed to purchase the drug from a legal seller.
Psychedelic Side Effects and Risks
Taken for medical reasons under the supervision of a doctor, marijuana may cause drowsiness, dizziness, feelings of euphoria, and short-term memory loss. It may be dangerous to drive or operate machinery. Anxiety and psychosis have also been reported.
Unfortunately, since the drug isn’t monitored or tested like other prescriptions, taking marijuana puts you at risk for unknown side effects, and it is often impossible to know of the drug’s purity or potency.
Do the potential benefits of marijuana use outweigh the risks? That’s up to you to decide. So if your state gives you the option to choose, do your research and do what seems in the best interest of your good health.
No Can Do
While marijuana can often be taken safely by many individuals, anyone with heart disease, a history of psychological problems, or women who are pregnant should not use marijuana under any circumstance.
